Run away bun

[LillyBun]

Hi, im new here, I have a dwarf rabbit not sure what breed, most likely mixed, anyways ive had her for about 2 months now. My boyfriend’s sister had a bunny and she had buns and I ended up taking one of them. I live in a duplex where we have a small garden out front. I live in the bottom, the front is gated though. Well ever since I got my bun which her name is Lilly, I let her out when I come home from work. I take my laptop outside sit in one of the tables in the garden and let her roam around for a while, she stays in the house all day when im at work. Today somethig horrible happend, my boyfriend was bringing in some furniture we just bought and he left the front door AND gate door open and Lilly got out. It was my fault though because i forgot to put her in her cage while we brought in the furniture. Im really worried!!! My boyfriend got in his car and went through the whole block looking for her, he spotted her but when he tried to get her she ran away. So i know she’s in the block, I went and told the neighbors that if they saw a little brown bunny around if they could please call me and let me know. No calls yet! My question is, can bunnies find their way back home?!! she’s 5 months old and spayed. My boyfriend said she’s probably looking for a mate, but im not sure bunnies actually do that especially a spayed bun. Will she come back home??????

[jerseygirl]

I’m sorry. I really feel for you. Hopefully she’ll stay close and you’ll be able to catch her. Is she used to a carrier or anything? Maybe you could approach with a carrier and some of her favourite food in it if you come across her again. Also, give your neighbours some of her pellets in case she wanders near. If you see her she’s likely on high alert so trying to grab her will likely send her off. If you sit near by she may approach you.

Thank goodness she is spayed! One less worry. It’s hard to say why they’d go off, they are just so curious! They are attracted to dark areas and getting under buildings.
I hope you can get her soon. Please keep us posted.

[Sarita]

I don’t know if she will try to find her way home – I doubt she’s looking for a boy. I wouldn’t chase her though because I’m afraid you’d chase her away from home. I suspect she will hide in the bushes around the house rather than wander away – at least that’s what I hope. Does she have a cage that you can put out that is familiar to her that she might wander in. I know your worried to death and I would be the same way too…please keep trying and keep us posted.

[Rabbitsareecool]

 Im sorry for your loss. This has happened to me plenty of times before haha but i am sure that Lily will come home. This is just a suggestion but why dont you go outside and grab her favourite treat and make a trail. i have done that before and it has worked (: Good Luck i hope lily comes home.

[Otti]

Yeah if she has treats she loves that she usually runs over for, you could go around shaking the treat bag and calling her name and see if she comes out for those…

I agree also on the leaving her cage out with food and water in case she goes back in.

Things like this unfortunately can happen. We’re all human. I hope you find her!

[Deleted User]

Oh boy, that’s such a worrisome situation! I hope you already got her back home safe. If not, she may be hiding because many new things out there will overwhelm her. She may be hiding under a paked car or someone’s balcony. don’t give up though looking: the trail of favorite familiar treats is an excellent idea. Will you be home tomorrow? When you do spot her again, do not approach her fast, rather freeze at a distance from her and allow her to recognize you by your voice. Then, approach very gradually. You have to find her, she won’t find you necessarily. Also, don’t wait around for people calling — go door to door again and really approach people face to face; some people may not have seen your poster, or may think they want to keep her, or whatever.

[Momto3boys]

I can’t offer any advice since everyone pretty uch has it covered but I really hope you get her back ASAP, big hugs to you and her.
How scary!

[LillyBun]

Thanks for all the advice guys. But unfortunately no Lilly yet, and im starting to fear the worse, a friend gave me some consolataion yesterday by telling me that when she was younger they had a flemish giant and it ran away, on the 3rd day he showed up in their yard. But last night a neighbor called me at 1:45am to tell me she was in their yard eating grass, i hurried over there and when i got there she was gone. The neighbor lives 6 houses down. I didnt go to work today and woke up early to walk up and down the block but didnt see her. Its pretty cold here right now at night it goes down to about 60F, she’s never slept outside and she sleeps in the her cage in a doggy bed with a blanket, will the cold weather harm her?? she’s not an outdoor bun at all she only goes out when i take her out and its usually for about 2 hrs, only. I put up some more posters today and went door to door, but neighbors say they havent seen anything.

[Otti]

I don’t think 60F is too cold at all from what I know. I’m sure others will confirm this, so don’t worry about the cold too much.

Is there something that is just irresistible to her? I’m thinking maybe you could cut up some fresh fruit in tiny pieces and leave it on the sidewalk in a trail to your house?

[Beka27]

I feel so bad… how frightening :o( She should be okay in 60 degrees… If there are any more sightings of her, see if there is someone that can help you corner her. You might want to also bring a light blanket or bed sheet so if you can get close enough, you can gently throw it over her. This should freeze her in place.

[Sarita]

I hope you find her – don’t give up yet!

[Otti]

I found this list on a website:

Search the area the rabbit was last seen thoroughly. If the rabbit became frightened or ill it may be hiding. Gradually widen the search, check under things like bushes, cars and places your rabbit could have crawled into.

Make sure the hutch/run is open so your bunny can get back in if they return. If your rabbit is usually inside, leave a familiar smelling carry box or similar outside.

Notify all the places in your area where a stray rabbit may be taken if found. This includes vets, rescues, shelters etc. Leave contact details and a description. Check back a few days latter if your rabbit is still missing.

Put notices up in the local area, places such as local shop windows, vet notice boards and pet shops.

Ask your local newspaper whether they carry lost and found adverts, and put a notice in.

Just in case you hadn’t done some of those yet… I also read that you could possibly borrow one of those safe-catch traps from a shelter/animal pound in your area. THe traps that obviously don’t harm the animals when they close. Then you could put some very tempting food (treat/fruit) and a bowl of water in there and put it somewhere accessible to your rabbit that is close to home.

[KatnipCrzy]

I would keep walking around looking for her- also make sure to notify local vets and shelters that you have lost your bunny!

[Dee]

I hope you find her soon- you must be beside yourself with worry. Everybody gave you great ideas- the only thing I have to add is make sure to look very thoroughly around your neighbors yard where she was seen eating grass. She may have found someplace to hide there, and will only come out when she feels safe. Are there lots of predators around there? Obviously that would make the situation more dangerous, but even then I wouldn’t give up hope. My bunny, BunBun, was a completely tame house rabbit, just a baby too (about 5 months) and his former owners- my neighbors!- got tired of him and put him out in the back yard. He was roaming from yard to yard for weeks, and hiding who knows where at night, before I caught him. He had no fear of animals, having been raised with a dog, and would stretch out right in the middle of the grass to sunbathe. Our yards are bordered by woods that are home to foxes, coyotes, raccoons, and fisher cats. There was also a hawk circling our yard frequently then, probably keeping an eye on his prospective dinner!Yet he somehow managed to escape harm.
So, to look on the bright side, rabbits can survive surprisingly hazardous situations. I really hope this is the case with your bunny- don’t give up! Remember that sunrise and sundown are rabbits natural feeding times, so that’s a really good time to search for her with some food. Please let us know how everything is going- I will be thinking of you.

[LillyBun]

LillyBun is dead, a neighbor from the otherside of the block where she was spotted brought her to me in a shoebox. I dont know what happend, she doesnt have any blood and shes comletely stretched out, like when she would stretch out on her side when she was at home. What could have happend to her??? she was in the next block but on the opposite side of where my other neighbor saw her in his garden. The neighbor that brought her, told me she found her dead in her flower bed. Could she have eaten something that was poisonous to her???

[LillyBun]

Thanks for all the great advice and help though.

[Otti]

So sorry for your loss! at least you know you gave her a great life while she was with you. Accidents happen and it’s no
one’s fault!

[peppypoo]

I’m so sorry to hear the sad ending to the story. I’m guessing the position she was found in had anything to do with what happened to her; after death, the natural physical forces within the body will push it into that position (that’s how I found my poor Tammo too). It’s possible as well that she was frightened to death by a dog or other predator. Again, I’m sorry for your loss…binky free Lilly!

[angie-la]

oh no, I’m so sorry! like Otti said, accidents happen and bunnies are great escape artist, so don’t be too harsh on yourself. my condolences =[

[Beka27]

I am so so sorry. I’m not sure what happened, but I would try not to dwell on it too much… It won’t help. Try and remember the good times, she knew how much she was loved.

(binky free Lilly)

[GrumpyBun]

I am very sorry to hear that. You did your very best to find her and as everyone said, accidents will happen. I hope you can take some comfort from the fact that although her life was short it was a good life with you; where she was loved and well cared for. My condolences.

[LoveChaCha]

I’m so sorry to hear about that

Binky free baby bunny

[RabbitPam]

I am so sorry. There are so many natural causes that I wouldn’t speculate on it – it’s just beating yourself up over an accident.

She is over the Rainbow Bridge now, and knows how much you love her.
{{{{{{{{Hugs}}}}}}

[Sarita]

Hugs to you — I’m so sorry. I will light a candle to help her cross the bridge.

[Gina]

Omg I am so sorry to hear of this whole situation   (((Hugs))) to you.

[Isabelle]

I’m so sorry that happened!

{{{{Binky free Lily}}}}

[Deleted User]

I am so sorry! It could have been any number of things. I know it hurts and to be wondering what happened — but, at least, you have closure by getting her body back. It was an accident.

[bunnytowne]

That is so sad.   I am sorry she got out.  She is now bouncing in the rainbow bridge.  Remember her happy

[Momto3boys]

Oh that is heartbreaking

I’m so sorry you lost her in the end.

[skunklionshow]

 I’m so sorry for your loss.  PLEASE do not beat yourself up over this.  It was an accident and you can’t take all the blame, your Lilly Bun wouldn’t appreciate that.  She ran off to play.  Who knows what happened.  She could have been sick even before she ran off…So please don’t blame yourself.  I beat myself up for almost a year blaming myself for missing the signs that my baby was dying.  Its not good when grieving & trying to honor your bunny.  Take care.

[Dee]

I’m so sorry. Everyone is right- you have to try not to focus too much on what exactly happened. It is good that you recovered her body- I do think that gives closure. You know she’s at peace, and didn’t get attacked and injured or starve. But still… I know not much helps right now. I’m pretty sure that most of us who lose a pet go through a period of imagining what we could have done differently. Like Skunklionshow, I have spent endless time blaming myself for missing symptoms that eventually resulted in death. The thing is, we’re all human- we’re not perfect and awful things happen no matter how hard we try. Please remember how good a life you gave Lilly and know that we’re all thinking of you.

[Author]

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