-
Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.
Neighbour's loose rabbit
- Thread starter Tatihou
- Start date
twobunnies&apony
Alpha Buck
What's happened to little bun?:?
Tatihou
Mama Doe
:wave: Delay in responding is due to tinternet problems, nothing more serious.
Little Muppette is doing well and it appears several pairs of ears (there may be more) in the straw under the fur duvet are also doing well. :roll:
The only way I can really investigate the nest is by hauling the cage out of the polytunnel (there's not much floor space) and into the open to give me careful access. The weather has been so bad that I've not been happy to do that. So I've worked on the basis that if something is happening in there I'll leave Muppette to deal with it. She's well fed, watered, has a small electric tube heater and bubblewrap over part of the cage so the temperature is usually about 5 or 6°C even when it is -6°C outside. Also, I need OH's help to get cage out and make sure Muppette doesn't escape so I can only do that in daylight at the weekends.
The first time we think we saw movement under the duvet was about a week ago and weather permitting we plan to investigate properly this weekend.
It's not an ideal way to have managed things but not much about this situation has been ideal.
I'll have a camera with me at the weekend so standby for photos !
Little Muppette is doing well and it appears several pairs of ears (there may be more) in the straw under the fur duvet are also doing well. :roll:
The only way I can really investigate the nest is by hauling the cage out of the polytunnel (there's not much floor space) and into the open to give me careful access. The weather has been so bad that I've not been happy to do that. So I've worked on the basis that if something is happening in there I'll leave Muppette to deal with it. She's well fed, watered, has a small electric tube heater and bubblewrap over part of the cage so the temperature is usually about 5 or 6°C even when it is -6°C outside. Also, I need OH's help to get cage out and make sure Muppette doesn't escape so I can only do that in daylight at the weekends.
The first time we think we saw movement under the duvet was about a week ago and weather permitting we plan to investigate properly this weekend.
It's not an ideal way to have managed things but not much about this situation has been ideal.
I'll have a camera with me at the weekend so standby for photos !
Gemmapookie
Wise Old Thumper
Wow what a fascinating and heart warming story :shock:
I am so so pleased that Muppette (*sniggers* fab name!) found you. ESPECIALLY as it turns out she was pregnant! You've saved many more little lives than just hers
Sounds like you have a great set up going on for them The babies are half wildie so should be pretty hardy little critters.
In the long run i yhink you should keep Muppette plus one of her little uns for company. Shes been through so much, has obviously learnt to trust you and I think you will give her a wonderful forever home
I am so so pleased that Muppette (*sniggers* fab name!) found you. ESPECIALLY as it turns out she was pregnant! You've saved many more little lives than just hers
Sounds like you have a great set up going on for them
The babies are half wildie so should be pretty hardy little critters.In the long run i yhink you should keep Muppette plus one of her little uns for company. Shes been through so much, has obviously learnt to trust you and I think you will give her a wonderful forever home
VickiP
Wise Old Thumper
Awww I'd be really careful touching the babies make sure you rub the litter on your hands and stroke muppet first, I'd avoid moving them if all appears well on first glance, last thing you want is her rejecting them and you having to hand rear them, I've never bred or had a doe with kits but, from what I've learnt on here it is worth checking the nest for 'dead' ones but, if all is well and they are moving around and warm and she is feeding them, apparently their bellies will be quite swollen then I think just feeding her lots more food and hay will be OK for another few weeks.
Sounds like she is one lucky rabbit, no doubt they would have died by now and probably her if you hadn't found her, she wouldn't have been able to survive at this time of year I don't think. If your taking pics avoid a flash near the newborns aswell just to be on the safe side, I've read it can damage their eyesight if they are very young kits. Best of luck I'm sure she is so grateful that you saved her and gave her sanctuary.
Tatihou
Mama Doe
This is the main reason I want to look but then again, it occurs to me that (from what I've read) the doe won't move her kits so I assume (could be wrong) that if one dies in the burrow, it will still be with the others and on that basis it's not wrong of me to leave them undisturbed.
Having said that, one thing we are going to do is put a 3" lip on the entrance to her nest to contain the kits as they start moving around. It won't impede Muppette going in and out.
She is well accustomed to us and lets me scratch her head between the eyes and ears but whether our scent on her kits would be acceptable, I don't know. So I don't want to risk it. Much as I want to know what's under the duvet.
Thanks for that. Not something that I've read or would have occurred to me.
Bluebell's Mum
Warren Scout
Oh my, what an amazing story. Well done you ! Cannot wait for pics of the babies.
franklinpope
New Kit
I love rabbits,rabbit is my favorite animal.One month ago my neighbor mr. Dixon took a rabbit with him for being pet.He very much take care the rabbit.The rabbit color is white,But one day the rabbit has ran away at night.So mr. Dixon print pamphlet of lost rabbit and give in every house of our aria.
Tatihou
Mama Doe
Well, Franklin, I hope that Mr Dixon finds his rabbit. They are very good at escaping - as we have discovered. Let us know what happens.
So. We took the cage out of the polytunnel this morning - after first putting Muppette in her carry case - and there were definitely a pair of furry ears looking at us from the "cave". I would guess between 10 and 14 days old, eyes open and it was very mobile and quick to bury itself under the hay in the cave. The duvet has been well distributed around the cave so there's been a lot of movement in there.
No photos yet because they (we think there are at least two and possibly more) were quick to burrow out of sight but they're a pale fawn colour so are displaying their wild parentage with pride!
We put a front on the cave and finer wire around the cage so that small people can't squeeze between the bars and we'll wait for another week or so before investigating again. I'd really like to find out what's going on in there but the thought of upsetting Muppette and making her reject the babies is enough to put us off.
So. We took the cage out of the polytunnel this morning - after first putting Muppette in her carry case - and there were definitely a pair of furry ears looking at us from the "cave". I would guess between 10 and 14 days old, eyes open and it was very mobile and quick to bury itself under the hay in the cave. The duvet has been well distributed around the cave so there's been a lot of movement in there.
No photos yet because they (we think there are at least two and possibly more) were quick to burrow out of sight but they're a pale fawn colour so are displaying their wild parentage with pride!
We put a front on the cave and finer wire around the cage so that small people can't squeeze between the bars and we'll wait for another week or so before investigating again. I'd really like to find out what's going on in there but the thought of upsetting Muppette and making her reject the babies is enough to put us off.
Jenova
Wise Old Thumper
There are a few people on the forum who have half wildie buns, it might be worth talking to them. If I remember correctly they keep a lot of wild traits like being quite shy etc. Hopefully someone will come along who can point you in the right direction.
Any ideas what the long term plans for mum and babies are?
Any ideas what the long term plans for mum and babies are?
Tatihou
Mama Doe
I still think we will re-home Muppette but we will find a good vet and get her speyed first. On the other hand... she may stay but in that case, we'd think about keeping one of her daughters (if there are any) with her. Is that a good idea? I thought it would solve the bonding issue. And then we'd get baby speyed when she's old enough.
But those are just possibilities - I haven't got as far as deciding what to do with the babies - we'll see how many there are / and what sex they are - when they start being a bit more visible in a week or two.
But those are just possibilities - I haven't got as far as deciding what to do with the babies - we'll see how many there are / and what sex they are - when they start being a bit more visible in a week or two.
Gemmapookie
Wise Old Thumper
Keeping Muppette and one of her daughters is a great plan IMO
Onve Muppette is spayed there should be very little chance of them fighting as baby bun will always know that Muppette is her mum Of course getting baby spayed aswell when she is old enough is a must to prevent various behavioural and health problems. So glad to hear theyre all doing well. Im following this story with interest and cant wait to see piccys of the babies
There are a few people on the forum who have half wildie buns, it might be worth talking to them. If I remember correctly they keep a lot of wild traits like being quite shy etc. Hopefully someone will come along who can point you in the right direction.
Any ideas what the long term plans for mum and babies are?
I have a half-wildie, but I hand reared him from a tiny baby attacked by 'something'. Very possessive (of me, food, hay tray, space, everything), very domineering over my other two rabbits, very affectionate with me - and really into burrowing! I have given over half my garden to them, with a raised bed so he can dig to his heart's content.
Tatihou
Mama Doe
And I thought that if - as you seem to have done, Babsie - we give them a big run, Baby might teach Muppette how to create a burrow as the instinct must be strong in a (half) wild one. Of course, I'd probably live to regret the teaching of that particular lesson!
I have to say it has been fascinating getting to know Muppette. From getting her used to me as a trusted source of food, from her escape attempts... especially the third most serious attempt where she was missing overnight but still made her way back close to where we were. I thought this might suggest their "homing" instinct is quite strong and immediate. To watching her in captivity - I can see how easy it would be to litter tray train them as she is very specific as to where she deposits her hard droppings and pees. She's very clean.
She doesn't really like being stroked if I stroke her sides or back but, as someone said earlier, they are quite amenable to being stroked from the nose back to the ears. Which is interesting: is that because a hand coming in from the side or above is threatening to a prey animal whereas they cannot clearly see a hand that is in front of them and which goes back between the eyes to the ears? So they don't perceive it as a threat?
I didn't know that - like hares - they ingested their first droppings to wring out all the nutrition from them. I did know that about hares because I raised a wild hare from 48 hours old to release weight several years ago... and found him (or her) a nice, safe release site. I was careful to expose the hare to only the bare minimum of contact during the 3 months and s/he stayed very much a wild creature albeit one who was happy to accept room service especially if room service included the occasional peapod. Hares are fascinating creatures - not social at all - and even now very little is known about the way hares "mother" their young which are born fully-furred, eyes open and are left on the surface from the moment they are born.
So having Muppette is proving very interesting and I'm looking forward to seeing the babies properly. It was warm in the poly tunnel today so the baby / babies have pushed back the straw so I can see them but it's too dark in the cave to get a photo without using flash which I don't want to do.
As previously, I really appreciate the advice and suggestions that you're all giving me.
Last edited:
