Demesticated rabbits spotted at Epping forest

[joey&boo]

I'll get him to a vet asap I'll book him an appointment either today or tomorrow. He is eating and drinking ok I'm only giving them hay. I'll remember to ask the vet about checking for a microchip for both of them.

I have a friend that recently got a lion head bunny in poor condition that had been past from pillow to post and when it was vet checked it had a micro chip and it turned out to be a rabbit from a rescue center in 2020 but sadly the original owner is no longer around.

There were quite a lot of bunnies released into the woodland which has made me think they came from a nearby farm I'd say there were at least 10

I think all reputable rescues have a returns policy (for serious want of a better expression) - I've adopted from a few RSPCA branches, the blue cross, camp nibble, bunny burrows. All have had in their paperwork that should for any reason I can't provide a home where all my rabbits needs are met appropriately I'm to return them to rescue. Assuming the microchip stores previous owners the rescue can be found that way.

I'm really worried you could be capturing nursing does. Please try & reflect on the good advice Shimmer is giving you

 

[Zarla]

Please remember that female rabbits must be neutered too and you still haven't had Lacey neutered. This could all get very expensive.

 

[TheBee]

That doesn’t look like a bunny that has been living wild…!

Are all your own rabbits neutered and fully vaccinated now?

 

[Lord Trellis]

Please remember that female rabbits must be neutered too and you still haven't had Lacey neutered. This could all get very expensive.

All bunnies are vaccinated and the two boys are neutered, Lacey isn't spayed but she is vaccinated. Lacey is so docile and friendly I haven't felt the need to get her done yet as its not urgent. I have plenty of funds to get what I need for my bunnies that I've set aside.

Lacey will be spayed but as its not urgent it can wait I do plan on getting her done soon tho. She will be going back to the vets for a follow up anyway so I'll ask about booking her in for a spay then.

 

[Shimmer]

Female rabbits can get really nasty when they are hormonal. Once behaviours kick in, they can become normalised and may not revert after neutering. Female rabbits are also highly likely to get various cancers if they are not neutered. The death rate by about 3 years old is somewhere around 80%. I would get her booked in while everything is Ok, give her time to recover for a few weeks, and then you can start bonding. Rabbits are much happier with other rabbits. It also makes the daily routine easier as there are fewer enclosures to sort out.

 

[Zarla]

It's not just about behaviour. 80% of unspayed female rabbits will die of reproductive system cancers before they are five years old. With spaying, they can live twice as long and they won't be plagued by false pregnancies or anything hormone related.

 

[Lord Trellis]

Once shes been for her follow up I'll make arrangements to have her spayed. Its been on my list she will done soon.

Thanks for the info. Both females will be done but Laceys spay I just want to wait until shes had her follow up which is next week and I'll ask them then. In the mean time I'm going to be getting the grey bunny health checked and vaccinated then she will be spayed shortly after. I'm confident shes healthy.

I know what you mean with aggression in does... Lacey has two sides to her. She only becomes aggressive when she sees Lucky her tail goes up and then she goes in to fight mode but shes docile and genital for the most part.

 

[TheBee]

How did you manage to catch the bunnies that were wild in the forest? They must be very newly dumped, we have never taken a stray rabbit in that is in perfect condition with a glossy coat and good body condition.

 

[Lord Trellis]

How did you manage to catch the bunnies that were wild in the forest? They must be very newly dumped, we have never taken a stray rabbit in that is in perfect condition with a glossy coat and good body condition.

I have very good skills. I can get very close to deer in the forest and other wild animals its a technique I learned over time. I bought a fold up net with me but the grey and white bunny I just picked her up with my hands I slowly moved towards her then once I gained her trust I picked her up but the black bunny I had to net to catch him. I never gave chase to any of them the trick is to move slowly and calmly. They all had nice coats, its not the first time domesticated bunnies have been spotted in that part of the woods. There were also some suspicious animal bones where a farm is.

 

[Zarla]

"I know what you mean with aggression in does... Lacey has two sides to her. She only becomes aggressive when she sees Lucky her tail goes up and then she goes in to fight mode but shes docile and gentle for the most part."

I thought she was bonded to Lucky?

 

[Lord Trellis]

"I know what you mean with aggression in does... Lacey has two sides to her. She only becomes aggressive when she sees Lucky her tail goes up and then she goes in to fight mode but shes docile and gentle for the most part."

I thought she was bonded to Lucky?

She was at first but occasional fights started to happen, she would start humping Lucky and he didn't like it and then it leads to fighting so I separated them to avoid possible injury of one of the bunnies, I was going to re=bond them but its got harder to do now that they have been apart. Once I have Lacey spayed I'll start the bonding process again once she has healed.

 

[Zarla]

'She would start humping Lucky and he didn't like it and then it leads to fighting...'

This is hormonal behaviour and most likely happened because she isn't spayed. Had she been spayed the bond would still be intact.

 

[Lord Trellis]

'She would start humping Lucky and he didn't like it and then it leads to fighting...'

This is hormonal behaviour and most likely happened because she isn't spayed. Had she been spayed the bond would still be intact.

Sometimes it takes a while to get things sorted especially in this day and age. Now I've found a rabbit savvy vet I'm getting it all sorted out.

 

[Omi]

How did the female stray rabbit get on yesterday with her vet check and vaccination? Did the vet say anything about whether she had been spayed or not? Hopefully, she had, otherwise there is of course the strong possibility that she is pregnant, having lived wild in the woods.

How is the stray black rabbit, who you thought was bloated several days ago? Does your Mum live close to you so that you can check on him regularly? When have you arranged for it to be seen by a vet?

I would urge you to consider the health needs of the rabbits, when arranging vet appointments. I personally would have made sure that the most needy rabbit, which from your description sounds like the black rabbit, got examined first by a vet. I can't remember now, have you posted a photo of this rabbit?

 

[Lord Trellis]

How did the female stray rabbit get on yesterday with her vet check and vaccination? Did the vet say anything about whether she had been spayed or not? Hopefully, she had, otherwise there is of course the strong possibility that she is pregnant, having lived wild in the woods.

How is the stray black rabbit, who you thought was bloated several days ago? Does your Mum live close to you so that you can check on him regularly? When have you arranged for it to be seen by a vet?

I would urge you to consider the health needs of the rabbits, when arranging vet appointments. I personally would have made sure that the most needy rabbit, which from your description sounds like the black rabbit, got examined first by a vet. I can't remember now, have you posted a photo of this rabbit?

I ended up taking both to the vet on Monday. I fixed a create to one of those luggage trolleys and put the other one in the pet carrier. The journey wasn't too bad as it we were mostly on the train..

They both have been vaccinated and health checked. The grey and white bunny isn't pregnant, the vet couldn't find any obvious issues with her however nothing will be known until I get her blood test results.

On the black bunny the vet said he feels slightly bloated but his seen worse and he did some other tests and his gut was ok but the vet thinks that his been eating stuff he shouldn't have been and I'm not to give him any pellets, he has to be on a strict diet of hay with no treats. His blood tests results will take a few days.

There teeth and nails are good.

Once I get the get the test results, and if all is well I can start looking for a new home for the black bunny. The grey and white bunny will live with me and I will bond her with Lucky. I don't want to rush into getting her spayed just yet until her test results come back and I know everything is good first.

 

[Lord Trellis]

How did the female stray rabbit get on yesterday with her vet check and vaccination? Did the vet say anything about whether she had been spayed or not? Hopefully, she had, otherwise there is of course the strong possibility that she is pregnant, having lived wild in the woods.

How is the stray black rabbit, who you thought was bloated several days ago? Does your Mum live close to you so that you can check on him regularly? When have you arranged for it to be seen by a vet?

I would urge you to consider the health needs of the rabbits, when arranging vet appointments. I personally would have made sure that the most needy rabbit, which from your description sounds like the black rabbit, got examined first by a vet. I can't remember now, have you posted a photo of this rabbit?

I ended up taking both to the vet yesterday. I fixed a create to one of those luggage trolleys and put the other one in the pet carrier. The journey wasn't too bad as we were mostly on the train..

They both have been vaccinated and health checked. The grey and white bunny isn't pregnant, the vet couldn't find any obvious issues with her however nothing will be known until I get her blood test results.

On the black bunny the vet said he feels slightly bloated but his seen worse and he did some other tests and his gut was ok but the vet thinks that his been eating stuff he shouldn't have been and I'm not to give him any pellets, he has to be on a strict diet of hay with no treats. His blood tests results will take a few days.

There teeth and nails are good.

Once I get the test results, and if all is well I can start looking for a new home for the black bunny. The grey and white bunny will live with me and I will bond her with Lucky. I don't want to rush into getting her spayed just yet until her test results come back and I know everything is good first.

Oh and I forgot to add none have Micro chips.

 

[Omi]

I'm glad that both rabbits have been to the vets, been vaccinated and have had bloods taken. It's good that the vet considered that the female wasn't pregnant, although presumably that was based on abdominal palpation. She could of course be newly pregnant, which would not be obvious for a few weeks, but let's hope she isn't.

It crossed my mind also that the black rabbit had eaten something he shouldn't and that was the cause for the bloated feeling. Do you think that it has decreased any since you have had him? Have both rabbits been returned to the accommodation at your Mum's now?

It will be interesting to compare their blood results to see if living wild has had any effect on each of them.

Try not to rush too far ahead with thinking about living arrangements and bonding. The main thing for now is to ensure that both the forest rabbits are healthy and settled.

 

[Shimmer]

Did the vet give any estimate on the age of the 2 new bunnies?

 

[Lord Trellis]

They went back to my moms house and I'm near by so it don't take me long to get there its about a 15 minute walk.

The vet said they are under 6 months so they are still pretty young.

 

[Lord Trellis]

I do feel a bit sad rehoming the black bunny but its for the best because I can't keep too many otherwise I could end up a bunny hoarder. He is so friendly.