Rabbit conundrum

[Tony H]

A black domestic rabbit seems to have taken up residence at the home we recently bought but don't live at yet. I have tracked the source to a home a few blocks away. Owners were busy trying to catch another one that had escaped and were not interested in the one at our house. I contacted the city as I want a less lethal solution to the problem. They made jokes about rabbit stew and told me to contact code enforcement. That was no help either. Online research showed it difficult to live trap a rabbit. I don't want to spend a week of my life dealing with this nuisance. Larger city's actually have a rabbit rescue but here no one seems interested.

[t walgamuth]

Domestic rabbits are not hard to catch....a blanket thrown over them works well. They don't bite but will try to run away. OTOH I'd consider letting them roam. A cat or coyote will eventually make a meal of them. We once camped at a place that had a dozen or more rabbits roaming around mostly eating grass. Although i am a rabbit lover I don't have any at present.

[Idle]

To your point... There were rabbits here and then some coyotes showed up. The rabbits vanished and shorty after that so did the coyotes.

Circle of life.

[Tony H]

No coyotes here-no real predators. It has been hanging around for a month or so. I cannot get close enough to it to throw anything at it-it will have to be trapped or a more extreme measure. Eventually we will have a vegetable garden so it needs to go.

[cmac2012]

I used to think I might get crossbow for the really large raccoons that wouldn’t go away. I never did.

It’s a tough one, I don’t like taking life. On the other hand, I recall one time driving through Utah, it was early June, late at night, must’ve been mating season because rabbits were everywhere. I probably ran over more than 20 of them. They would seemingly wait by the side of the road and calculate the correct trajectory to put themselves under my tires.

[INSIDIOUS]

Call Noem

[duxthe1]

Rabbits are cute but their claws are sharp and a rabbit constrained that wishes not to be will become a flailing ball of razor blades. Ask me how I know.

[t walgamuth]

You have to pick them up by the scruff of neck and bring your other arm up to give support to their legs. If you got the legs flailing the bunny was probably reacting from fear.

They aren't really all that smart.

[Tony H]

Have not seen it for a week or so-maybe it went to a better place

[cmac2012]

Originally Posted by duxthe1

Rabbits are cute but their claws are sharp and a rabbit constrained that wishes not to be will become a flailing ball of razor blades. Ask me how I know.

I had a brief encounter with a cat that fits that description pretty well. One such experience went a long ways.

[Tony H]

Still gone-hopefully the drama is over. Don't need one more PITA at this stage.

[Tony H]

Well they were not gone. In fact now there are 2. They come and go to other yards. I managed to actually catch the smaller one with my hands after I corralled it behind some trash cans. Took it to the shelter-they have someone that wanted it. The other one is bigger and Badder. It won't go without a fight.

[cmac2012]

I've never heard of a humane trap catching a rabbit, who knows. You can catch cats and raccoons with them.

[P.C.]

When I was a kid, our family had a pet rabbit. All was well, until one day he crapped into one of my father's shoes. "Tippy" was relocated to a relative's farm soon afterwards...

[Idle]

There were some Opossums at our last place so I got a Have-A-Hart trap. They fell for it.

These things are not expensive but you rarely need them. If you go this route you can take the rabbit to the shelter in the trap and give them the whole thing.

They are always glad to get the traps since if used a lot they wear out quickly.