Someone dumped 2 domestic rabbits off on my 5 acres

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I know you said the Buckeye House Rabbit Society hasn't gotten back to you but I wonder if the Columbus one would. They are the ones I have contacted several times and I always get a response within 24 hours and they are the ones where the lady came to my house and helped me bond. I know they are farther away but may be they know someone closer to you, can offer some advice, or have a connection at the Buckeye one. Here is there link http://www.columbusrabbit.org/ I know volunteers answer the emails so if you don't get a response when you send it I would send it again and a different volunteer should get it. I hope they get back to you. I think it is awful you have contacted local places and they haven't even gotten back to you.
 
STILL no luck! :(

I'm not one to admit defeat, easily, but...I've still not seen anymore of Flahpsie, & yesterday...I saw Mahpsie, under the shrubs, 3' from the cage/trap I've got set... scratching behind his/her ear. I grabbed the binoculars & that area behind the ear is LOADED with baby ticks! UGH! (That is the same area the wild rabbit had them this early spring..right behind the ears. I'd found that rabbit floundering, trying to walk...picked it up & that's when I saw the ticks. I pulled off as many as I could find, but...s/he died overnite. I buried her/him the next morning. The wildlife officer told me that some years the ticks are so thick, a LOT of wild rabbits die from them.) I can't help but think that's what has happened to Flahpsie.

I've even thought of allowing one of my dogs to chase Mahpsie down, (neither of my dogs would hurt it)but...I don't want Mahpsie dieing of a stroke, my dog getting heat exhaustion, or...my dog thinking it's okay to chase things. (I've never allowed that.)

I haven't had time to get back on here, the past few days, but...I did just write to the Columbus rescue place...Thanks for that link, Amy. (No, I've not heard from either of the other two.) I did include a link to this thread, in my email to Columbus.

I saw Mahpsie this morning, & haven't seen him/her since.

I'll keep you's posted, if anything transpires.

Thanks, again for all your help.

I just really get angered at people that dump their animals.
 
ur so awesome for ur effort on trying to save these buns...ur one of the good ones..thank u so much for caring about silly little bunnies:)
please do keep us updated...
 
My goodness... :( I am so sorry to hear about the tick infestation in your area. I sure hope most buns make it through this trying summer :pray:

Thank you again for your valient efforts
:hug:
 
MAHPSIE showed up, this morning. :)

Last ditch effort...I've taken my giant breed dog crate & sat it outside in Mahpsie's favorite locale. I've got twine attached to the door & the other end of the twine underneath the house window screen, just 5'from me...attached to the leg of the couch. IF Mahpsie gets in the cage, I'll be able to pull the twine tawt enough to keep the cage door closed until I can get out there & fasten it shut.

Those ticks behind his/her ear are thick enough that I don't even need the binoculars to see them, 15 feet away. :( :pray::pray::pray:I catch him/her in time.

Here's a pic of a plate of food I've fixed & put on a bed of hay, in the cage.

Apple, raisins, oatmeal, peanut butter,rabbit pellets, rabbit yogies (strawberry), snow peas, bread, grapes,Honey Bunches of Oats cereal,cheese, carrot strips. (I think that's everything.)

28rjz13.jpg

 
maybe getting some vanilla and dropping a bit inside the cage too? it has a very strong smell and mine LOVE it
 
4pityssake...hehe you are absofreakinlutely AWESOME!!..that plate looks so yummy ..u might end up catching me in that crate instead of the bunny.:).,.,u have a heart of gold..
 
my rabbit likes green beans. rabbits have a natural instinct for dens as well. try covering all but the entrance with grass and such or even an old blanket to make it dark inside. put a little food at the entrance then the majority at the back. the stuff at the entrance will give them a taste and if they eat it they'll think nothing of the rest and should go for it. its how my dad caught a really smart wild rabbit that was getting into our gardens back in windsor.
 
Well...the saga continues & things are getting almost TOO interesting.

For starters...the Columbus House Rabbit organization responded & then also forwarded my email to others that may be of help. I just now took the time to thank them.

Still no luck, but...Do domestics dig holes 1/2 way to China just for the sake of digging, or...are they like wild rabbits and dig 1/2 way to China ONLY when birthing is a few days away? I watched Mahpsie dig a hole in the fresh dirt that is mounded on top of the field tile work we just had done. I checked it out, later on, and it looks JUST LIKE a wild rabbit would dig for her nest. UGH!

I first spotted the 2 rabbits on June 7th. UGH! UGH! UGH! TRUST me...I will watch that hole like a hawk!

I've lost 8 baby Mallard ducks to a cat, in a mere 3 days. I've had the trap set for the cat, at nights, but...yesterday, I watched that cat come from out of nowhere & snatch a baby duck from it's Mom,within 10 feet of me. That cat is so feral, it will NEVER get in a trap as long as there is live prey to be had for the taking. How Mahpsie has survived this long is beyond me!

A few days ago, Mahpsie allowed me to get within 18" of him/her before the "hop away/catch me if you can" took place. I was on my hands and knees under a picnic table: "Oh, what a sweet little Mahpsi you are...etc. etc. etc." As he/she hopped off, I was BEGGING! "MAHPSIE, PLEASE let me catch you!" Like they say.."If ya gotta beg for sumpin', ya might as well hang it up!" LOL!

I've sprinkled Vanilla & I've had the trap covered in branches from the shrubs I've been trimming, but...that don't work, either.:p Today, I saw a young wild bunny sittin' inside the big dog crate I've got baited, sooooo...with a little luck, it's one of Mahpsies pals & it will invite the illusive Mahpsie in for lunch, eh?

I'll keep ya's posted.

Again, THANKS for all the suggestions. I'm trying all of them, over & over & over,except for the layin' around waiting, I just don't have that kind of time. Trying to keep 5 acres mowed, trimmed, etc. in between rains...doesn't leave that kind of time. And, NO...I'm not gonna go lay out in the rain, just 'cause I wouldn't be able to work in it. LOL!

Mahpsie got DRENCHED in the 2" we had the other day. I've even left lengths of 6" & 8" field tile laying around in hopes he/she will get in one. So far, I've not seen that happen, either.

On a GOOD note...I do believe Mahpsie has been able to knock/dig most, if not ALL, of those ticks off from behind his/her ear. WHEW! I tell ya, that is one happy, healthy bunny rabbit.
 
I am so glad the Columbus House Rabbit Society got back to you. They are really great. I hope they can help. You are a great person to going through all this to catch these buns.

That is good Mahpsie is allowing you to get closer.

I wonder if they are digging holes to keep cool. I have heard of domestics digging holes and laying in it to keep cool.

I understand the rain issue. I live in Ohio too and OMG we have had soooo much rain. I am over it!

I am keeping my fingers crossed that you catch them. Thanks for the update.
 
You're a hero for all you do, and continue to do ~
 
Any chance you might have a large fishing net? The kind with a long handle? I watched animal cops and they were at a park where someone had dumped about 20 rabbits and they used these really big nets like you see fishermen using for 20lb+ fish. They caught most that way. Just a thought!
 
Most US wild rabbits don't dig burrows like the European rabbits do. Domestic rabbits are descended from the European rabbit, so they dig big burrows, networks of tubes. A domestic rabbit only digs small indentations in the ground or small caves.
 
GUESS WHO I JUST CAUGHT IN THE CAGE...YOU ARE CORRECT...MAHPSIE!!!! :biggrin2::biggrin2:The twine under the screen in the window worked VERY well. LOL!

Oddly, I feel saddened that Mahpsie is now not gonna be running free & kickin' up his/her heels. I could almost cry. :(

My vet isn't open today, & I'm still in hopes that one of his workers will take Mahpsie for her own. (She has another "orphaned" rabbit & has worked along side my vet for close to 20 years, soooooo...I feel confident that she'll make sure excellent care is taken.)

For now...what do I do with Mahpsie? He/she is in the giant size dog cage. I've got a little bit of hay left...LOTS of domestic treats 'cause they never got eaten & what do I do about making sure he/she gets enough water?

It's BEASTLY hot out. Do I put the crate in the shade someplace, or...bring it in the house? The entire house is air-conditioned & he/she might not be (probably ISN'T)accustomed to the indoors.



btw...I've let the weeds grow up in the crate & they're about 7" tall. The wild rabbits have been in & out of it for days. I put freah hay & cracked corn in it this morning & within 15 minutes, Mahpsie decided to try it out. The wild's have been eating it for a few days.

Again...THANK YOU'S ALL!!!!


 
:woohoo:woohoo:woohoo:woohoo:woohoo

Way to GO!
:hug:

Lucky Mahpsie... whom I am sure is being VERY unappreciative of your efforts :p

She'll probably drink mostly out of a big heavy crock. Pottery or a heavy iron frying pan would work.

If you can bring the cage over to the shade, that would be ideal. I think the house might be a bit overwhelming.
Many bun owners on here throw some filled water bottles into the freezer, and bring them out for hot bunnies to snuggle up to.

Here's the Library Thread: Heat Stress

Kudos to you! You've really hung in there :hugsquish:
 
Bunny Binkies for your determination, and Mahpsie's eventual cooperation. Hooray.

I wouldn't leave the cage or crate outside if there's coyotes, foxes, and other lurking predators. Bring her into a safer area.

How does her ear look? You mentioned Mahpsie's ear looked "clean" from the ticks. Are they gone??
 
Q. Transitioning from cold to heated indoors, or heat and humidity to a/c temps.

From literature and expertise, this is to be done gradually. OTOH, I've bun-sit for an outdoor rabbit in a hutch, and she showed no adverse affect from being in a house after enduring heat in her hutch. For the abandoned street 3 whom my husband captured, they too showed no adverse effects from Jan/Feb. WI wintertime cold to a heated indoor environment of 69-72 degrees with a safe roof overhead.

Would be concerned that Mahpsie would thrash in her cage if a predator lurked and was staring at her; that could be heart-attack stress inducing and do more harm b/c she has no where to hide or run. Hope you can get her indoors or to a protected place to talk to her, "... Mahpsie?, tell me how you got outside okay?"

Any baby ducks with Momma?
 
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