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Catching an escaped domesticated rabbit - HAPPY ENDING pg5

capable

Mama Doe
According to a local pets lost and found page, there’s a loose rabbit somewhere in a local car park.

It was last spotted this morning, so I went for a look. Found droppings (not fresh, unfortunately), and a large amount of white fur in a space in a large gorse patch, where someone has left a head of lettuce which has been nibbled on. Is it fair to guess that the buns main hiding place is probably where all the fur is? The gorse patch is way too thick to see into fully, let alone get ones self into. There’s another member of the public with a carrier full of hay placed just outside the gorse, where the lettuce had been put, but I wonder if anything else could be done? Thoughts?
 
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The carrier/hay is what I would have done. Maybe some nuggets under the hay at the back...

Some wild rabbits have colouring we think of as 'domesticated' so it might be people are trying to catch a wildie. Is it the owner who says it's their rabbit loose in the park?
 
Not posted by an owner, more of a 'reported sighting'. There's a photo of it - a pretty large, predominantly white rabbit, with brown patches like an English Spot. It's right in the centre of town, I doubt there's many/any wildies around.

A couple more people have been to look, with no sightings. I imagine it'll keep hunkered down while the car park is busy and there's people around. I'll take a nip back later this afternoon when the shops start to close.
 
Caught the rabbit! Me and a couple of others must’ve been crossing paths all afternoon, but one woman lives across the road, and messaged me saying it was back in sight again. I spent a futile half an hour looking at it from a distance, and then two more lovely ladies turned up to help. 2 hours later, and I finally laid hands on the little booger.

It’s of a size and weight to my own lads, maybe chunkier, not skin and bone like I’d expected. Local taxi drivers say they’ve seen it loose for a few days now, but so far no one has reported missing it. It’s currently in quarantine in an indoor pen in my spare room (radiator off, window open), with the carrier, water and plenty of hay. I used some pellets to entice it into the carrier, but don’t want to give any more incase I upset it’s tummy, likewise no greens.

I’ll be taking it to the vet tomorrow to check for a microchip, hopefully it’s owners are looking for it!

Should I be concerned about my own boys? They’re both outside and vaccinated, and this newbie looks to be in fine fettle, plus there’ll be handwashing etc going between them.
 
Well done for catching it :D I really hope that the owners are looking for it and that it wasn't just dumped.

I think your boys should be OK, especially as they are vaccinated. Make sure you continue with the handwashing and touch him/her as little as possible.
 
Wow! Well done. I tried to catch a Dutch rabbit many years ago but failed as he/she just kept running under someone's shed everytime I moved. Hope having another rabbit around doesn't upset your boys.
 
Well done for catching it and looking after it. Hand washing and maybe changing clothes between visiting rabbits should be enough - I have a onesie, jacket & shoes I use when going out to foster rabbits. I don’t wear the onesie every time but if I don’t I try to change trousers before going back to my rabbits. That’s as much due to referred aggression as preventing cross infection though!
 
Thank you! The car park is right in the centre of town, with some houses' rear yards backing onto it behind fencing, and the hedging. I say 'hedging', its mostly scrub, with some overgrown shrubs and a ton of gorse. The three of us were armed with the towels I'd brought, but when he/she realised we couldn't reach them in the centre of the bushes, I had to go in! I'm head to toe with scratches!

I've not actually touched the bun directly - I was wearing gloves when I pinned it, and wrapped it in my towel, then just opened the carrier when I got home. It's chilling out in the darkened spare room, I think if I tried to touch it again, it'd have a heart attack.

ETA: newbie is inside, and my lads are outside. The boys are also side-by-side, but separated, due to fighting pre-neuter, so hopefully no referred aggression to worry about.
 
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Well done to you. Been in the same situation myself with our first rabbit. Glad he has found a safe and loving home.
 
Spoke to one of the receptionists at the vet clinic I take my own buns too, explained the situation, and asked about bringing the newbie down this afternoon for a microchip scan and a wellness check. She seemed surprised that anyone would get a rabbit microchipped, let alone bring in a caught one to have it checked. Then said she supposed I could, then if it seemed in good health I could ‘take it back where I found it and let it go again’! Let it go again?! It took 2 hours to catch!

Surely I can’t, in good consience, chuck what I’m 90% sure is a domesticated rabbit back into a town central car park, by itself, and leave it?? Would you do that to a straying dog??

Newbie had a seemingly subdued night - it ventured out the carrier to get the kale I scattered, and drank from the water bowl but not the bottle, and didn’t touch the hay in the litter tray, but might be munching the hay in the carrier. Few poops, but again I think most poops and pees will be in the carrier. From observing it roaming yesterday, it was grazing the grass, plus eating some of the berries and leaves from the shrubs (not good at IDing plants), with all that fresh foraging for the past few days at least, I’m not surprised it’s not that fussed about hay. I’ll see about collecting some fresh grass for it, and put Readigrass in in the meantime.
 
Let it go again!!!???!!! How utterly brainless. What an incredible ingorant thing to suggest.

Hope he/she continues to do well. Will you keep it?
 
I think when you take it to check for a microchip you ought to mention the receptionists comment to the nurse or whoever scans bunny. She needs to learn that that's not appropriate. Well done on catching bunny x
 
I’m glad you manage to capture the bunny. I can’t believe the attitude of the vet receptionist!

I suppose it’s understandable that bunny is a bit subdued with everything it has been through but if it is eating and drinking fine then it seems like it will settle. He/she might prefer forage such as grass and brambles and I’m sure readigrass will go down well :thumb:

Good job you are looking after him/her so well :love:
 
Let it go again?! How irresponsible to suggest such a thing. It wouldn't surprise me if the poor darling has been dunped. I'll be keeping an eye out on this thread for updates :)
 
I'm with Glinge. Mention the Receptiist's comment to eg senior nurse and let them deal with it. It was a totally inappropriate comment.

Wouldn't it be illegal to let it go?
- if it's a domestic rabbit - it shouldn't be re-dumped - surely it would be against the 5 Freedoms?
- if it's a wildie, wouldn't it be illegal to re-release a 'pest' species?

I can understand re-releasing eg a cat at the site it was found as a feral after neutering.
 
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