Hare E., our Rhinelander buck, used to be named Wild Bill since he's one of our fiestier rabbits. We've had him for about 4-5 years now and he is the only one out of 7 rabbits who is constantly getting out of his hutch. Most times, he just hangs out on top of the cage until we shoo him back in it.
Notice him "modeling" the board and rock which I use to try and keep him in the hutch.
The above pic was taken on his last "outing", which has been quite awhile.
Soooo, we got out on the bike last Saturday, get home kinda late, as I go to get off, my ankle twists and down to the ground I go. No biggy...until I get up Sunday morning and my left knee is killing me (managed to twist it good when I fell, apparently
). We worked on coop #3 for the day, knee was hurting but the brace helped alot.
Happy Monday...NOT!!! I get up, hobble out to feed the birds and bunnies when to my horror, I see a flash of white out of the corner of my eye. Lo and behold, Bill has escaped again! Panic begins to creep in as Skip/doc_gonzo is at work and doesn't get home until after dark and there's no way I'm catching Bill with a gimp leg by myself.
I decided to atleast try and catch him and go get the chicken net.
Well, it looked good on paper, anyways. That little !expletive! ran me ragged and I still never got close to catching him. I took a break, decided to try again only to have Bill get a wild hair and he goes racing to the backyard for the first time. Almost netted him at the back porch stairs but the net got hung on a sliver of wood and Bill hops away...yet again. I follow him slowly and he decides to dart under the trailer thru a gaping hole in the underpinning. I grab a couple of wire cages and figure that I have him atleast trapped, for the time being.
Thought I had out-smarted him and had one of the cages facing so that he could get in it for food and water. Yeah, right...he'd happily hop into the cage and wait until I'd get 2 steps away and then dart back under the trailer again...
I was so proud/amazed/impressed with our Aussie, Pepper Anne. She loves to chase whatever runs and I was worried she'd get Bill. I told her NO whenever she acted like she was gonna go for him and after just a few times, she totally ignored him. He was totally comfortable with her, to the point of running thru her legs, hanging out with her in the yard.
He figured a way out from underneath the trailer and spent the next several days, happily running the yard. It was hilarious to watch him follow Pepper and I all over the yard and I thought he was going to follow us into the house a couple times. I decided to just ignore him and it worked!!! I opened up the Silkies' day-time run and put a bowl of bunny food in there. On Thursday, while out feeding, Bill got over-confident at just the right time. I was filling feeders/waterers of the hutch in front of the Silky pen when I see Bill scurry into the run. I stopped what I was doing and closed him into the run.
I now have the top of his cage locked and can't wait to see what he's gonna do now!
Sure wish I was able to get pix of Bill and Pepper together...knowing Bill, there will be a next time!
Dawn
Notice him "modeling" the board and rock which I use to try and keep him in the hutch.
Soooo, we got out on the bike last Saturday, get home kinda late, as I go to get off, my ankle twists and down to the ground I go. No biggy...until I get up Sunday morning and my left knee is killing me (managed to twist it good when I fell, apparently
Happy Monday...NOT!!! I get up, hobble out to feed the birds and bunnies when to my horror, I see a flash of white out of the corner of my eye. Lo and behold, Bill has escaped again! Panic begins to creep in as Skip/doc_gonzo is at work and doesn't get home until after dark and there's no way I'm catching Bill with a gimp leg by myself.
I decided to atleast try and catch him and go get the chicken net.
Thought I had out-smarted him and had one of the cages facing so that he could get in it for food and water. Yeah, right...he'd happily hop into the cage and wait until I'd get 2 steps away and then dart back under the trailer again...
I was so proud/amazed/impressed with our Aussie, Pepper Anne. She loves to chase whatever runs and I was worried she'd get Bill. I told her NO whenever she acted like she was gonna go for him and after just a few times, she totally ignored him. He was totally comfortable with her, to the point of running thru her legs, hanging out with her in the yard.
He figured a way out from underneath the trailer and spent the next several days, happily running the yard. It was hilarious to watch him follow Pepper and I all over the yard and I thought he was going to follow us into the house a couple times. I decided to just ignore him and it worked!!! I opened up the Silkies' day-time run and put a bowl of bunny food in there. On Thursday, while out feeding, Bill got over-confident at just the right time. I was filling feeders/waterers of the hutch in front of the Silky pen when I see Bill scurry into the run. I stopped what I was doing and closed him into the run.
I now have the top of his cage locked and can't wait to see what he's gonna do now!
Dawn
