Can I have my rabbit live free-range?

[LCwilson]

i used to have 21 gray,white,black,tan,and black rabbits running around my yard at one time.

then they eventually all got eaten.

now i just recentley (in july) bought 3 more rabbits. i switch the males out every now and again to free range. they do just fine. i just weaned my baby rabbits off momma today and let them out to free range. there out to stay unless of a problem.

well my sisters cat saw them and pounced on one of them and it just layed there. so i took the momma out and put her w/ the babies outside to teach them what the run from. shes doing a good job. now the babies wont let me get anywhere near them.

cole.

 

[Wolf-Kim]

Just be aware that many predators will take a rabbit even before they take a chicken.

Rabbit is almost EVERY predators staple of diet. So be aware that a passing hawk will not distinguish between your rabbit and the wild ones. Same thing with coyotes, fox, dogs, weasels, owls, bobcats, and just about everything else out there.

Any free ranging should be done under supervision, or at least with the understanding that you may come out one day to a missing or mangled rabbit.

 

[Wildsky]

Quote:
Yet.



I would keep my bunnies fenced in if I had any... we have the little wild ones around here - they're very cute!

 

[wombat]

If you have a male rabbit, I would not worry about the cats attacking him. If he's got no females of his own kind and is feeling romantic, let's just say that cats are the next best thing. Cats seldom approach a buck more than once!

Hawks, foxes, dogs, etc. are another matter, though.

 

[mekasmom]

Quote:
We had a rex in the backyard privacy fence for several years as the kids grew up. He never dug out. And he rode every cat/kitten he could get close to. He lived to be almost ten. Nice rabbit. His name was Jasper. We still smile about him.

 

[buck-wild-chick]

I have always had free range rabbits.The only downside is,if the dogs or cats find the babies

 

[Akane]

When I was very young we found a big white meat rabbit that had escaped from a nearby farm. He ran loose in our chainlink fenced yard for many years until the gate was left open one day and some dogs got in and killed him. My aunt gave us 2 dwarf rabbits and we tried to raise them the same but they only lasted 6months before something ate them. They were also small enough to fit through the chainlink so that didn't help. However we repeated it with guinea pigs who also fit through the chainlink with pretty good success. Our female lived 5years and the male 4 running about the yard and living under the deck that was only 1' off the ground. A guinea pig fed a good diet and given exercise instead of kept in those tiny cages could potentially live 8years but 4-5 is pretty good for basically free range guinea pigs. Since they aren't hardy towards cold every fall before it snowed we'd collect the guinea pigs and give away all but our original 2. The next spring we'd turn them loose under the deck again. They could fit through the fence but never went far. They pretty much only popped through the fence when we were trying to catch them and then came back in when they were far enough ahead of us. They kept the weeds trimmed around the deck, pool, and garage and occasionally hid in the wood pile on the other side of the garage. Again though one day came that we found our guinea pigs dead in the yard and even my mom cried. You have to decide whether it's worth it and how good of life you think they will live. You will find your rabbit dead some day. Maybe sooner, maybe later, but it will eventually happen and probably sooner than they would have lived in a pen in the yard instead of nearly completely loose.

 

[Eggs4Sale]

I have free-ranging bunnies, the natural kind, in my yard. I have spent hundreds of dollars on garden seeds and I've harvested 5 tomatoes. Peter Rabbit is not a fairy tale, that's for sure.

 

[txchickie]

Mine would be halfway to Tokyo before I even got back in the house

digging little stinkers.

I have them in a chainlink dog run that is set in concrete and they still dig at the concrete. They dig and rip apart haybales I sit in there for them, they dig dig dig in the shavings in the doghouses for them, etc....

 

[QuackAddict101]

FREE RANGE MEAT RABBITS

I have successfully studied and raised free ranged rabbits for about a year now. I will now tell you everything that took me a year to discover:

A: Keep the rabbits in a cage at least a week prior to setting them loose.
B: Install a rainproof feeding station nearby. Keep it filled with rabbit pellets except on rainy days.
C: Shoot or remove all predators and harassers (esp. stray dogs)
D. Eat all the colors that are not conducive to living in the wild, eg white ones, I have been selectivly non-harvesting calico brown/black ones that you cannot see if you were standing 10 feet away because they blend in soo well.
E. Harvest with .22 rifle with subsonic bullets.
F. Instruct the neighbors to notify "you" (NOT animal control) if one of your rabbits wanders into thier flowerbed.

I have about 2 dozen rabbits on my 2ac property at any given time. Following these guidelines, the rabbits have managed to reproduce faster than predation & my occasional meals. To build up your colony eat none or only the excess males, and to reduce the colony, eat some females. Males usually dig & fight more often than females. Females of bearing age often have "double-chins".

Rabbits are VERY quick and have evolved millions of years to dodge attacks from hawks and foxes, don't let your local predators discourage you. Until you try you will never know. In cages feeding 24 rabbits would cost you about $520 a year. (1 bag a week @$10 bag) Free range those same rabbits & it would only cost you about $120 (1 bag a month @ $10 bag) Plus the rabbits will be much healthier. In cages, the mosquitoes & bot-flies have captive victims wheras in the wild the rabbits are more spread out and constantly moving around. I have free ranged chickens and rabbits simultaneously with no apparent side effects. The chicken doesn't like the rabbit pellet but the rabbit will eat any chicken food available, but this makes no difference because both feeds are similar in price. Stray cats seldom bother a full grown rabbit, but should be dealt with because they will kill any kits (baby rabbits) they manage to sneak up on. Just like any other livestock provide plenty of space/food/water & keep the predators down and they will flourish.

MY RABBIT ALFREDO RECIPE:
1 jar Alfredo sauce
1 whole rabbit
1 12oz package pasta (elbows work well)
your choice of veggies: carrots, chopped potatoes, celery
salt/pepper (salt heavily)

1.In a crock pot add the prepared whole rabbit and 1/2 cup water, cook on LOW for about 3-4 hours or until meat falls off the bone.
2. Remove bones (neck bones are very small)
3. Add veggies cook on HIGH for 30 min or until cooked.
4. Drain water (save it for broth) and add alfredo sauce and pasta.
5. Stir & enjoy!

Note: It is important to add the veggies AFTER the rabbit is cooked, this not only prevents the veggies from getting mushy, but also prevents the two flavors from merging prematurely.

PM me if you have any questions, BYC is all about sharing knowldege.