Hey, Thorny, I caught her. I put out wild birdseed and she came in the backyard for it. While she was eating, I sneaked around the house and blocked the open space under the gate.
When she went to get out, she seemed surprised but not fearful.
Tonight I'll turn a large trash can on one side and put in an electric blanket on low, and also drape it over the can.
That can be her house until I get an igloo doghouse.
The backyard is safe and has about 1/8 of an acre so she can still be free-but no more running around the neighborhood.
She can't live indoors because of Pepper (my feline child).
I'll get her the proper foods, and if she doesn't use the water bowl by tomorrow I'll get a drip bottle. She's probably used to lapping at sprinkler heads.
Anyway, I have a rabbit !

Good! Now bring her to me. Two Bean is lonely.

Very funny... !
My little niece has named her "Saltflower". How cute !
Because Pepper's name is actually "Pepperlily".

I LIKE that. You sure you don't need any black and white polka-dotted half lop-eared, half regular eared baby bunnies?

That would be cute.
Let's think of names...

Flopsy......erm......Mopsy......erm......Cottontail............PETER!!!

Oops....he's a boy !
Still gonna be named "Saltflower" though !
Thorny, seriously, after I had the rabbit in the backyard, I suddenly realized that if it was female it might be nursing babies somewhere ! That freaked me out, so I checked and he's a boy.
Whew !

There's NO mistaking a boy rabbit's......erm......assets! Two Bean's are Quite obvious.

You think male bunnies are masculine, check out a MALE squirrel sometime.

Uh, I'll pass....

Thorny, I got him a rabbit water bottle, but haven't seen him use it yet.
He really chows down the rabbit food. Poor little rat, er, rab, he has probably never had real rabbit food before.
He still won't let me pet him, but he's safe and as well cared for as his wildness allows.

You have to build trust slowly. I KNOW! GIVE HIM SOME CHOCOLATE!!!

Can't do it... I have always been taught that chocolate is toxic to all animals except one primate species.
But it's so nice to watch him doing so well. He really likes the rabbit food. It has vitamin "cookies" in it as well.

Gummi worms then! Two Bean Bags LOVES Gummi worms. or......APPLES!

The food is Kaytee Fiesta.
I tried apples-he's not interested.
Can a domestic rabbit breed with a wild western cottontail?
There's one who lives in the backyard, and I've wondered if their paths have crossed.
Where I used to live, remember I had a whole gang of cottontails that I fed every night? They loved apples and birdseed-this wild one won't touch any of it.

I use Manna_Pro rabbit chow. 20 pounds for $10 at Tractor Supply Company.

Thorny, now the rabbit comes up to me and lets me pet him.
But if I try to pick him up he struggles and squeals like guinea pig. Sure is strong !
Right now he's under a bench in the backyard, to keep out of the rain, and it's raining like mad.
I'm going to make him a house, I thought of a large clean trash can on its side with a blanket inside.
To see how he likes it and if he uses it, before investing in a small doghouse for him. Usually he sleeps under a heavy planting of ferns, but I want a better set up for him than that.

That should work! ALL rabbits struggle when you pick them up. Even Two Bean Bags does if I am not careful. Rabbits are terrified of heights even ones of a couple of feet. To pick them up, put your hand under their rib cage, behind the front legs and use your OTHER hand to cup and hold their tail, bottom, and back legs. Right now it is best to just develop trust and friendship with the bunny. Let him get used to you rubbing and petting him. They LOVE having their ears, head, eyes, and nose scratched and rubbed. Just don't touch their mouth, that makes them angry. You may notice the rabbit rubbing his mouth, cheeks, and jaws on you and things in his living area. This is called, "chinning", and is the rabbit's way of marking the things in his life that he LOVES and considers his. Rabbits have their scent glands for territorial marking in their cheeks. They secrete a dry, colorless, non-messy, and to humans, odorless scent onto the things in their territory. So when a rabbit comes up to you and starts rubbing you with his mouth, chin, and jaws he is saying, "You are mine......and I lOVE you!"

OK, I'll keep these tips in mind and thanks.
He doesn't rub his mouth on anything yet.
I know what you mean though, like cats do.
I saw a tick in his ear today. Now what? Vet?
I want him to have a check-up and any vaccinations needed, so I guess it's time to trap him and get him into Pepper's carrier for a ride to the vet.
He's easy-I just drop a laundry basket over him while he's eating. That's what I did the time I picked him up.
For the trip to the vet, I'll just guide him under the basket into the carrier.

I made the warm house awhile ago. With a large plastic trash can and wrapped around it one of those ultra heavy duty trash bags. An old blanket is folded and fluffed inside the can.
The whole thing is on the patio out of the wind, rain, etc. And of course the can is on its side and the trash bag isn't covering the entryway.
He seems content to live in the yard now. Remember when he was depressed and hung out by the gate?
I have the gate blocked with boards now, and I'm hoping he doesn't dig out. So far he hasn't.
If he uses the trash can house habitually, I'll get him a small igloo doghouse.

Try some different food treats that you can feed him by hand. Rabbits ADORE sweets! Almost anything with sugar is a favorite for them. Two Beans loves gummiworms and gummibears, candy canes, frosted mini-wheats, and the pet stores sell these fruit, seed, and nut bars cemented together with hardened molasses or honey, especially made for rabbits that clip on to the side of their cage. Two Beans goes gah-gah over those treat bars!

You might want to get your bunny a ball to chase. Bunnies like to push, chase, carry, and throw things around. I wad up sheets of newspaper into balls. Then Two Beans flattens them, grabs one edge in his mouth, throwing the rest of the paper over his head like an umbrella and then spins around and around in a tight circle like a dog chasing his tail. When he gets tired, he'll tear the sheet of paper into strips and make a bed out of them. Rabbits are EXTREMELY playful and are constantly inventing new games to play.

Just went to Petco today and asked questions. I never knew there was so much involved !
I bought salt and mineral licks, wooden carrots for teeth maintenance, timothy hay, and made an appointment for a van that comes to the house and does some kind of neutering. Laser or something.
I didn't know that a rab's teeth grow and have to be kept short by chewing. Now I know why he was chewing on the wood chips in the flower beds.
I didn't get him a toy because he has so much to do in the yard, but if you think a ball is a good idea I'll get him one.
I had already bought the sticky treat balls, and he likes those now as well as the pellet mix. He takes carrots from my hand, and likes dark green lettuces, spinach, and apples now too.
Good news-the tick came out of his ear and the wound looks good-clean and dry. I'll have the vet take a look though.

Probably not necessary to have him neutered Two Bean bags isn't, course there's no cute little Bunnettes around either. As long as you don't have both sexes around spaying and neutering are sort of pointless. Two Beans used to have an erm......uhhh....... CRUSH on our fuzzy, fluffy, gray dust mop. But he doesn't seem interested anymore.

We have wild cottontails here and I don't know yet if they and domestic rabs would breed, but I'll ask the vet.
He has to get vaccinated too.
Saltflower, not the vet !

The vet should be Vaccinated, TOO!

Two Beans is a BUNKY today! Half bunny, half skunk,LITERALLY! At this time of year male rabbits secrete a mild but definitely skunk odor, I guess to attract mates. He is noticeably more out-going and aggressive. I was feeding him today and he leaped out of his cage and ran up between my feet and then stretched up with his front legs clawing at my knee for food as I filled his food bowl. As soon as he saw it was filled, he leaped back into his cage. He has been thumping at me loudly all day since for some reason. He has food, water, chocolate, and has been getting his favorite head and face massages. Time to get out the dust mop again I guess.

Thorny, you should see Saltflower now-he's gained weight from the good foods, and is calm and really showing some cute behavior.
One thing really cracks me up-when I've hosed off the patio she or he walks tiptoe across the wet places.
I didn't know rabs don't like wet feet. Talk about cute !
He likes a piece of apple and a leaf of romaine and a baby carrot, but all of these are in moderation.
His primary diet is timothy hay and the Kaytee pellets with dehydrated veggies.
I think I may have been wrong about his/her sex-she sure looks like a girl now that she's gained weight.
I'll ask the vet.

Erm......look in the erm groin area. Two erm "growths: 2-3 inches 1/2 inch wide. Can't miss 'em.

Rabbits LOVE to play and are HILARIOUS when they do so. Two Bean's favorite toys right now are wadded up balls of newspaper 6-10 inches in diameter. I fill his cage up with them and he pushes them around, hides from me under them. flattens tehm out and runs around holding the flattened paper over his head like an umbrella, and then he shreds them into strips and makes a bed out of them. when his cage needs to be cleaned, (about every 3 days), he thumps LOUDLY (WHAM!!!) with his back legs over and over again to tell me.

A BIG, WET (not really), BUNNY KISS

That's a cute picture!!!

Two Beans and I take great pictures. He is one of my favorite subjects....and he really DOES come up in my face when he's out of his cage and ram his nose against my nose and tickle me with his whiskers. Rabbits Don't Smile with their face like a cat or dog, but smile with their whole BODY. Their joy and laughter is expressed in body language and behavior. They really love life.

She won't let me pick her up...
Gotta have the vet look at neutering time.
Of course, the vet would hafta know to do the right (ouch!) procedure.
I got her a big dog crate with a removable pan.
She can't go on sleeping under the ferns, we have coyotes. They can jump fences.
So I'm hoping she'll go in by herself, I put her dishes inside, and her licks and wooden carrot.
If she wants to eat, she'll have to go in, right?
At night I'll cover the crate with a thick old blanket, and she can run around all day in the backyard.
I hope I'm doing everything right?

Sounds like your doing Great! Two beans lives in our hallway outside the bedrooms. He's an indoor bunny. He hates going outside.

OK, she went in, and she's not frantic and not really upset, but she's standing up and trying to figure out how to get out.
The bowls of food lured her in, but she's not eating.
I hate to let her out before morning, it isn't safe.
Should I do tough love and make her get used to it, or let her out and do this nights in the crate thing gradually?
If I do that though, the risk is killing her with kindness.
OR, on the other hand, a rab's heart being so high strung, could she freak out and croak from being in the crate?

She won't freak out. Rabbits Love cages. I leave Two Bean's cage opened but he stays in it 90% of the time. Just close Saltflower up for the night and let her out in the morning. She WON'T have a heart attack. Try putting the blanket INSIDE the cage. she will dig and tug at it until she gets a nest that is EXACTLY to her liking. Two Beans is doing his newspaper umbrella thing right now running around and around his cage.

STAND IN THE PLACE THAT YOU ARE!



DOS AMIGOS!



And The Winner,, By a NOSE!

Well, this is upsetting-I went ahead and let her out. She didn't eat supper and wouldn't go back in the cage where of course, the bowls are.
She's under the ferns where she sleeps.
BUT I am hanging tough and the bowls will stay inside the crate until she finally figures out that the crate is a good place and that's also where her food is.
The crate is really a dog crate about 3 feet long and wide and plenty of room for her to stand up, lie down, etc.
BUT it has a plastic tray in the bottom and she was chewing on it trying to get out. That's when I got scared and opened the door.
I don't have a blanket in it, I have the tray covered in timothy hay that she can eat and use as bedding. Wouldn't she **** and peep on a blanket?
I plan to put her in the garage at night and here's why-there are 2 wild rats in the backyard who would get in her crate for her food at night, and I know that rabs are terrified of rats. In fact I already saw her squeal and run out from the ferns when one was in there. It was sad, and there's NO WAY I'm going to let rats terrify her all night.
What do you think I should do with just letting her tough it out all night crated in the garage?
I wish she'd accept a crate like Two Beans does, it would save me alot of worry and hassle.
BTW, even in the garage I would cover her crate with a blanket for warmth, but leave the gate part uncovered for air and a view.

I wonder why the word before "peep" came out as stars? It was only the same word but with "o's" where the "e's" are in "peep".

If she is comfortable under the ferns let her stay there. Believe me rabbits are able to take care of themselves. Two Beans has sent me to the ER for stitches on three occasions.......and he LOVES me. When Bunnies and their predators come in contact.,...... the results are ALWAYS tragic.

it's best to just let sleeping buns lie. Leave the cage door open and if she goes in, just close the door and fasten it.

LET SLEEPIN' BUNS LIE

But she didn't sleep, didn't stop trying to get out. It was sad.
I had an idea after I posted-I'll do the crate thing BUT I'll open the little door when I lock up the garage in the evening. There's nothing in the garage to hurt her, no plant food boxes or poisons to nibble at and she'll have the covered crate as an option. Plus she will know in time that that's where her bowls are.
It's important that she goes in to eat so I can shut the door and get the crate in the garage before dark.
The ferns are being dug out to bare ground Tuesday, the owner of the house is planting gardenias there. That's why I had to get the crate idea going-she's losing her safe, thick, warm, dry forest of ferns.
And ferns or no ferns, there was an owl in the yard tonight !!!!!!!!!!!

Ooooh! What kind of owl?

Owls eat rats, but NOT rabbits. That owl is yor friend. I have a Barred Owl that perches on my roof every night.

Who~whooooooooo? Who~whooooooooooo??

Awwwww....what a cutie!!!

I don't know what kind of owl, but it was big.
But wouldn't the owl try to get her?
I hope it gets the two gross rats though.
That picture of Two Beans asleep could win an award-now that is one cute picture !!!

Barred Owls say, "Hoo-hoo-hoo-hooo, hoo-hoo-hoo-hooo-AHHHH! (I-cook-for-me, Who-cooks-for-You-all?)

Verrrrry funny !
Thorny, I took Pepper in for her check-up today, and asked the vet all of my questions about rabbit care.
Talk about good news-I won't need to neuter, and vaccinations for rabbits don't exist ! Rabbits see vets for antibiotics if needed for upper respiratory illnesses and for teeth trimming if needed.
What a relief-and you were right about neutering not being necessary for a solitary rabbit. Though the wild desert cottontail lives in the yard, chances of a domestic rabbit and a wild one breeding are possible but not likely. (According to the vet).
Also, I'm right and Saltflower is a girl ! I thought she probably is from your description-and while I was, er, mistaken in my findings, I'm glad to know.
A good day !

That is great. When I told Two Beans he said, "I am SOOO relieved......WAIT!!! , ERRRRM.......AHHHH ."

As I went by his cage last night he rared up against the bars, clawing at them, flicking his little pink tongue at me. "Uh,oh!", I said, "Somebody's HUNGRY!" I opened the top hatch of his catch and he Immediately flattened out on the floor, in his typical, Don't-Hurt-Me-I'll-Be-Good, pose that he does whenever I open the top hatch of his cage. I fished his food bowl out of the newspaper-ball nest he makes before he could lunge at me and bite me, (sending me to the ER once again for stitches), for messing up his decorating scheme. As I was filling his bowl I saw movement. He had LAUNCHED himself out of the top of the cage and was sailing through the air towards me. He landed in the trash can next to me five feet away from the cage in a SINGLE jump and then rared up with his paws and chin resting on the edge of the can and watched me to make sure I was getting ENOUGH food in his bowl. I put his bowl in his cage and then fished HIM out of the garbage and pucked the wildy struggling (Starving) bunny in the cage with his true love.

Why does he bite?

He bites cause I rustle and move the papers in his cage. I think, he thinks it is a predator of some kind sneaking up on him, or else he is VERY particular about EVERYTHING in the cage being just where he puts it. Rabbits are NOT the meek, weak, timid creatures they are portrayed to be. They have curved, razor-like claws that can cut to the bone and their teeth are worse. But if you are gentle and loving and kind to your bunny he will never deliberately hurt you. They claw and bite ONLY if they think they are in danger.

Two Beans is NOT my first rabbit I've ever had. I owned dozens before I was married and he is the third I've had since I've been married. My first rabbit (named Rabbit) and Two Bean Bags are the BEST rabbits I've ever had. They were both males. Rabbit was a Belgian Hare, a very large, Brown Domestic Rabbit. My son, daughter-in-law, their 5 year-old-son and 5-month-old daughter live in our house with us. We bought Two Beans for our grandson. My grandson and I are the ones who take care of Two Beans and spend all the time with him. We are the three buddies.

Sounds like a happy houseful !
Today the gardener is removing the bed of ferns, so tonight's Saltflower's first night in the garage.
I'll leave the crate door open though.
She is really getting tame and comes close, but isn't affectionate yet.
If I pet her ears she doesn't run but she jumps and moves a few hops away from my hands.
The gardener thought I'd adopted the neighborhood stray rabbit to fatten up. I almost cried when I saw that that was what he immediately assumed.

"How DARE he think such a thing!", Thorn says as he rubs butter and spices over Two Bean Bag's FAT, JUICY, Body!

YOU ARE NOT !!!!!

hehehehehe

Thorny, this morning she climbed a small tree. It was hilarious. Then sat in the branches awhile.
I didn't know they can do that.
Then she dragged her food bowl with her teeth across the patio.
She's never done these cute things before-I thought maybe she's calming down, knowing she's home, and is being her real self.
She is really cute. Really showing a cute personality. I've never had a rabbit and didn't know what they're like. I always assumed that they just sat around nibbling grass.

Rabbits have AMAZING personalities. They are VERY playful and mishievous, but always pull their pranks very straight-faced, like, "I didn't do nuttin'!" The way rabbits laugh is to jump up in the air while wiggling, squirming, and shaking their whole HEAD AND BODY. When a rabbit does that, it is LAUGHING. Two Beans laughs at me all the time. Today he has been sticking out his pink tongue and wiggling it at me. That means that a rabbit is asking you for something to eat and/or drink or begging for a snack. They LOVE sugar. Two Bean's favorite treats are Frosted Mini-Wheats, Gummi candies, or Dark Chocolate.

Rabbits also love to push or drag things around. Give Saltflower some paper to shred they LOVE to rip up paper and cloth. Climbing a tree is a new one on me but sounds EXACTLY like the sort of mischief they like to get into. Two Beans makes love to our dustmop (Literally! It is hilarious but embarrasing). I often say that soon we will hear the pitter-patter of little dust-bunny feet under the bed.

Can I "hop" in here with a question? I've heard that people let bunnies roam around like other pets inside their home, but how do you litter train them?
Just curious.

They litter train themselves. They fins an area they like to use and they ALWAYS go to it. Two Bean Bags likes the back right corner of his cage. He prefers to stay in his cage 90% of the time but comes out an plays whenevern the mood hits him. It is best to keep power cords up where bunnies can't rach them cuz they like to chew everything. But otherwise they are a delight to have running around the house.

Planning on getting a bunny this Easter? I Highly recommend it. It costs about $20.00 a year to feed them and they are hilarious to interact with. I changed Two Bean's cage today and right now he is running around inside it happily tearing the newspaper bedding to bits. He ran up to the cage as I walked by and I reached in so he could "Chin" me. It is a rabbit's way of showing extreme affectation and love for something. (they rub their Mouth, cheeks and chin all over your hand.)

Thorny, how I wish Saltflower would like her crate.
Had a horrible day today-she found a small opening in the fence I hadn't seen, and it was a long and nervewracking morning getting her home safely.
Now she's on the hillside behind the house, clearly visible, and I can't get her into her crate. I even tried a fishnet butterfly catcher thing, and she just takes off running as soon as she sees it.
I guess the only solution will be buying a dog run and putting her food in it, and when she's in there, shutting the gate.
If I get the kind with a door, she could go directly from the run into her crate for the night in the garage.
I feel like I'm aging rapidly trying to keep this rabbit safe.
Sheesh !!!!!!

We've thought about getting one. Hubby is allergic to cats, so I'm not so sure a bunny would be any better.

My daddy raised "show" bunnies when I was little. I have fond memories of feeding them when I was little and peeking VERY carefully in at the little nekkid baby bunnies!

He still has lots of trophies from his shows. I remember there were some that would let me hold them and then others that were always skittish. Of course, if they didn't turn out to be a "winner" then they were dinner.

Thorny has eaten rqabbits before, but likes them as pets only right now. Two Beans is especially affectionate and funny and is a great buddy.

Thorny, does Two Beans let you pick him up, or does he squeal?
You were right about how Saltflower would initiate the friendship-she is becoming as affectionate as a cat or dog AND now comes running when I call her name !

Two Beans lets me pick him up all the time. He has NEVER squealed. Some times he struggles and kicks wildly if he thinks I will let him fall. But if I go slowly and reassure him he doesn't mind me picking him up at all and many times seems to enjoy it.

Today Saltflower came up to my feet, and touched her nose to my toes twice.
I took that as a sign of growing trust and contentment.
I sure hope she lets me pet her soon. She sure is cute.

When she comes to you Deborah,
do you ever have any food in your hand?
Like some shredded carrots or shredded pears?
Something with a strong food oder....

She will not only smell the carrots, pears, apples, which ever you choose....
*cause they're shredded*
but she will then associate you with food!!!

Yes, I hand her foods every day, and I make sure to talk calmly while I do.
She comes when I call.
I never knew rabbits have so much personality.
I'm really enjoying this new friendship.

She touched your toes with her nose. That's part of, "Chinning", Deborah. She is marking you as someone she likes. Two Beans chins me several times a day.

Scratch her eyebrow ridges and the top of her nose as well as her ears. These are the spots Rabbits LOVE to be touched on. Avoid touching her mouth they don't like that although they like to rub you with their mouths but THEY not YOU have to do the mouth to skin contact.

She's OK when she comes to me, near my feet, and when I bend over to hand her food.
BUT the moment my hands come near, even from behind, she hops away a foot or two.
It's as though she senses my hands being too close for her comfort.
That's why I'm having a hard time getting her into her crate for the night.
She's still sleeping under a tree. It sure is worrying and frustrating.

Don't worry about it. Let her do what she is comfortable doing and eventually you may be able to get her to accept your accomodations. Two Beans and I took a nap together today. He snuggled up between my arm and my ribcage as I lay on the bed and we fell asleep together in that positon. It was WONDERFUL!

Thorny, I got her ! She's safe !
She went into her crate for her bowls, but stayed in-I walked quietly over and shut the gate and latched it.
Then I went back and bought back the pet enclosure, set it up for tomorrow, and from now on she'll live in safety. What a relief !
She's in her crate in the garage and the crate covered with a blanket except for the front for air and a view.
I'll set the crate in the "yardlet" each morning and let her out.
Sheesh, what a long road that was, huh?
BTW, the yardlet is 4 feet high-how high can a rab jump and should I cover it? I thought plywood for shade?

Four feet should be OK and plywood would be good, too.

I had an easier idea-I'll buy one of those bamboo screens that hangs from hooks on a patio.
That will fit, provide shade and will "breathe" so that no heat is trapped. I'll just drape it over the edges of the top of the enclosure.
I'll be at Home Depot early in the morning and will get it all set up so that she can get out of the crate early.

Got it ! Unrolled it-the size is perfect and it all looks nice too.
OK ! Now I can sleep !

YAAAAY!!!! Good Idea!

Thanks ! I'm glad to have it all done at last.
I watched the sun and saw that I need to hang a sheet on one side for shade. So that's done too.
And because the enclosure is on the patio, I put a chaise lounge cushion in for a soft place to sit, lie down, and groom. I call it her sofa, for fun.
Thank you for all of your expert tips and suggestions !