Urgent! Need help catching a wascally wabbit!!

[SouthernBuns]

Hey, Everyone! I haven't posted in a while, but I've been lurking! I need help with catching a loose rabbit that's been hanging around my parents' house the last couple of days. It's a black lionhead, so either he's escaped or was let loose. He'll sit quietly as long as we don't get too close. We can get within 3 feet or so. Thankfully they don't live on a real busy street, but there are woods nearby with all kinds of critters.

I need ideas for catching/trapping him. I know I'm not the only here who's been running around like a mad woman after a little bunny! I'm hoping to go back over there tomorrow afternoon. Any help would be appreciated!

And, just for Patti, Here's an updated pic ofmy sweetRiley, our bunny adopted from the Gainesville Rabbit Rescue almost 2 years ago:

Snuggling on the couch

Thanks a bunch!

 

[Korr_and_Sophie]

Do you have an X-pen or something you can use? Try setting it up and leave it so the rabbit can come and go. You can try putting some yummy food and water at the far end as well. A place to hide can also be good. Monitor it in such a way that you are not a threat, like sit in a chair and read a book. It can be a good idea to sit close so you can act fast. When the rabbit goes into the pen (this may take a while), wait until it is at the back and either close the pen or put something solid across the opening, which even is quicker. You can then close the pen more slowly once the rabbit is a bit more relaxed. If you can then go into the pen (without opening it as the rabbit may then escape), try to get the rabbit into a carrier or something secure. You may be able to work with the rabbit a bit to gain it's trust more. The important thing is to get the rabbit safely inside where it can't escape again. You may need to leave the pen out so the rabbit becomes comfortable with it. Using 2 can be good if you have to so you can make the area bigger.

 

[LaylaLop]

I actually caught 2 released "feral" bunnies in my yard using a trap like this:

Except I used a giant chicken-wire pen I had built for my chickens and was sitting up on the balcony. I used my unspayed bunny as bait in her own cage in the center of the cage. He basically ran right up to her and was spraying trying to impress her, and I dropped the trap and grabbed him with leather gloves (in case he wanted to bite/scratch) and kept him in a cage outdoors in the shade until he calmed down a tiny bit.. Then moved him into the foster-bunny shed for quarantine. Eventually he was tamed and adopted out as a house bunny by a local rescuer I worked with. Thankfully I was in Alaska and didn't have to worry about fleas/ticks...

 

[EbunnysMum]

A friend had luck luring a bunny in with a stuffed animal rubbed on some girl bunnies. I do not know if the only worked for her "Harrison Ford, The Fugitive" bunny or would work for this little lionhead, too....

 

[LaylaLop]

I did also put banana and greens from the garden to lure in.. and rabbit pellets.

 

[slavetoabunny]

Riley!!!! I would get a of that flexible garden fencing. Have person on each end. Start walking toward each other in a large circle until you have the rabbit surrounded by the fencing. Once the rabbit is surrounded, you can start making the circle tighter until it's small enough you can grab the bunny. Hope that makes sense. I've caught a rabbit before with the method.

Thanks for the Riley fix! He is such a cutie-pie.

 

[LaylaLop]

I did also catch a rabbit using a badminton racquet and my bare hands.. Not advised, but I chased it until it got up against a fence and used the racquet to corral it and then grabbed it by the scruff (usually wouldn't, but didn't want to get bitten).. I saw it while eating lunch and it had been around in the neighborhood and the neighbors were going to shoot it for getting in their garden... so I caught it as soon as a I saw it in my yard, haha. He eventually was neutered as well (a cute little chesnut dutch boy) and was adopted out. Last I heard he became a spoiled house bunny.

Good luck with your catching efforts.. let us know how it goes!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Guess I was lucky. When I came home there was a bunny on our lawn and I thought one of ours got out till I looked closer. I spoke out "come here bunny" and she came right over to me and let me pick her up. The shrinking fence is a good idea and if you don't have someone to help, stake one end securely and you can do the walk around yourself.

 

[SOOOSKA]

Any luck catching the bunny?

Susan:expressionless

 

[SouthernBuns]

Got her!! Thanks so much y'all for the help. We used the xpen and closed it around her - it was pretty easy.

We decided to call her Tucson since we found her on Tucson Street. Pretty sure she is a girl! She is a beautiful dark brown and black color. She has obviously been around people. She loves to be petted and cuddled with my son most of the afternoon.

Physically she is a little on the thin side - no fleas or ticks. She does havea bald spot on her left side but no skin irritation of any kind. Maybe something grabbed at her and pulled the hair out? My biggest concern is a lump on on her belly about 3 inches up from her rear. There is an open hole that will let out a little blood when the lump is touched. I checked the infirmary threads and I'm thinking bot fly larvae?

We're going to put out some flyers for a lost bunny, but I'm not optimistic about that. She was hanging around the same 4 yards for 3 weeks, so if someone was looking for her, she would have been easy to find. Then we'll try and find a good home for her- we already have 3. If it's not too terribly much, I'd like to have her spayed 1st.

Thanks again for all the help! Here's a picture of the gorgeous girl:

 

[Nancy McClelland]

She is gorgeous. Have seen all kinds of ads for found bunnies, but, never one for a "lost" bunny. Usually, some person just discarded her. Need to get the lump checked out too.

 

[Watermelons]

SouthernBuns wrote:

Physically she is a little on the thin side - no fleas or ticks. She does havea bald spot on her left side but no skin irritation of any kind. Maybe something grabbed at her and pulled the hair out? My biggest concern is a lump on on her belly about 3 inches up from her rear. There is an open hole that will let out a little blood when the lump is touched. I checked the infirmary threads and I'm thinking bot fly larvae?

Might be an Abscess?

Probably wont hurt to give her a dose of revolution/advantage either, just to be on the safe side. Keep her well away from your guys until a vet gives her a clean bill of health.

 

[slavetoabunny]

Beautiful lionhead! I'm glad you caught her.