Catching Feral Rabbits

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Shara

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I may be moving back to my hometown at some point...little dinky town of 250 people...

about six years ago, there was a car accident that tore my family up, my mom was in the ICU, all us kids were shipped out to different family members, and the animals were split. No one was able to take the rabbits (minirex mixed with some red pet store rabbit, really pretty babies), so my mom sent someone to go butcher them. Well, a neighbor of ours caught wind of the "autrocity" that was going on, so he went over there and set the rabbits "free". :?

Anyways, they have set up a pretty good feral population there, and were even in the Oregonian paper at one point a few years ago, have successfully navigated all of the pitfalls, and are still going strong. I was kind of playing around with the idea of catching a few and seeing if they were good, but small "meat type" rabbits after all this time, maybe breeding some and see how it goes.

I think, though, that it may be a hard go for them, seeing as for the last six years these have been free rabbits, so have not been in confinement for a number of generations, and so inbred (they all come from one doe and one buck originally) but I was thinking it might be interesting to breed a buck to a meat doe, maybe breed one of those offsring back to an original rabbit...I don't know, it is probably a bad idea, but I was wondering, what do you guys think? How would a rabbit like that do in a cage setup? is it even a good idea at all?

For sure, IF I move up there, I would like to cull out as many as possible (discreetly). I don't think it's real good to be introducing feral populations like that, but thought it might be interesting to see what we'd get. I do enjoy that kind of play.

Input?
 
They'd for sure have bred out any weaklings by now :) You'd probably have some very hardy "I can take anything" stock. Rabbits seem to adapt to things quite quickly, but you'd have your hands full the first bit.

Are you going to try using live traps? or perhaps a pen with one of those one direction entrance tubes and bait it with fruit or something?

I'd be interested in hearing how it goes for you!
 
So sorry about all your family went through at that time. :(

If you decide to do this, I would suggest using young stock rather than rabbits with adult experience of being free. Be prepared to treat them for minor ills such as internal parasites, ear and fur mites etc. And please, make sure to keep them away from your other rabbits for a few months at least.
 
Really good point on the parasites...I am embarressed to say I hadn't thought of that! :oops:

I am thinking maybe of using live traps and catching rabbits, putting them in a LARGE colony/type pen, with tons of hide-outs and stuff, and about three months later going to collect babies? Maybe using live traps for the little ones. Keeping the babies separate (in "quarenteen") Until they are adults, and treating them for parasites.

Something else I thought of that I hadn't until now, These rabbits don't have much in the way of food all the time, maybe they could end up being a variety of rabbit that is hardier in that respect, too. I can't imagine feeding a rabbit nothing but dead grass, and I am certain they are eating more than that, but it might be cool to pick out the biggest of whatever I trap for the big pen, So I can get babies. If I do move up there, I will definately post everything I do!

Lol, maybe I'll end up with my very own breed!I could call them "Ukiah's" After the dinky town.

"Have you heard of that new breed? Ukiah, I think they are called?"
"Yeah, I guess they were from a feral colony, supposed to be EXCELLET on feed to meat ratio"
"I am thinking about getting a couple, see how they do"
"You know, they even have a rex gene in there, so you could get nice pelts, too."

Lol. I don't know....
 
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