Those of you who free range your bunnies in the garden

[whitehood]

Foxes are not that scared of humans any more because humans encourage them into their gardens/roads by giving food.

They're like cats, they'll keep on coming where there's food available given intentionally and they'll become tamer every time they visit.

The majority of them will only attack if provoked.

 

[Grin]

Because I have to go to work to pay for my naughty rabbits so cant watch them all day :roll:

Honestly though having rabbits in my garden for 13 years and none been caught by a fox I wouldnt call that a big risk. I actually find flies more of a risk to my bunnies. I spent years worrying about foxes for my rabbit to be killed by a fly

So you leave them out all day, unprotected while you are at work?? :shock:

Poor rabbits.

And i am sorry about flystrike bunny.

 

[Fluffers]

My buns free range unsupervised in daylight hours. My garden is secure with 6ft fences. I check on them every hour or so.

I am fully aware a fox could climb the fence. However it's a risk I am willing to take for my bunnies well being. No matter how big a run you have seeing bunnies play on the whole lawn is amazing. It's just not the same in a run to me.

How can it be secure with 6ft foot fences and yet a fox can climb the fence? One contradicts the other, it's either secure or it isn't. Also confusing: 'a risk I am willing to take for my bunnies well being'??? :shock::shock:!! If you have their well being in mind you wouldn't take the risk!

Of course seeing them play on the whole lawn is amazing and you should continue to allow this - when you're there with them! No one is saying put them in a run all day & never let them out to free range, just don't clear off and leave them unattended :thumb:

 

[Grin]

How can it be secure with 6ft foot fences and yet a fox can climb the fence? One contradicts the other, it's either secure or it isn't. Also confusing: 'a risk I am willing to take for my bunnies well being'??? :shock::shock:!! If you have their well being in mind you wouldn't take the risk!

Of course seeing them play on the whole lawn is amazing and you should continue to allow this - when you're there with them! No one is saying put them in a run all day & never let them out to free range, just don't clear off and leave them unattended :thumb:

Absolutely this! :thumb:

 

[Santa]

Maybe, but I live in terraced housing and housing back to back plus a busy main road at the front so a fox would have to do alot of jumping through peoples gardens to get to mine which isn't in their nature. I just think that some areas are preferable to foxes than others. I have lived in the countryside my whole life and have only once seen a fox at night once and never in the day. You seem to think that every single person who lets there rabbits out will eventually get eaten by a fox but thats not true. Both my last rabbits didnt and I have had rabbits in my garden now for 13 years which is a long time. As I said before I really dont think a fox would even go in my garden during the day because its in a highly populated area plus my rabbits get in their house through a catflap and i can't say for sure but i dont think they would manage it. You are obviously very stuck on your opinion that they should be confined but I really think you need to open your eyes more and see things from other peoples point of view rather than having this tunnel vision.

I used to think exactly this. I lived in the middle of a commuter estate which was a highly populated area where foxes would also have to do a lot of jumping through gardens to get to my garden, and where the buns had a cat flap back into their house. I had lived there for 7 years and had multiple rabbits and never had a problem and had exactly the same thoughts and feelings about it as you. Until one day a fox came and killed one of my rabbits and left half of her on the lawn. I was so convinced that it wasn't a fox that we actually called the police, as we were convinced that someone had broken in and done it deliberately. So then I got another bun and bonded her with the one who was left, and then about a month later it happened again. And this time it became clear that it was a fox. And then a few weeks later, my neighbour's rabbit also disappeared. So actually while you accuse others of being stuck in their opinion and advise them to open their eyes and not have tunnel vision, I would suggest that this very advice should apply to you. It really does only take a second and you can't make assumptions about what foxes will and won't do and where they are or aren't, because suddenly they are, and then it's too late, as I now know from bitter experience.

 

[Carley]

I used to think exactly this. I lived in the middle of a commuter estate which was a highly populated area where foxes would also have to do a lot of jumping through gardens to get to my garden, and where the buns had a cat flap back into their house. I had lived there for 7 years and had multiple rabbits and never had a problem and had exactly the same thoughts and feelings about it as you. Until one day a fox came and killed one of my rabbits and left half of her on the lawn. I was so convinced that it wasn't a fox that we actually called the police, as we were convinced that someone had broken in and done it deliberately. So then I got another bun and bonded her with the one who was left, and then about a month later it happened again. And this time it became clear that it was a fox. And then a few weeks later, my neighbour's rabbit also disappeared. So actually while you accuse others of being stuck in their opinion and advise them to open their eyes and not have tunnel vision, I would suggest that this very advice should apply to you. It really does only take a second and you can't make assumptions about what foxes will and won't do and where they are or aren't, because suddenly they are, and then it's too late, as I now know from bitter experience.

santa, I am really sorry that you had to go through this.
A couple of years ago in one of our old houses we came home to find this.

he was not bothered by us at all, just roaming around in the back garden. Didn't even move as we came home.
I had never even seen a fox before this.
No point to what I have written really except that you can never predict anything when it comes to animals!

 

[Elena]

I have never heard of a concrete case of a healthy, wild fox willingly attacking anybody unless they are totally trapped and are fighting to get away. A tamed fox (hand fed) would possibly nip/bite somebody but a fox ATTACKING someone? I don't think so. I have seen a video of a fox chasing somebody and it was because the fox had rabies. 99% of attacks on people by animals have a reason, i.e the animal is starving to death, injured, very sick, trapped or most likely has been tortured, teased and goaded by humans. Of course an animal would fight if they were trapped. A fox coming into someones house and attacking an ADULT whilst IN BED? Don't make me laugh. Possibly they would nibble a baby but tbh I highly doubt they would even see a baby as a food source.
The report of those twins being attacked in their cribs by a fox turned out to be bull, they completely missed out the fact that they owned 2 dobermans!! :lol: :lol: I've never even known of a dog attacking somebody in their sleep.
Foxes aren't stupid. Why on earth would they risk their life to "attack" a horrible human?

I'm not talking about adults, i'm talking about younger, more vunerable sources of food.

I love foxes, I really do, they are beautiful. But their instinct is to find food. We're taking over their habitats and making that harder for them so of course they are going to have to get braver. A rabbit running around an unsecure garden with no one looking out for it is an easy meal.

And as I mentioned before, there are dangers more than foxes. I know of three friends rabbits who were killed because they were in an unsecure place. One dug a tunnel which collapsed, one was injured by a human invader and one was taken by a fox. No one is saying dont free range at all, they are saying free range with proper supervision and have a good setup for the rest of the time.

 

[Natty123]

One of my rabbits free ranges 24/7. There is no way a fox can get into my garden and the rabbit spends most of his time under the 4 foot grass in the field. He is more of a wild rabbit but he always comes straight back to his dog kennel for food and loves the other rabbits company (although they are girls so can't be together). I don't care if everyone criticises me about this because it is my choice to do so and I know nothing will be able to get him. He knows where the little gaps are that only a rabbit can fit through and he has the sense of a wild rabbit when not in the garden. It is such a lovely feeling when your rabbit is bounding around, jumping, digging and has freedom like a wild rabbit, but also trusts you enough to pick him up and carry him around

 

[Fluffers]

One of my rabbits free ranges 24/7. There is no way a fox can get into my garden and the rabbit spends most of his time under the 4 foot grass in the field. He is more of a wild rabbit but he always comes straight back to his dog kennel for food and loves the other rabbits company (although they are girls so can't be together). I don't care if everyone criticises me about this because it is my choice to do so and I know nothing will be able to get him. He knows where the little gaps are that only a rabbit can fit through and he has the sense of a wild rabbit when not in the garden. It is such a lovely feeling when your rabbit is bounding around, jumping, digging and has freedom like a wild rabbit, but also trusts you enough to pick him up and carry him around

I don't think most people are trying to be critical, just informative & helpful, trying to educate, share experiences & reduce the risk of something awful (& avoidable) happening to a pet rabbit :thumb:

I afraid though you that if you free range (irrespective of how secure you THINK your garden is), there is always a risk and not just from foxes. You may THINK you know nothing will be able to get him but in reality - they probably can, just haven't yet. You may be lucky, he may live to a ripe old age and never see a predator. On the other hand, he may meet one tomorrow.

 

[stephanie+2]

I have 2 rabbits that are 'free range' all day time, they go into their shed at night and have it open during the day time as well. We also have 2 cats, so no other cats go into our garden as my old 1 is moody with other cats The cats ignore the rabbits, my girl cat will even run away when the rabbits come over to sniff lol

 

[LittleEskimo]

There have been times when I have needed to go out during mid day/hottest time of the day to help mum with shopping or whatever and because the hutch is in direct sunlight at that time I know putting them back would be like putting them in an oven.

 

[yvette]

I will give sympathy to anyone who loses a bunny to a fox, cos it does and will happen.Foxes are part of our lives, us as bunny mummies should ALWAYS know that.But what we older members are trying to pass on is our experience and perhaps wisdom and common sense.
We are not being nasty.

 

[VikkiVet]

I've not read the whole thread, but thought I'd add my experiences.

I am a vet. My 3 mini rexes were in a run in the garden, with my housemates in the house keeping an eye on them. A fox entered the garden, grabbed Indi by her hind foot and bashed her against the run bars trying to get her out. My housemates got to her in less than 10 seconds, had to kick the fox to make it let go, but it had already dislocated all the bones in her foot below the hock, broken her jaw and bruised her eye.

Miraculously, she survived the stress and pain and started eating again once she had been given high strength pain killers (buprenorphine) despite the broken jaw, as it was inoperable. She underwent two surgeries to fix her foot and was hospitalised for 10 days in total (would normally be longer but I could do the daily bandage changes at home). Just to stabilise her and take x-rays to determine the damage cost nearly £800. In total it cost me nearly £2k and she is still recovering. She can use her foot quite well, can run and binky and periscope but cannot bend her hock fully and will get arthritis in the next few years. Her teeth are in-line despite the broken jaw, which has been left to heal by itself, but will probably need dental work in the future as its unlikely to be perfect. There were complications with her catheter and she could have lost an ear. She has scars on her foot and the hair may never grow back properly, which is a major issue as she's a rex. One of her toes points slightly downwards, which may cause issues with sores and mobility.

For me, I spent days in tears on and off, hours going back and forth to the vets, changing bandages and giving medications. It totally dominated my life for 8 weeks as I nursed her back to health. It was incredibly difficult to concentrate on anything else and I had very little time or opportunity to do anything else other than work during that time as her care was so time consuming. At least twice the fox came back to get her, even trying to get into my house where they were in the lounge recovering. The other 2 rabbits suffered stress, reduced appetite risking stasis and social confusion without their leader bunny. The bond may have broken leaving me with a poorly solo bunny and potential injuries if they had fought.

Indi was incredibly lucky. Most rabbits don't survive the attack. Those that do, often can't be treated and/or people cannot afford the care.

Indi was in a run and supervised when the attack happened. Why would you allow your animals to be free range and therefore at greater risk, when the health and welfare of the rabbit is at risk, and the financial and emotional impact on you is so massive? It just isn't worth the risk. It took seconds for it to happen, and seconds to rescue her, but the damage was done. If you aren't out there in the garden the entire time then there is nothing to stop this happening, or worse, to your buns.

 

[Snowberry]

How can it be secure with 6ft foot fences and yet a fox can climb the fence? One contradicts the other, it's either secure or it isn't. Also confusing: 'a risk I am willing to take for my bunnies well being'??? :shock::shock:!! If you have their well being in mind you wouldn't take the risk!

Of course seeing them play on the whole lawn is amazing and you should continue to allow this - when you're there with them! No one is saying put them in a run all day & never let them out to free range, just don't clear off and leave them unattended :thumb:

I meant the garden is secure in that the bunnies can't get out, I am well aware a fox could climb the fence.

I work full time and have school work to do in the evenings as well. If they only free ranged when I was free to sit on the garden with them they would never get out.

If I was supervising a fox could still scale the fence and attack one of them, I know it's less likely but nothing is risk free.

Snowdrop has tummy problems and needs to be able to graze on the garden and exercise regularly to help her. She would get poorly if she only had her run that's attached to the wendy house. I let her out on the garden at 7am when I get up then come back in the house to get ready for work. My Oh then outs her away at 8am when he leaves for work. She then gets another few hours as long as its still daylight when I am home.

My bunnies need to free range, and I don't have the hours to spend sat with them. I check them regularly out of the window. I know the risks.

 

[Snowberry]

I've not read the whole thread, but thought I'd add my experiences.

I am a vet. My 3 mini rexes were in a run in the garden, with my housemates in the house keeping an eye on them. A fox entered the garden, grabbed Indi by her hind foot and bashed her against the run bars trying to get her out. My housemates got to her in less than 10 seconds, had to kick the fox to make it let go, but it had already dislocated all the bones in her foot below the hock, broken her jaw and bruised her eye.

Miraculously, she survived the stress and pain and started eating again once she had been given high strength pain killers (buprenorphine) despite the broken jaw, as it was inoperable. She underwent two surgeries to fix her foot and was hospitalised for 10 days in total (would normally be longer but I could do the daily bandage changes at home). Just to stabilise her and take x-rays to determine the damage cost nearly £800. In total it cost me nearly £2k and she is still recovering. She can use her foot quite well, can run and binky and periscope but cannot bend her hock fully and will get arthritis in the next few years. Her teeth are in-line despite the broken jaw, which has been left to heal by itself, but will probably need dental work in the future as its unlikely to be perfect. There were complications with her catheter and she could have lost an ear. She has scars on her foot and the hair may never grow back properly, which is a major issue as she's a rex. One of her toes points slightly downwards, which may cause issues with sores and mobility.

For me, I spent days in tears on and off, hours going back and forth to the vets, changing bandages and giving medications. It totally dominated my life for 8 weeks as I nursed her back to health. It was incredibly difficult to concentrate on anything else and I had very little time or opportunity to do anything else other than work during that time as her care was so time consuming. At least twice the fox came back to get her, even trying to get into my house where they were in the lounge recovering. The other 2 rabbits suffered stress, reduced appetite risking stasis and social confusion without their leader bunny. The bond may have broken leaving me with a poorly solo bunny and potential injuries if they had fought.

Indi was incredibly lucky. Most rabbits don't survive the attack. Those that do, often can't be treated and/or people cannot afford the care.

Indi was in a run and supervised when the attack happened. Why would you allow your animals to be free range and therefore at greater risk, when the health and welfare of the rabbit is at risk, and the financial and emotional impact on you is so massive? It just isn't worth the risk. It took seconds for it to happen, and seconds to rescue her, but the damage was done. If you aren't out there in the garden the entire time then there is nothing to stop this happening, or worse, to your buns

My buns have a run attached to their Wendy house which they can access 24/7. If I followed your advice I assume they would no longer be able to use this unsupervised either given that your bun was injured whilst in a run? The quality of life for my buns would be severally impacted upon if I locked them in their Wendy house all day and night.

 

[Fluffers]

My buns have a run attached to their Wendy house which they can access 24/7. If I followed your advice I assume they would no longer be able to use this unsupervised either given that your bun was injured whilst in a run? The quality of life for my buns would be severally impacted upon if I locked them in their Wendy house all day and night.

I don't think this is what Vikki is saying at all. I think she is trying to make the point that that even in a secure run things can happen (although the risk is clearly MUCH lower) and so why increase the (known) risk and up the stakes further by allowing unsupervised free range time?

 

[Snowberry]

I don't think this is what Vikki is saying at all. I think she is trying to make the point that that even in a secure run things can happen (although the risk is clearly MUCH lower) and so why increase the (known) risk and up the stakes further by allowing unsupervised free range time?

Because it drastically improves the quality of life for my buns. I want my rabbits to live like rabbits and get as much freedom as possible.

 

[Hanlou]

The free range space my two have is where the house backs on to the yard. The garden is secure with spiky plants (pyracantha on one side, hawthorn on the other two) on all sides and dogs on both sides of the fence in the two gardens next to ours. No foxes have ever been seen in any of the gardens on our street. Our garden also backs on to another large garden which also has a dog.

They do free range without us being there all the time - obviously we are never far away - but I freely admit that I am not with them every second they are out there. 'Free range' for them is basically their aviary door being open on to the bunny-proofed yard that our house backs on to. They can go in and out the aviary and their shed as they please. We keep a close eye on them via the kitchen and dining room windows but they get a *lot* more freedom this way. For example; when I'm zooming about in the kitchen in a morning doing Whisper's breakfast and mine and generally doing morning stuff they are happily bounding round the yard making me laugh. There's no way that I'd be able to stand outside and just watch them without doing anything else.

I'm amazed that people on here have the 2 hours + every day to do nothing but watch their rabbits. Frankly I don't have this amount of time unfortunately....... :? ....... and I'm not willing to restrict their free range because of my busy schedule. It's my guess that many others do similar but daren't say so on here!

ETA: They are always locked away safely if we're not in though. Or if I know I'm going to be very preoccupied with something / be upstairs for a while.

 

[Lea-Anne]

Because it drastically improves the quality of life for my buns. I want my rabbits to live like rabbits and get as much freedom as possible.

This :thumb: ( sounds like I have a similar set up, arrangement as you)

How many owners of cats let them out because they feel they need to roam despite the risk of cars? Cars are a much higher risk than foxes imo yet for cats this is the norm.

 

[BattleKat]

I'm amazed that people on here have the 2 hours + every day to do nothing but watch their rabbits. Frankly I don't have this amount of time unfortunately....... :? ....... and I'm not willing to restrict their free range because of my busy schedule. It's my guess that many others do similar but daren't say so on here!

I don't think most people have that much time every day to let their rabbits free range, I think most people give their rabbits a large enough enclosure for them to exercise in and then give them supervised free range time as and when they can.