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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

BINKYBUNNY FORUMS

Forum BEHAVIOR Lost in the snow

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    • Buzz
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        Hi everyone,

        I was going to write an introduction post at some point but hadn’t got round to it yet. I don’t want to be rude so I’ll do 2 in 1.

        The main thing here is that I haven’t seen my rabbit, Watson, for a week – he lives in a friend’s garden (the friend is in Korea at the moment and his garden is like a rabbit heaven, we have had various rabbits living there for the past 2 years and it’s like a playground for them). I visit him pretty much daily and give him pellets and some leaves (not that he needs them in that garden but he looks forward to it). I went away for a few days and my flatmates looked after Watson. However on Saturday they texted me to say they couldn’t find him. This isn’t unusual – Watson sometimes hides under the porch and it’s impossible to see down there. It’s a favourite place of his. Plus I thought he could be pouting because I wasn’t visiting him. They left some pellets and left. They were unable to visit him until I got back which was on the Tuesday (the 5th). That night it snowed (unusual here) and it’s very thick so I didn’t visit him then either. I wasn’t too concerned at this point – the neighbours look out for the rabbits and Watson has a winter coat, a polystyrene box filled with blankets and straw and hay, and plus he loves to hide under the porch. He’s not too dim either. It’s not unusual for me to go a day without seeing him because he hides.

        Today though I missed him and went to see him with my flatmate. We took some pellets and spinach and cauliflower leaves which he loves. However when we got there he wasn’t there and there were no footprints in the snow. His pellets hadn’t been eaten, but the snow had got in and he might not like them when they’re wet. There was no sign of him and he wouldn’t come to his name (mind you that’s not too unusual). We asked one neighbour and they said they had seen him climb the tree and sit on the roof of the house (not too surprising, Watson’s dad does this too although Watson took less time to figure it out). However they said they hadn’t seen him for a while. The other neighbour said he has been coming into her garden (the other rabbit did this too…) and she puts him back where he’s supposed to be. We went to her garden and found footprints in the snow. They looked like rabbit footprints although the snow was melting so they weren’t too clear. I looked around the garage, under trees etc and there are a lot of places he could hide. However I couldn’t find him. The wire on top of the fence in the garden where he’s supposed to be had collapsed under the snow but I think he knows other ways of getting out anyway.

         The roads were becoming treacherous so we headed home. Tomorrow morning I plan to take some hay over there and some pellets too and leave little piles all over the place to see if he will come to eat them. I also plan on putting signs up and looking around a bit more. Half of me suspects Watson is just running about, leading us all a merry dance when actually he’s just being his mischievous, inquisitive self. The other half imagines him shivering and lost in the snow. I’m very worried and just want him back.

         

        A bit of background…and an introduction!

         My name is Buzz, I’m a zoology student doing my Masters in Christchurch, New Zealand. I study spiders but my background is with birds of prey. I live with 2 bunny nuts who are also studying entomology and their Flemish giant rabbit had a litter last year which she abandoned – we hand raised these together and one of the results is Watson. While his nibs is mine, my flatmates have two others: a blind rabbit from the same litter who lives in the living room and the father of these. The father lives outside as he has just been castrated. Although we’d prefer to have them all as house rabbits, the blind rabbit can’t really communicate and hates other rabbits. He attacks me if I stroke other bunnies before him. Therefore only he can live in the house. The dad lives in our garden and Watson lives at a friend’s garden (or he has done for about 5 weeks). We are planning on introducing Watson and his dad on the 14th when dad’s final sperm cycle has finished. Until then they must be separate. Normally we have bunnies in the friend’s garden but dad was a bit ill so we brought him back home and put Watson in the garden instead. We thought we had repaired all the holes but obviously not – these bunnies are hard to contain.

         

        Anyway, I find this forum interesting reading for whenever I have a rabbit-related question, and now it’s my turn to ask. I’d really appreciate any advice any of you might have regarding Watson’s situation.


      • Sarita
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          Oh dear – I absolutely do not know what to tell you other than keep looking. I also wonder if there could be any predators that could have taken him – that worries me.

          I’ve never heard of a rabbit climbing a tree either.

          I do hope that you find him and that he is safe. Perhaps if he is found a rabbit and predator proof enclosure would be better than letting him wander around the garden and keep him safe.


        • bunnyfriend
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            Oh no! I hope you find him

            Would you maybe consider keeping him indoors as a house rabbit? Outdoors he could escape from the garden or be taken by a predator. Even an outdoor enclosure might be a safer option for him, especially so this doesn’t happen again. Domestic rabbits like him don’t have the same instincts and know how that their wild cousins have. How cold is it where you live?


          • Buzz
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              Thanks for the replies, I’m going back there in minute to keep looking. I’m hopeful that we will find him.

              Normally Watson lives in our garden where he can get grass and I take him in every day during the evening for a few hours where he’s in my room and I can work with him lying under my desk and licking my trousers (a favourite pasttime of his). This is perfect – I’ve had him living in my room (I really wanted him as a house rabbit) but he’s like a juggernaut – my room is too small for him. I had to walk him twice a day just to get rid of his energy, and he was impossible at night, jumping on me, trying to get me to play etc. I’d love to have him in the living room with the blind bunny but the blind one hates every other bunny. Also Watson can open doors (ours aren’t too secure after the earthquakes) and he got out once and fought a lot with the blind one. So him indoors isn’t possible at the moment – it will hopefully be in a year when I do my PhD and my flatmates take their bunny. Having him in a friend’s garden is a temporary measure only (although when I find him I will put him back in my room and work something out).

              There are no predators here (apart from cats, which Watson and his dad both make short work of). It also doesn’t get cold (I’m amazed that it has snowed at all, normally it doesn’t). I’m from Glasgow, it gets cold there I can tell you!


            • LBJ10
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                Could you maybe separate a couple of areas with baby gates or exercise pens? I really hope you find him! Outdoors is a scary place for a bunny.


              • mocha200
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                  I really hope you find him! Please keep us updated!

                  As for the blind bunny not getting along, is he/she fixed? if not that is why they are fighting as both rabbits have to be fixed or they have hormones and will fight!

                  Have you called any animal shelters/rescues in your area to see if they have picked up any bunnies?


                • Buzz
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                    Couldn’t find him this morning, left pellets and hay around strategically. There are footprints and pee in places but no poo so may not be bunny. A few more neighbours say he comes to their garden – he appears to stick close to the radius of where he’s supposed to be. We put up signs and will contact the SPCA and put a note up on Trademe. About to go looking again and tomorrow I will stay there and look for him and ring around the neighbourhood. Thankyou all for your support, it soothes my nerves a bit just talking about it.

                    They are both fixed: problem is blind bunny can’t communicate. We have tried multiple introduction techniques. Baby gates don’t work: cat can’t get over them to get to bathroom window but Watson can get over them. None of our bunnies except blind bunny are scared outdoors: we would not put them out if they were so.


                  • Buzz
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                      Couldn’t find him again tonight, knocked on more neighbours’ doors and got the gist of the area that he’s probably in. There is an old folks’ home down the road, apparently they adopt stray cats sometimes. I’ll go see them tomorrow – we ran out of time tonight.

                      There are a few footprints about that could be rabbit. I have put hay and pellets about and there is now everything that he loves in his garden. We left the gate open. Tonight I have put ads up on the net and we put up 10 more flyers and gave our numbers to everyone on the street. Tomorrow I will spend the whole day out there, after ringing the SPCA, vets and animal control. First I will put out loooads of flyers in mailboxes and on cars and a big cardboard sign by the house that is visible to drivers. Then I will check the neighbours again and ask if they’ll look around their garages and gardens with me. I’ll check the outsides of empty houses. That is my Action Plan.

                      According to the neighbours he has been coming and going from the garden. So he should know his way back. I’m staying all day tomorrow and I’ll see if he’s about. If I don’t find him tomorrow I’ll wait a couple of days and go and search again, when the snow has gone.


                    • Buzz
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                        Possibly the best thing ever in my life has happened, someone texted and left a message on my phone saying they had found Watson! Since they got my number off a flyer and it had a picture of him on it, it must be him! They took him to a local vet who I will ring tomorrow as soon as they open. Hopefully he’s there and I’ll see him again tomorrow! I’m really anxious now and don’t know how I’ll get through the night – I mean, I want to be so ecstatic and relieved, but what if it’s some other friendly fawn and white Flemish giant that looks like him? That would be one crushing disappointment…I won’t be totally happy until he’s here with me, where he’s supposed to be. No more garden for him, his cherryknocking days are over. He’s going to come home and stay with me in my room even if I get no sleep and have to walk him twice a day, and it’s only for a week anyway and then he can be introduced to his dad!


                      • Monkeybun
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                          I hope it’s him! And yay for you bringing him in just you wait til he starts climbing into bed and snuggling for naps at nights


                        • LittlePuffyTail
                          Moderator
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                            I really hope it’s him too! I’m so glad you are going to bring him in, then you won’t ever have to worry about this happening again.


                          • Moonlight_Wolf
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                              Let us know if it is him. I really really hope it is. That must be really scary loosing your bunny like that!


                            • Buzz
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                                Ha ha that’ll be the day! He did snuggle once for 10 seconds, that was lovely. Maybe because it’s so cold at the moment he might enjoy being under the covers! He doesn’t just gently hop onto the bed and lie down then get off (like his dad does), he hits you in the face like a wrecking ball then bites you if you’re in his way!! He’s a hive of activity which certainly makes him a great buddy, just not the best room mate at night. I suppose it’s like when you go to college and your room mate is great fun to hang out with, but they keep coming in at 3am noisy and drunk and collapsing in the shower. However the way I feel at the moment Watson could steal my car and joyride it through the neighbourhood and I wouldn’t mind. I just can’t wait till I can have him back!

                                Yeah, I haven’t managed to go to sleep yet.


                              • Buzz
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                                  I really hope this bunny they found is him. There aren’t many other fawn and white giant rabbits around in New Zealand, let alone this suburb of Christchurch, so I have high hopes. If it is him I’ve been lucky and a miss is as good as a mile. If it isn’t him I might consider trying different religions and seeing if any of them work.

                                   

                                  Anyway I’m going to try and get some sleep so I can get up early and ring the vets. Goodnight!


                                • Moonlight_Wolf
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                                    I hope you can get some beauty sleep. Good luck again and I really do hope it’s him. If you don’t want your bun assaulting you at night, you could always loft your bed so its too high for him to jump on or cage yourself in so you have a pen around the bed and he can’t get on top


                                  • Sarita
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                                      Oh, I hope so, please let us know! That will be a huge relief.


                                    • Buzz
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                                        It IS him!!

                                        I called the vet and they said they had him for a week and then passed him onto the SPCA (even though my flatmates had seen him a week ago!). The bunny they described was exactly like Watson but female. I was really anxious by now. But surely had they had him for so long they would have put a notice up saying they had him? I rang the SPCA who had him overnight and they said the people who had him before the vet had kept him for two weeks! No, I definitely saw him two weeks ago! I went to pick him up and it was him. He was neat and fat and chipper, had put on a few pounds by the look of it and was dining on apple and carrot and pellets inside a hutch. The SPCA woman tried to make out like I was a terrible owner for letting my rabbit outside. She somewhat spoilt the effect when she told me she had a small lop eared rabbit that she free ranges and she lost it for a week once. I picked Watson up and cuddled him and he gave me a look that said “Oh man…you’re embarrassing me!”. I gave him so many kisses and cuddles and I cuddled him all he way home. I’m just so happy to see him. I don’t think he missed me at all but I sure missed him. As I type this he’s sitting under my desk and cleaning himself all over. Later I will go back to the garden and take his stuff in, take down the signs and leave a few rabbit-shaped cookies with the people who took him in. Without their kindness he could have been run over or taken or anything!

                                        I don’t know if I can do any work today, Watson is impossibly soft and cuddly and brilliant…oh now he’s on my windowsill looking out the window. And uh, licking the window…now he’s on the bed…now he’s on his cushion…hmmm should have called him Duracel.


                                      • Monkeybun
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                                          Yay! Glad he is home now


                                        • mocha200
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                                            Yeah! Glad he is home warm and safe!


                                          • BinkyBunny
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                                              Yay! Watson is safe. How did he get out of the garden?? Sorry if you mentioned that already. I do understand the concerns of wanting Watson to be inside, somewhere safe. Nutty two weeks of adventure for Watson, but stress for those that were wondering where the heck he was. So now what’s your plan? He sounds like he’s hanging out inside with you? Is that permanent or what’s next?


                                            • Buzz
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                                                Wow my bunny is going bonkers. He is rocketing around the room and doing super-twisty-flying-binkies. He’s amazing! Where did all this energy come from?!

                                                I don’t know how he got out, but he can climb trees like his dad. As I said before, I’ll keep him inside until the 14th when he can be introduced to his dad. Then the two of them can live in OUR (fenced, dad-proof and therefore impenetrable) garden. Watson will come inside for a few hours in the evening to lie under my desk and lick my trousers (his favourite pastime) while I work. We did this before and it was great for both of us – I got bonding, he got attention, he also got to play with his bunny friends and let off energy outside and get some grass.

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                                            Forum BEHAVIOR Lost in the snow