I don't even know how it happened.

[mardigraskisses]

Bayou and I were doing our daily run around the house when he nearly killed himself. He jumped into his cage and when he went to dash back out, he missed the door and somehow wedged his head and two front paws in between the bars of the cage.

I have no idea how he did it - the cage bars are so close together.

I was horrified momentarily and then some kind of strange instinct took over and I yanked the bars apart and he ran to his house and wouldn't come out for a few seconds.

I was sobbing like a maniac, so I'm sure that didn't help with him being terrified out of his mind. He finally came out of his house and let me get in the cage with him and cuddle him and make sure no serious injuries were done.

I've seriously never felt a level of panic that high in my entire life. I think I'm going to make a trip to the vet so they can make sure nothing is wrong.

Has this ever happened to anyone else? This is isn't exactly the kind of thing you get in your Bunny 101 packet. :nerves1

 

[Maureen Las]

You thought fast; good thinking

I had a young foster mini-rex get stuck in the air between 2 bars in her cage ; she was trying to get out... and got caught midway through bars on each side

she screamed and I ran to her ..

If she had struggled with me at all when I attempted to get her out I am sure it would have been fatal.; I was alone and had no one to help me with her.

but this bun let me hold her and manipulate her through the bars which is something that has never happened before; she totally cooperated

I was so LUCKY that day

What I learned is that buns can get through small spaces and I needed to evaluate what I put them in more carefully.

Bayou had a freak accident ; he probably is OK ; you're right that the bars are close and it's unbelievable that he could do that

but when I watch the wild cottontails in the yard running it is unreal what they can get through when trying to flee.
I hope Bayou is OK ; he probably is very frightened

 

[mardigraskisses]

He seems to have bounced right back to his normal self (amazingly). It only happened a few minutes ago. O_O

It's gonna take me a few days to get over it, but there he goes binkying across the living room.

He is such a strange animal.

He's looking at me like "What? Are we done playing? OH COME ON, a little near death experience doesn't mean we should stop!"

And I'm still just.... :sofa: :nerves1

 

[Maureen Las]

mardigraskisses wrote:

He seems to have bounced right back to his normal self (amazingly). It only happened a few minutes ago. O_O

It's gonna take me a few days to get over it, but there he goes binkying across the living room.

He is such a strange animal.

He's looking at me like "What? Are we done playing? OH COME ON, a little near death experience doesn't mean we should stop!"

And I'm still just.... :sofa: :nerves1

I know what you mean

it's heart stopping but at least you know that you think fast in an emergency

 

[tonyshuman]

Wow. I can't imagine how he even did that. Good job for thinking fast. It sounds like he's going to be fine.

 

[kirbyultra]

Oh MY, he's so big, I wonder how it happened! I am glad you got him out and everything's ok. Bravo for you.

Maureen already warned me of this Day One when I got Toby. That first night with Toby, I was fussing all about getting the room ready for a new rabbit when... he just wiggled his way out of the play pen fencing effortlessly. I have the same sort of fence as you.

He is a little bigger now, and a couple days ago he got too eager to sniff at his neighbor Kirby and he stuck his front paws, shoulders and head out, but could no longer fit his bum through. It was for a split second, he struggled on his own and I could not even get to him fast enough when he freed himself by backing out of the fence.

I remember her words to me! I now religiously watch him when he's allowed in the play pen. He is now at a size that is small enough to get stuck, and big enough to hurt himself if he struggles too hard. He is growing so fast.

 

[DazyDaizee]

I haven't had any sort of issue like this with my rabbits, but I worked in the kennel at an animal hospital years ago and heard a dog start screaming in the large dog area. I ran back and found him with his mouth stuck on the bars that he had apparently been trying to chew. Somehow I sort of helped to get him unstuck and he wasn't hurt.. but it was so stressful for both of us...
One of my pets stood up against a gate and got his front leg stuck between the panels.. and I had a parakeet who's cage got knocked over at night and he was pinned at the neck by the slide out tray that dislodged. Luckily everyone was fine.. but strange things happen.. quick reactions definitely help.. you did a great job!