Predator killed my rabbit. Need help.

[nuthatched]

We have several raptors that fly around here. Hawks and owls, mainly. They haven’t taken her before, I wonder why they took her now?

Roll of the dice, I guess.
With the pictures you provided on the clean bones, I'm more inclined to think it was a small four legged predator.
Where do you live?

 

[aart]

Images of the animal crime scene.

Was rabbit locked in that wire crate for safety at night?

 

[Isadora]

Was rabbit locked in that wire crate for safety at night?

Not much extra safety. A raccoon could reach through those bars.

 

[sourland]

Friend had a rabbit killed recently - similar kill site. He caught a mink using the carcass as bait.

 

[jnicholes]

Roll of the dice, I guess.
With the pictures you provided on the clean bones, I'm more inclined to think it was a small four legged predator.
Where do you live?

I live in a very small town called Dietrich, Idaho.

Sorry I took so long to get back. I’ve been devastated. Wasn’t in a good state to talk.

I went to the hardware store and picked up a bunch of wood and nails and some screws and stuff to make her a casket. I’m gonna bury the casket in my garden once it’s built.

I also got a stone to mark the spot.

I am still pretty sad, so I will post more later.

 

[BDutch]

Sorry for your loss.
Always sad if a pet is attacked or killed.

Was the rabbit in the run at the time of the attack?

What I see is a run where many predators can jump over. And smaller predator can go trough.
Seeing the bite wound and the left overs from chewing I do think it was a dog who likes meat but was not very hungry.
It doesn't look like it was a marter, a fox or a bird of prey to me.
I can be wrong about the dog, because where I live we have not so many 4 legged predators as in the US,

 

[jnicholes]

Sorry for your loss.
Always sad if a pet is attacked or killed.

Was the rabbit in the run at the time of the attack?

What I see is a run where many predators can jump over. And smaller predator can go trough.
Seeing the bite wound and the left overs from chewing I do think it was a dog who likes meat but was not very hungry.
It doesn't look like it was a marter, a fox or a bird of prey to me.
I can be wrong about the dog, because where I live we have not so many 4 legged predators as in the US,

Yes, she was in the run.

I guess I learned a hard lesson about having a secure run.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Im really sorry you had to find Sophie like that.

In the photo, it looks like the door to the wire cage is open? It also appears that the welded wire near the wire cage is bent over at the top. Did the bent wire happen overnight, or was it like that before? Also, did the bones near her body appear to be her foot and jaw bones?

I don't think it was a bird of prey since the fur wasn't pulled out and scattered around her body. The first predator that came to mind when I saw the photo was an Opposum, but your answers to my questions may either help rule that idea out, or help confirm my suspicion.

 

[jnicholes]

Im really sorry you had to find Sophie like that.

In the photo, it looks like the door to the wire cage is open? It also appears that the welded wire near the wire cage is bent over at the top. Did the bent wire happen overnight, or was it like that before? Also, did the bones near her body appear to be her foot and jaw bones?

I don't think it was a bird of prey since the fur wasn't pulled out and scattered around her body. The first predator that came to mind when I saw the photo was an Opposum, but your answers to my questions may either help rule that idea out, or help confirm my suspicion.

To answer your first question, I really don’t remember if the wire was like that or not.

To answer your second question, one bone did look like part of the lower jaw. I’ll check again when I get home, everything is still the way it was when I found it.

Also, there was a SMALL amount of fur in the run, some around the body, some near the run fence.

 

[BDutch]

Yes, she was in the run.

I guess I learned a hard lesson about having a secure run.

For rabbits you really need a solid cage as run. I had rabbits long ago and lost 2 to a fox. Neighbours lost many rabbits too. Sometimes it was a marter, sometimes a fox. And once it was a dog that escaped. Normally people keep their dog here in the house or on a leash.

Doing some research after the killing I realised that I needed a better cage/run. I bought a prefab chicken coop combined with a small run. I put the cage on a large piece of hwc on the grass in the summer. And on the terrace in winter . To prevent foxes/marters digging underneath.