Lost domestic rabbit–how to rescue?

[MD]

There is what I think to be a domestic rabbit hopping around the neighborhood.  I’m in Walnut, CA, not in Las Vegas.  I just saw the bunny a few minutes ago, but my parents saw it a few other times hopping around in our front and back yard, and also in the neighbor’s yard (I’m staying here temporarily).  It looks more like a domestic than a wild rabbit because of its size and coloring.  It’s at least 3 pounds, maybe more, and it has dark brown fur with spotchy light patches on its back, and its face is black.  The fur on the back is very short and there is a tuft of hair sticking up between the ears.

I don’t know if I should attempt to catch it or not, since I’ve never done this before.  It was having a good time rolling in the dirt and eating the ground cover plants, but I hope it doesn’t get sick.  Also, there are coyotes in this area that come out at night.  It hopped over the back fence and is on the slope somewhere below the houses. 

I don’t know how to catch it, it ran away when I got too close or moved too fast.  I tried talking to it a little and I might have had a chance to grab it, but it wasn’t certain and I didn’t want it to never approach me again.  I hope I didn’t miss my chance, I’m just worried about this rabbit’s safety.  Any suggestions?

[Sarita]

He’s definitely domestic if that’s him in the photo. Where is the photo taken? It looks like a place you can wrangle him since he’s allowed you to get this close.

[mrmac]

Yes he definitely is domestic. Could you put a box or something out there with food in it? (I am just assuming that you gave him the lettuce)

[MD]

Yes, that’s the rabbit in the photo.  It came up to me now and then and then would run away.  I tried grabbing the bunny when it was close, but it was too fast for me.  Now I think I’ve scared it.  It’s on the front lawn and runs away from me, and I’m afraid it will run further or into the street.  I think I blew it and I feel horrible.  I hope if I ignore it for a while, it will come to the backyard again.

[mrmac]

I think is you leave some food out he will come back. Maybe when he is close you could throw a box on top of him or something?!

[MissKris&Koji]

I don’t know what your setup is, what the layout of the house and yard are, but having had to capture some animals before I would give the general advice of… yes, a box is best, the rabbit is least likely to get a limb stuck and hurt itself when you do manage to trap it that way (vs using somethign like a laundry basket which has holes). But then you need something to slide under the box to seal it off so the rabbit can’t leap out when you pick the box up. Plastic sheet, cookie tray, another piece of cardboard, anything like that that is large enough. Just get the box over the rabbit, then lift it up just enough on one edge to start sliding the panel under. Once you get the sheet slid all the way under it’s probably easiest to slowly tip the box so it ends rightside up (but keep the top on so scared bunny doesn’t make a suicide leap out!) rather than trying to carry it as is, but that kind of depends, you’ll have to use your judgment on that, if you have someone to help you hold the box down and your “sheet” is solid and holds the weight fine you could bring it in as is and put it wherever you’ll keep the rabbit, and lift the box up to free it.

If you have someone else to help you, trying to lure it with food to a spot and then herd it into a corner is a good tactic. If you get big panels of cardboard it can be easier to herd that way and block the ground so he can’t dash right by you and get loose. But, again, you’d need to think of a spot to corner it and trap it. Without a cage meant for trapping, that’s likely your best bet. It’s going to upset the rabbit, for sure, but that’s better than letting him run around and get hit by a car.

I’ve never caught a rabbit, but that method has worked for other small animals, but it does rely on you having the right space to be able to trap it. Whatever you do just think it through, scared animals are crafty at making a break for it – but if you’re one step ahead and have a plan it’s doable. Hopefully someone who has actually caught a rabbit can help, but if I were you I would try to trap sooner rather than waiting for more advice later if you do have coyotes and so on – that is assuming you think you can handle it. You could also call animal control in the area too if you don’t have the stuff/hands to try it yourself.

[MD]

I caught it with the bunny carrier open and on its side. The rabbit finally hopped in enough that I could close the lid and gently flip over the carrier and lock it. There is food and water inside. I started a new post to find out where I bring the rabbit now or who I contact–I thought that might get more attention.

[MissKris&Koji]

Haha, when you said you were temporarily at your parents it didn’t occur to me you might have a carrier on you – much better approach! Pretty similar to the cages meant for catching something, and luckily will hold him until you have somewhere to take him. If you know rescues around there I would try calling them, even if they don’t have room maybe they can point you to someone else who does? :/ I guess catching him wasn’t really the hard part of the rescue.

[mrmac]

Awesome job! That is so great you caught him!

[BinkyBunny]

For everyone’s reference here is the link to the new post about this now “caught”  bunny. 

https://binkybunny.com/FORUM/tabid/5…fault.aspx

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