# Possible to catch an escaped bunny? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 18, 2011, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073 "2011-10-18T21:57:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/1 "2011-10-18T21:57:35Z")
This is the kind of thing I find myself involved in. :dubious: In the neighborhood where I deliver papers, there has been a sign up for about 10 days: Missing Bunny! She is brown and 20 cm long. Her name is Sweetie. Please call if you see her. Sunday morning, 7 a m, I’m making great time on the papers, going to get done early even!, and I wheel around a little cul de sac, and lo–Sweetie the bunny is sitting right in front of me. I bailed out of the car and spent 30 minutes on a merry chase. Then I called the number on the flyer several times. Then I finished the route, came back, and spent another 30 fruitless minutes chasing this freaking bunny. I called the number again later, and guess what? They’ve shut off their phone and aren’t returning my call. I cross my fingers that they’ve caught their bunny instead of just going out and replacing it with a new one. But…today, same cul de sac, there she is, poor booger. I called a Wildlife Guy who said he would try to net her but doesn’t think a live trap will work (too much available food). I want to catch her before the weather does her in. Any ideas? ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/2 "2011-10-18T22:08:50Z")
You won’t be able to catch her by chasing her. Bunnies are very good at running, since that’s their primary defense against predators. And to a simple bunny mind, a predator is anything that’s chasing them. It can also be dangerous for the bunny. If you’re running for your life from an embleer fox, it makes sense to really go all-out. Which means that sometimes rabbits have heart attacks from it. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/3 "2011-10-18T22:11:41Z")
On the other hand, a greyhound might be just the thing. Of course, it might lead to a different problem. ---
**Author:** ![miss\_elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@miss\_elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/miss_elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/4 "2011-10-18T22:36:57Z")
Oh, so sad! Here’s hoping someone with good advice shows up… ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/5 "2011-10-18T22:51:39Z")
You might want to look into the Acme Corporation and their excellent catalog of products. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 18, 2011, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/6 "2011-10-18T23:15:32Z")
[Link from the House Rabbit Society](http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/rescue.html). The suggestions are bring a big net, multiple humans, or humane trap (may be difficult), or make friends with the rabbit (get down low, bring delicious treats, talk softly and sweetly, have a friend with, be patient). Good luck. ☹ I have two much-beloved house-only rabbits, and domestic rabbits… do not tend to do well outside. Poor Sweetie is very lucky so far. ---
**Author:** ![Argent\_Towers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e8c25b/32.png) [@Argent\_Towers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Argent_Towers)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/7 "2011-10-19T00:17:39Z")
Are there outdoor cats in the neighborhood? If so, I think the bunny has probably gone back into the cycle of nature by now. ---
**Author:** ![papergirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/aca169/32.png) [@papergirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/papergirl)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/8 "2011-10-19T00:18:51Z")
Well, I wasn’t actually chasing so much as squatting/sweet-talking/creeping/reaching/begging/sighing/saying-“damn-bunny” and starting over again. She was willing to let me almost touch her, then she’d give a little snicker and bound about six feet away. If I had to catch rabbits for food, I’m pretty sure I’d starve to death. I’ll try to make plans to take a contingent of cohorts with me Thursday, if the Wildlife Guy doesn’t have any luck. Thanks for the link, I’ll check it out too. ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 1:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/9 "2011-10-19T01:51:54Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > You won’t be able to catch her by chasing her. Bunnies are very good at running, since that’s their primary defense against predators. And to a simple bunny mind, a predator is anything that’s chasing them. > > It can also be dangerous for the bunny. If you’re running for your life from an embleer fox, it makes sense to really go all-out. Which means that sometimes rabbits have heart attacks from it. > [@](#): > > All the world will be your enemy, Prince of a Thousand enemies. And when they catch you, they will kill you. But first they must catch you From Watership Down. ---
**Author:** ![Jinx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Jinx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jinx)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/10 "2011-10-19T02:04:56Z")
> [@JThunder](#): > > You might want to look into the Acme Corporation and their excellent catalog of products. We DEFINITELY NEED a “LIKE” button on the Straightdope! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SeaCanary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@SeaCanary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaCanary)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/11 "2011-10-19T02:27:47Z")
I sympathize with you. And the bunny. ☹ If you do actually catch her and try to pick her up, be sure to allow for the possibility that she will use her hind claws to rake any part of your body that gets within range. Wear gloves, preferably heavy leather gloves. Or maybe wrap a towel around her. On the other hand you might actually be able to make friends by feeding her and cooing to her to the point where she crawls in your lap. And, hey, what’s not to like about that? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/12 "2011-10-19T02:59:53Z")
My rabbits adore bananas and apples. I only give them a tiny bit as a treat, but when they smell those, they will follow on my heels and absolutely beg for some. Bananas especially have a distinct scent, and so may be a good lure to use. Carrots, as cliched as it sounds, are also a favorite of many rabbits. ---
**Author:** ![Ferret\_Herder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e47774/32.png) [@Ferret\_Herder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ferret_Herder)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/13 "2011-10-19T03:29:07Z")
Looks like you’re in Indiana from your profile; there’s a [House Rabbit Society of Indiana](http://www.indianahrs.org/) that might have more resources. HRS groups are experienced in finding resources for rescuing and rehabilitating domestic rabbits, so I’m sure they’ve dealt with stuff like this and may have more advice. ---
**Author:** ![SunSandSuffering](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@SunSandSuffering](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SunSandSuffering)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/14 "2011-10-19T13:54:25Z")
We “obtained” our pet bunny by exactly these means - stray running about in front garden, chased it for about an hour, by luck it ran into back garden via open door. Now trapped in back garden. Got laundry hamper [big plastic basket] got close and dropped / threw it over bunny. Used cardboard underneath just like a glass / card to trap a spider. Good luck! ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [October 19, 2011, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/possible-to-catch-an-escaped-bunny/600073/15 "2011-10-19T15:04:29Z")
It couldn’t hurt to invoke [Saint Melangell](http://www.st-melangell.org.uk/English/Church/stmelangellchurch.htm) (TL; DR version: patron saint of bunnies, having rescued one rather prominently).