What did he do?

[Rachel]

I have now bunny-proofed my garden so Smudge isfree to run around the whole lot (i stay with him to make sure his ok)Well, its allways a struggle to get him back into his cage and itusually takes two of us to corner him to pick him up.

Tonight i just couldnt get him, it took three of us 15 mins of tryingto catch him, he was breathing real hard and im not sure whether he wasscared or just not wanting to go into his cage, but after about 15 minshe just looked up at me and kinda layed out on the ground.... i thoughthe was going to die from shock or something, i picked him up with nostruggle (usually he tries to scratch me to death) i stroked him to trycalm him but he didnt move.

What was he doing... was he collapsing in shock...... to tired tomove.... or just letting me catch him, baring in mind he hates beingcaught!

I have put him back in his cage and he now seems fully recovered and is cleaning himself..

Any advise would be great.... Thanx!

 

[Bunny_Mad]

Probably realising she can't get away. And is just a bit worried!!!

 

[AnnaS]

they are weird sometimes. I tried taking my bunnyout of a cage yesterday. He got so scared and as soon as I put himdown, he ran back and hid in his hidding box. He showed that he was madat me by turning away from me. Then 10 minutes later he decided to comeout on his own.
Its so weird, I would think that me taking him out would make him even more scared, but actually it encouraged him to come out.

 

[Rowan]

I don't know but it sounds like he may have beenin shock, he was certainly stressed from what you describe. Is theresome way you could work out getting him in with the least upset to him?Maybe encouraging him to enter a safe box of some kind which you couldthen carry him to his cage in? I'd be worried if catching him wascausing that kind of reaction, I think Buck had advice about using somekind of adapted 'pig boards' to herd his rabbits in at the end of theday.It might be worth searching for old threads about that.

 

[rabbitgirl]

was he laying with his head on the ground, still? Or flopped out with head up, panting?

Flopped out with head up probably means "I'm hot, I'm tired, I give up--just catch me already!"

Izzy has done that sometimes--just flops out and waits. Other times I can't catch her for anything!

Rose

 

[Rachel]

Thanx for the replys..



He just flopped down and looked at me, not with his head down oranything, im starting to think he was just tired and gave up runningaway. Now i just put him in his pen instead of running round thegarden, its to much hassel trying to catch him again..... i missedEastenders cause of him :X



New problem is ive just noticed he has a bit of a runny eye,, i willkeep an eye on it and see how it goes.... To be honest having smudgeive had more problems than enjoyment I might have to find anew home for him. As much as i try... he just hates me!