# found domestic/wild rabbit



## chan (Oct 31, 2010)

Hello I am new on here - I have been searching the internet for help, as this morning I saw what looked like a pet rabbit behind a gate down the lane where I live. I assumed it had escaped from a nearby house. I tied up my dog, climbed over the gate and it just let me pick it up. It struggled a bit as I carried it home, but otherwise seemed perfectly tame. It is white, with grey/brown smudges on nose, ears and back. Anyway I then walked down the lane knocking on doors to see who had lost it. I was told by a lady that her neighbour had found a dumped pet rabbit 2 years ago in the same spot, took it in, but then it escaped. It has since bred with the wild, and apparently they see lots of these about. So now I don't know what to do ! She is lovely, seems tame like a pet, but is it cruel to keep her if she'd been born in the wild ? And what about diseases, as I have 2 pet rabbits already. Plus she probably pregant ! But feels wrong to chuck her out, looking so like a pet ! What should I do ? Kids want to keep her but I am not sure


----------



## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

If you have managed to pick it up it won't survive long in the wild and can't have been out that long. We have wild ones here that have come from dumped pets and even the hawks don't catch them that easily


----------



## noushka05 (Mar 28, 2008)

please dont realease her or she will die she'll be a domestic rabbit thats either escaoed or been dumped, can you contact an animal rescue in your area? also theres quite a lot of rabbit rescues around now.


----------



## Guest (Oct 31, 2010)

As above, please don't release her..

I would phone your local vets to see if she has been reported missing and you local rescues :thumbup:


----------



## chan (Oct 31, 2010)

Thanks for replies - I am more than happy to keep her, the kids are in love already- we have a large enclosure built for our rabbits, so I'd adapt it to keep her from my boys until someone could get neutured I guess - I was just worried incase she was actually born in the wild ? As the neighbour said these rabbits have been breeding wild for a bout 2 years, so it seems likely she is offspring from the original pet that was dumped. I'm also worried about diseases, but better take her to vet to get her checked. Are you sure its not cruel to keep her if she's been wild ?


----------



## hawksport (Dec 27, 2009)

I don't think it's been born wild, sounds to me like it's only just been released. If it had been out long something would of eaten it by now.
A quaranteen period would be a good idea if you keep it


----------



## noushka05 (Mar 28, 2008)

it dosent sound as tho she has the wild agouti colouration from your description and to allow you to pick her up like that i would have said shes a domestic who hasnt been living feral for long, but you might be as well to get her checked over by a vet just to put your mind at rest if nothing else well done for helping her xx


----------



## chan (Oct 31, 2010)

ok - well she certainly seems tamer than some pet ones I've known ! The wild rabbits round here run a mile when we see them. There are shoots round here too, which worried me. I'll take her to vet for advice, see how she goes living as a pet, and take it from there. Think we'll call her pumpkin, it being halloween ! Thanks again. I will post an update x


----------



## noushka05 (Mar 28, 2008)

aw what a cool name look forward to the updates:thumbup:


----------



## niki87 (Nov 18, 2009)

chan said:


> ok - well she certainly seems tamer than some pet ones I've known ! The wild rabbits round here run a mile when we see them. There are shoots round here too, which worried me. I'll take her to vet for advice, see how she goes living as a pet, and take it from there. Think we'll call her pumpkin, it being halloween ! Thanks again. I will post *an update* x


Which is french for PICTURE??  Well done on taking her in!! She does sound too tame to have been wild long!! xx


----------



## lauren001 (Jun 30, 2008)

Wild rabbits are not tame, very small ones will allow you to pick them up if very, very scared though.

Sounds like she is a domestic to me.


----------



## crofty (May 2, 2008)

Shes domestic if she let you pick her up, id leep her well away from your buns for now, get her vaccinated and pancurred, then have her spayed if she isnt pregnant. If you boys are neutered then you could bond her with them.


----------



## jemma_79 (Nov 1, 2009)

Aw, well done for rescuing the bun! Glad you're not releasing her. We rescued a male bun last week that was roaming the gardens but had to take it to the RSPCA as we already have 2 buns and don't have any space for more. Got any pics?!


----------



## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

I would be careful shes either a pet or an unwell wild rabbit. I would take her to the vets asap, if you are thinking of keeping her, get the vets to give her a very good check over for bite/puncture wounds. Have her spayed, wormed and fully vaccinated before putting her anywhere near your existing rabbits.


----------

