...not underground
Bob, I'm sorry if I've wound you up. I don't think I managed to explain myself clearly. Thank you for the concern for the rabbits above all, but can I just point a few things out before anyone resorts to swallowing any pills?
The rabbits were given to us by a very respectable animal sanctuary that is strict with who can and can't adopt them. Both bucks are neutured, therefore they don't fight. They have always lived together, they came in together: and they were only up for adoption together, because it would be unfair to separate them. They have been in the animal home nearly a year becuase of people's reluctance to take two bucks and also they're not young and cute and fluffy and obviously harder to train/pet.
This is why they were given to us, because we are used to difficult rabbits - even though our other rabbits were trained they HATED being picked up to be checked over/taken to the vets, one bit the other got in such a stress we were sure he'd die. The new rabbits could have their freedom in a safe enclosed space and still be well cared for.
The garden is a large cobble stoned yard, enclosed entirely by large stone walls, and grass and a thin layer of soil has grown over the cobbles, so there's weeds and thistles and grass (and no i don't know what weeds, there are way too many). The cobbles and the well sunk wall that leads to concrete outside the wall means that our rabbits have never dug their way out in all the years we've had them. The one side of the wall is taken over by bramles, the back of the garden has some soil on a bank and trees. The rabbits have a big shed, with their hutch inside. The hutch and shed lock for safety at night. Since the other rabbits have been outside and haven't eaten anything poisonous it seems fine that these rabbits be allowed the same freedom, having said that the previous owner says she checked that nothing poisonous to them grew there. Though I confess I wouldn't know where to start, if anyone would like to tell me what to watch out for I'd be grateful.
The animal sanctury were perfectly happy with this set up and checked it all out before the rabbits were given to us.
As for the previous rabbits, one was eldery and she died of cancer this summer. The other was found dead the day after rabbit was put down, we're not sure why: definately shock. But it seems that it was shock at rabbit not returning. AS for the previous occupants (who trained the other two rabbits to come in at night) that was my housmates sister: who rescued rabbit, and had cared for danny who was the baby of another of her rabbits. She didn't feel it was fair to move them with her, to a small yard where they couldn't have the run around they were used to, so when her sister moved in with us, we agreed to keep the bunny's where they were used to rather than move them. It didn't seem fair. Although I was quite surprised to find they had the whole run around at first, but they were completely fine having that level of freedom.
Whilst our two new rabbits are comfortable being picked up and petted and checked from their hutch, catching them in the GARDEN is a whole different matter. Whilst I don't understand that their now bolting everytime a human comes out (because they were hopping around paying me no attention when I was going out there and just walking around to get them used to humans coming and going) it is NOT easy to pick up a rabbit that's running everywhere, hiding under the brambles and just does NOT want to go in. Even if usually they will be picked up without scrapping and biting.
I *know* they shouldn't be left out at night (hence this post of help, novel solutions for getting them back in, please) but at the moment we seem to be causing more trauma and distrust by trying to round them up.
Obviously we should have left them in their hutch longer, but they came out themselves, and were going back and forth the shed when I was there (now I've had to come home to look after my gran) so I left not thinking they were going to not come back in.
We also are concerned that they're not eating they're dried food, because they need more than the vegetation. The animal home - when i asked them how soon we should leave them in hte shed before letting them run - said as soon as they were happy going outside themselves, they may not come in for days but would when they were hungry/needed shelter. This hasn't happened, and we really want to get them in at night -but depending on HOW dangerous (ie cold/hungry)it is to leave them outside we want to do this the right way,rather than scaring them utterly.
They've only been there five days, two days they were in the shed , and not really bothered about coming out. But now we really need advice on getting them back in.
Please don't attack me, I do want what's best for the rabbits, but we want to give them the chance to hae more of a life than they were having in a hutch most of the time in the animal home. Even if we decide they'd be better off somewhere else, we still need to GET them in, without sending them into shock.
At the moment, lecturing me isn't going to help: we need those rabbits in, I'm away and since they're behaving out of character, because they were coming up to me if i had treats for them, but won't for the others' , we need advice from people used to dealing with rabbits when they're being awkward.
(the stick method has failed, they just go straight under the brambles and will not come out apparently). I know most people are surprised by our bunnies running round the garden, but the other two were just fine, and their original owner really wouldn't have done anything she thought dangerous to them - and though unusual it really did work out, although they were rarely out at night (only if they'd gone under the cursed brambles in the rain and just refused to go back in,&yes, this did cause us stress.)
Thanks for all the suggestions and for not -on the whole-throwing fits that the rabbits are just outside all the time, I'm giving them to the rabbit-keepers, though I must admit they're not very keen on the water-pistol idea!
will keep you updated, please cross your fingers that they come in sometime soon.
