To think it's not my responsibility to catch these escaped rabbits!

[Zinni]

There are 4 apartments in our complex, we share a large communal garden. One family (with our agreement) bought 2 rabbits and I thought it will be nice for my DS to play with them so I helped out with feeding, watching over them in run etc.

Anyway, 6weeks ago someone didn't fasten the latch properly and they both escaped

They've evaded all attempts to catch them and have now strayed beyond our garden to surrounding gardens (easy to spot as one is silvery grey other's black!)

Two neighbours from different houses have approached me and said I need to catch them as they're digging up lawns, eating plants etc. I explained I can't get near and they're not my rabbits anyway!!

AIBU and if so how on earth do you catch pet rabbits who have been living wild for 6weeks?

[Rebeccaslicker]

You'd think foxes would have a better chance of catching them than the OP, but we had a big silver rabbit that lived in my garden when I was a child - he was clearly an escapee pet. He lasted about 3 years!

[EasterRobin]

Maybe they are PirateMother's rescue rabbits that she got two years ago.

[Corcory]

This was nearly 2 years ago!!

[Lovemenoooooww]

I have huge admiration for those rabbits

[AdaColeman]

Rabbit pie!

[PirateMother]

What happened to the rabbits in the end?

[Orangeanddemons]

My rabbits don't bite. And they're very sweet natured and will tolerate being cuddled. They love being stroked.

They escaped once. It took two of us to capture them.

[chocolatemademefat]

My DS1 had a rabbit and from trying to catch it on several occasions I wouldn't be putting too much effort in to catching these two unless they're easy to handle. I have scars from years back on my arms as rabbits have sharp claws and aren't shy about using them. They're lovely pets to look at and I'm sure some are really tame but others aren't so I'd be wary of trying to catch them.

Can't understand the attraction of pet rabbits now - a lot of work for little return. And they bite!

[differentnameforthis]

So neighbours wanted some rabbits & sold it to you under the guise that your not yet crawling baby could play with them you have done the bulk of the work, in feeding/cleaning them etc [why? They aren't yours] and now they have "escaped" you are getting the blame & trying your hardest to catch them, while the "owners" can't be arsed?

This is madness. They are not your pets, send the neighbour to the correct address of the owners & wash you hands of it all.

And please op....learn to say no & stand up for yourself. This is NOT your problem.

[madwomanbackintheattic]

Lol. We have thousands of them in our little community. They are hardy buggers and well, breed like rabbits. it's like living in teletubby land in the summer. The tourists think it is brilliant - but the Town has paid thousands and thousands so far to get rid of them and it is still a losing battle. We had a whole group set up 'friends of 'x (town name) bunnies' and people donating cash worldwide to 'save' the little bastards. The whole saga was started by a couple of domestic rabbits being set loose aeons ago.

Anyone that thinks a wee fox will be the end of them needs to chat with the cougars and coyotes round here. Many lovely dinners later and we are still left with the little buggers munching on the roadsides/ gardens/ anywhere a blade of grass or a petal exists...

Get a couple of traps and be done with it. Pest control.

[JessicaRuby]

Ok timely I apologise if I read your post wrong, I do agree that rabbits are not pets for young children although many people assume they are. For what it's worth I'm 24 and take great care of mine I admit I can be a little defensive because people tend to dismiss them as we've seen on this thread - a domestic rabbit is about as able to survive in the wild as a domestic dog set loose

[timelytess]

timely maybe you should have researched what rabbits were like before getting them if you dislike them so much? Just a thought. I also have four rabbits and mine are not 'nasty' at all hmm they don't kick, bite or scratch, in fact they're very affectionate! No they don't like being picked up, so I don't pick them up - no problem
You're a little out on your assumption there. I've kept rabbits all my life - over fifty years. I'm honest about them because people choose them as pets for their children and that's cruel to the rabbits. Rabbits can and do bite and scratch. They can cause real damage.

[Stanky]

It's very sad that the owners, and other neighbours don't give a shit about these pets. If any of my animals escaped, I would do everything in my power to get them safely home. :(

[TimeToMuskUp]

Our rabbits escape from time to time; they keep chewing through their wooden hutch and, frankly, they're houdini-swines. I leave the hutch door open, pop treats they love inside and leave them to it. They've never been gone for that length of time, though, and I doubt these are going to be easy to catch. RSPCA might offer some advice? Coffee's idea isn't a bad one; working together surely a bunch of adults can outwit a rabbit?

[ewbank]

I'm agog at the idea you should be helping catch the rabbits.

You did your bit by helping feed them. They are not your responsibility.

No way would I be running ragged trying to catch a couple of semi wild bunnies, particularly as it doesn't sound like the owners can be arsed.

[coffeetasteslikeshit]

Will the NDN let you into their garden? If you can work as a team, with you calling him and others as soon as you spot them from your window and then a group of you circle them, you should be able to do it. It's worked for me and my neighbours in the past.

[JessicaRuby]

timely maybe you should have researched what rabbits were like before getting them if you dislike them so much? Just a thought. I also have four rabbits and mine are not 'nasty' at all they don't kick, bite or scratch, in fact they're very affectionate! No they don't like being picked up, so I don't pick them up - no problem!

Rabbits are definitely the most neglected pets in the UK with idiots getting them because they look 'cute and cuddly' then losing interest when that turns out not to be the reality. I have no sympathy for people like this. Have a fucking heart and take care of the defenceless animal that you took in that completely relies on you!

Sorry bit of a tangent but really annoys me when people do this. As for the 'just leave them, they'll be fine' posters - there are no words

[timelytess]

I should imagine the original owners got fed up of them and 'set them free' and therefore aren't keen to recapture them. It happens a lot. Rabbits are hard work, and not terribly rewarding as 'pets'. Leave them to it and don't feel bad. They've probably lived longer than wild rabbits do, already.

I'd keep your baby away from rabbits. Most people don't realise how nasty a rabbit bite can be - they have fearsome jaws! And they kick and scratch.
Nasty creatures. They don't like to be cuddled, either.

Throwing a towel over them doesn't 'calm them down', it traumatises them. But if you need to catch them...

I have four of the feckers. Two pairs. All beautiful. All destructive. Only one is a biter. Wouldn't recommend them as pets unless you're over 40 and have plenty of money. They're 'exotics' to vets, who are now wise to every bunny-trick in the book and will tell you your rabbits' teeth are overgrowing and need to be filed (£100 every six weeks) etc. Always ask to see the evidence. I did and my vet suddenly decided there wasn't a problem.

[3littlefrogs]

X posts

[3littlefrogs]

Where are the owners and why are they not trying to catch them?

[Zinni]

The owners are a bit helpless about it all, think they've given up.

[Zinni]

Oh and I explained to NDN they're not mine, he looked skeptical and said he's seen me cleaning hutch!

Tried carrots, parsnips, spinach, dandelion leaves, trail of yogurt drops leading to hutch etc but think they've abandoned our garden!