There's a bunny on our patio -- Help, please!

[cassiesmom]

This is the patio outside our office at work. The husky (and his mom) are from the research department next door to us. He is a certified therapy dog and his mom brought him in to meet the kids and introduce the role of the therapy dogs on Bring Your Child To Work day.

Here's the problem. There's been a baby bunny on the patio for over a week. I have no idea how he got out there. Anyway, several people have seen him. I saw him nibbling on grass that has grown up between the patio tiles. One of my co-workers put out carrots for him yesterday, and today they're gone. We are worried about this little guy! Although he's safe from cars on the patio, we're trying to figure out how to keep him fed and (especially) clean water until we can get him safely off the patio and into the forest preserve. The plant and grounds department has a humane trap (those guys are softies so they will trap him and move him to the forest preserve if we ask them to. But they can't do it over the 3-day weekend. He's so adorable, I will try to get a picture of him. Should we give him water? Should I buy bunny kibble from the feed store? How do bunnies manage in the wild?

[Karen]

Bunnies manage fine in the wild. You don't need to leave him water, as they get most of the water they need from the plants they eat. Miss Hoppy rarely drank from her water bottle, as she was fed all on veggies and herbs, not pellets, so didn't need the extra water. If you want to supplement his diet, buy some flat parsley or dandelion greens or both - Miss Hoppy's favorites! I am glad he ate the carrots, but the tops are even better for him than the carrots themselves!

Bunnies in the wild do just fine. The pellets some people feed their bunnies are just a substitute for the vitamins and nutrition wild bunnies get from their naturally varied diet.

[cassiesmom]

I got this yesterday. Bunny is out on the patio for the weekend. On Tuesday we'll ask plant and grounds to try to relocate him. He's safe on the patio, but that's not a good place for him long-term. Plant and grounds will take him to the VA hospital campus next door, which is further back from the highway. We take a walk on the far side of the VA property sometimes, because it is green, quiet and peaceful over there. There are soooo many bunnies hopping around!

[Karen]

Awww, what a cutie! Is the patio enclosed? How do you think he got there?

[cassiesmom]

In the top picture you can see the railing around the patio. We thought he either fell through the fence or maybe was dropped by a hawk. He doesn't seem to be injured, although we haven't really seen him move. his hidey-spot seems to be the bush on the left in the second picture. He can keep cool under there. He can't go anywhere, but the biggest worry is that he can find enough to eat and drink. He's so little.

[chocolatepuppy]

Aww, cute little bunny! I hope you're able to catch him and relocate him.

[cassiesmom]

Bunny is still safe on the patio. He has a lot of watchers between my department and pastoral care. He spends most of the time in the shade (usually under the bush in the top right corner of #3) but he sometimes hops around in the late afternoon.

[Karen]

That makes sense, bunnies are crepuscular - that means they are most active in the early morning, and late afternoon, and sleep mid day and at night. Glad he's safe!

[cassiesmom]

That makes sense, bunnies are crepuscular - that means they are most active in the early morning, and late afternoon, and sleep mid day and at night. Glad he's safe!

Karen, he was being very crepuscular today, lil stinker. Plant and grounds has decided to try to relocate him back on the V.A. property, farther from the highway. He's got people from at least three different departments keeping an eye on him on the patio, though. Plant and grounds put a humane trap out on the patio, but it was 90 degrees out today and he hides under the ivy most of the day. They removed the trap before shift change, because they didn't want the bunny in the trap overnight. Sure enough-- about 30 minutes later, guess who was hopping around munching on the grass growing between the patio tiles. When I go home from work I often see a bunny or two hopping in the grass of the V.A. side of campus. Oh well, "our" bunny is safe from cars while he's out on the patio.

[Karen]

Hey, with those daytime temperatures, it makes sense to hide in the shade during the heat of the day! If it's gonna be super hot again tomorrow, you could throw a plastic bottle full of water in the freezer overnight, and leave it near where he likes to hide in the shade - it'll be cooler near it, and the condensation on the bottle make for nice, cool sips.

[lvpets2002]

Well how is our bunny today?? Hopes there is plenty of food & water out for this baby..

[cassiesmom]

One of the "softies" from plant and grounds has decided that since we don't know if our bunny was dropped or fell onto the patio, he won't be relocated to the V.A., but rather to a local wildlife sanctuary. Just to make sure he's not hurt, and to provide for his ongoing care if he is. He got a dish of water with a couple of ice cubes in it today, and some spinach There is a hawk hanging about on the roof of the hospital, so he'd like to do it soon -- before our bunny becomes the hawk's dinner. I didn't see our bunny today. although pastoral care did. I saw him twice yesterday so I know he's still out there. It's been hot out so I bet he's taking it easy in the shade.

[Karen]

Awww, thank that softie for us! And good luck on catching him, remember, early morning - dawn and dusk - are when he'll likely be hopping around!

[cassiesmom]

Our bunny got fresh water with a few ice cubes in it again today. He also got some cantaloupe and honeydew because he's so skinny. No plans to try to trap him today cos it's so hot out, wouldn't want him in the trap and then not have a way to take care of him. He was looking at his reflection in the tinted window over by pastoral care, how cute must that have been Lil stinker has been out there almost a month. I heard from a co-worker who heard from plant and grounds that the hawk is still on the roof. We're hoping our bunny will stay under the ivy as much as possible. There were two mourning doves visiting the patio yesterday, too-- they were chirping pretty loudly about something. But our bunny is charming people just by being out there.

[Karen]

Bunnies don't digest sugar well, so cold romaine or parsley is better than fruit in the future, okay? At least those are both very watery. Don't want to give him a tummy ache*. Carrots are considered fattening for bunnies, so throw some in the fridge and that ought to help!


*rabbit cannot vomit, so tummy aches can be serious for them!