New to the world of Bunny Knowledge... Stray bunny ouside

[Fancifulfoxling]

Hello Everyone!

I am new to the bunny world and was hoping someone could help me with a little info. My boyfriend recently moved into an apartment complex that has many stray cats, and one "stray" bunny hopping around. I'm unsure as to whether this bunny is truly from the wild or if he was someone's pet and escaped or was abandoned at some point. He only stays near the complex and hops around in the bushes and down the pathways. I don't believe he has a burrow as we find him sleeping out in the open or in the bushes often. His favorite place to be is underneath the stairs up to our apartment. We feel bad for him because we can have some pretty warm days here in California and also the neighbor's kids like to chase him around.

He let's me get a few feet from him and toss some pieces of fruits to him. He even hopped towards me a couple times. He is mostly black with upright ears, maybe a foot long? Really not that large. I'd really like to try to gain some trust with him to see if he is just scared and is actually friendly. If he is originally domestic, I don't think that it's very safe for him to be hopping around all wild in our area as the places he hangs out is right next to the parking lot and a major street. I will try to post some pictures so that maybe someone can help out.

Thank you!
Rae

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

I would call a rabbit rescue and ask them to take him in. They’ll be able to see if it has a microchip or if anyone is looking for them.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Not a wild agouti or eastern cottontail. I'd locate a rabbit rescue and ask for help. You can surround him with an exercise pen with non-frightening helpers and see if you can successfully capture him yourself. It may take a while to gain his/her trust. The quicker you act will ensure s/he has a better survival chance.

The obvious dangers to an abandoned domestic rabbit are hawks, parasites, owls, dogs who'd readily chase and kill the abandoned bun, and the multitude of stray cats, street traffic, owls, malicious humans, ... the list is long. A hav-a-hart trap is sometimes employed by humans who choose to capture an abandoned domestic. May not always work as rabbits like to have an exit and entry option. A bit of food may encourage him/her.

Also, please monitor the trap when it is set under the stairs so malicious people will not walk away with him/her.

My avatar girl with the tattoo in her ear was abandoned and captured. // Hubby used a big fishing net to capture three abandoned buns after semi-gaining their trust (for weeks to months) with old-fashioned oats or food treats.

Thank You in advance for caring, and wanting no harm done to him or her. Hope the tips help, and you can safely transition him/her to humans who will dole out love.

 

[Fancifulfoxling]

Not a wild agouti or eastern cottontail. I'd locate a rabbit rescue and ask for help. You can surround him with an exercise pen with non-frightening helpers and see if you can successfully capture him yourself. It may take a while to gain his/her trust. The quicker you act will ensure s/he has a better survival chance.

The obvious dangers to an abandoned domestic rabbit are hawks, parasites, owls, dogs who'd readily chase and kill the abandoned bun, and the multitude of stray cats, street traffic, owls, malicious humans, ... the list is long. A hav-a-hart trap is sometimes employed by humans who choose to capture an abandoned domestic. May not always work as rabbits like to have an exit and entry option. A bit of food may encourage him/her.

Also, please monitor the trap when it is set under the stairs so malicious people will not walk away with him/her.

My avatar girl with the tattoo in her ear was abandoned and captured. // Hubby used a big fishing net to capture three abandoned buns after semi-gaining their trust (for weeks to months) with old-fashioned oats or food treats.

Thank You in advance for caring, and wanting no harm done to him or her. Hope the tips help, and you can safely transition him/her to humans who will dole out love.

Thanks for the reply! I contacted a local rescue group and will be working with them if I do manage to catch them. I'm going to try setting up a cat carrier with some snacks in it first. They do let me come relatively close so I'm hoping I can get a level of trust that way.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Insert a Love Emoticon here. Grateful you're taking action to help the abandoned boy or girl. From hubby's experience some "not routinely recommended" carbs like mini shredded wheat biscuit or old fashioned oatmeal make entice a domestic to nibble the treat as you befriend him/her.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Our neighbors turned their bunny loose. My neighbors sprinklers were on, so she was in the middle of our yard. I called to her and she came right over to me and let me pick her up--she was my bunny after that and wouldn't let anyone close to me, even after she was neutered. Good luck!