Bunny leg help ASAP!

[RodentCuddles]

@RodentCuddles , I can't speak for the situation in New Zealand, but having your cat outside in the United States definitely shortens its lifespan, and has a detrimental effect on native wildlife as well.

Yea, In NZ the only predator that could harm cats are dogs or people. It does have a negative effect on native wildlife here as well but I think the government said something about you are not allowed to have a cat if you are living near a big part of native wildlife but I'm not too sure about it yet.

[PigPandemonium]

Ok, so here is a very complicated update.

So before I said I was going to release the bunny, and I had full intentions to, however things took a different turn. I had cleaned out his cage quickly. and added towels since before it was some carefresh, so I couldn't see if he was going to the bathroom well and all that, to my surprise, I noticed him limping. I quickly looked up his symptoms and such, and it turns out he must have gotten nerve damage when the cat picked him up. So I've now decided, after talking to some people who know a lot about rabbits, to keep him. I'll also be calling the vet up today to see if they will take him in for the leg, and also maybe some advise. Hope I'm making the right informed decision!

[emeraldamykate]

I think it's great you're trying to help an injured rabbit, but how is keeping a wild rabbit in captivity as a pet beneficial at all for the rabbit? I really do think it's great that you're wanting to help, but I don't think keeping a wild rabbit from his natural environment is going to help him..This is just my opinion, sorry if it comes off a bit mean, because that's not my intention at all, I just think keeping him may do more harm than good. :s

[PigPandemonium]

Well, from what I've looked up, if it is really nerve damage, which it very likely is, it will most likely just have to be amputated, therefore he wouldn't be able to be released into the wild, so he either has to have his life ended, or he can live out a long happy life as a pet, which he already has gotten used to in this short while, even though I haven't been trying to get him used to it.

[cross]

[QUOTE=PigPandemonium;649899]Well, from what I've looked up, if it is really nerve damage, which it very likely is, it will most likely just have to be amputated, therefore he wouldn't be able to be released into the wild, so he either has to have his life ended, or he can live out a long happy life as a pet, which he already has gotten used to in this short while, even though I haven't been trying to get him used to it.[/QUOTE
hopefully not good luck and keep up the good work

[Wildcavy]

What does the vet advise? Is it legal in your area to keep a wild animal as a pet?

[PigPandemonium]

So far, she seems to think I'm making the right decision, however I'll be calling her today or tomorrow to make an appointment to have her check out the leg and get some advise as to what to do next and such. No it's not, however in my mind, there is a big difference between just taking a wild animal from outside and keeping it because it seems fun, and giving a bunny a wonderful long life that would otherwise be put down.

[PigPandemonium]

Thought I would let you all know, Pikachu's leg got better, so he will be released in the morning. Would anyone be interested in watching a little vlog type thing of his release? If so I will make one.

[RodentCuddles]

I would love to see one!

[MrWhistles]

Have you tried putting a bell on your cat's collar? That way all the other animals can hear him/her, then everyone's safe and happy.

My cats are quite good at finding ways to take any collars off, we have to buy a few of the ones with bells for them just about every week, however we are keeping them inside at the moment, though that won't help the wildlife a bunch around here, seeing as the lady a house away for us has about 200 or so wild cats that she lets breed. :/

Agreed
My cat is kept indoors/has a collar with a bell. She can walk so quietly and the bell won't make a sound. Her ID/rabies tag is on that collar as well.

Please do get your cat evaluated and keep him or her indoors. The outdoors is way too dangerous. I'd rather clean more than risk my animal's life.
I did not read everything. But I jumped to the last page/read the last update. I assume from reading that the bunny will be released tomorrow morning that he is a wild bunny. Thank you for getting him the help he needed/getting him back home

[PigPandemonium]

Yes my cats have been kept inside for a while now.

[Paula]

Frankly, I have a hard time believing a vet, even if she is also your friend, would encourage you to keep what is truly a wild animal and not turn it over to a wildlife rehabilitator. The notion of keeping the poor thing to live a "long, happy life as a pet" is somewhat comical, because a truly wild animal cannot be tamed or domesticated and would live its life in fear and confusion as your "pet." Yes, I think euthanasia would have been more humane than the option of keeping it if we're talking about a truly wild rabbit.

If it is a wild rabbit, you've done it a tremendous disservice by keeping it getting it acquainted and somewhat comfortable with humans. In your attempt to help you have probably complicated the matter far more than is humane.

If nothing else, I hope you'll take this as a lesson to actually keep your cats indoors and deal with whatever difficulties might come along with doing so rather than endangering the local wildlife around your home. (Yeah, I know it's tough, I have a cat that pees on stuff too.) The absolute last thing you want to do is be in another situation to "help" a wild animal your cat has maimed.

[PigPandemonium]

I have never been trying to get him used to me, I always know he was a wild bunny, and would always be so. I was only giving him a place to live, not keeping him as a pet. He had a good life, food, water, a place to sleep and hide, and was never in any pain, so I saw no reason to end his life. Though above I've mentioned that he will be released in the morning since his leg has healed. I never intended to keep him as a "pet", only keep him alive and give him the tools to have a good life in his room in my house.

[MrWhistles]

I have never been trying to get him used to me, I always know he was a wild bunny, and would always be so. I was only giving him a place to live, not keeping him as a pet. He had a good life, food, water, a place to sleep and hide, and was never in any pain, so I saw no reason to end his life. Though above I've mentioned that he will be released in the morning since his leg has healed. I never intended to keep him as a "pet", only keep him alive and give him the tools to have a good life in his room in my house.

wait. You are being very confusing.
You are saying you're releasing him. but you are also saying you are going to "keep him alive and give him 'the tools to have a good life' in his room"

[Paula]

I have never been trying to get him used to me, I always know he was a wild bunny, and would always be so. I was only giving him a place to live, not keeping him as a pet.

Actually doesn't seem to be the case when you decided he had nerve damage and that the best thing for him would be to keep him, as a pet:

...so he either has to have his life ended, or he can live out a long happy life as a pet...

Though above I've mentioned that he will be released in the morning since his leg has healed. I never intended to keep him as a "pet", only keep him alive and give him the tools to have a good life in his room in my house.

That's also what you said a couple weeks ago:

As I mentioned above, I will be releasing him in the morning. I've tried to limit contact as much as humanly possible, only taking him out briefly when he needed the wound cleaned, or his Baytril.

For this rabbit's sake, I hope you'll actually be releasing him instead of finding another reason to keep him and/or not hand him off to a qualified wildlife rehab group.

Let me be clear, that I have no doubt that your intentions have always been good; however, you were asked multiple times to give this bunny to a rehabber or release him and cautioned that you were putting him in more danger by allowing him to become comfortable with humans. Folks went into exhausting explanations as to why this would be the better route than doing it yourself. You opted to do it yourself anyway and it's possible you've done as much harm as good in doing so. There is generally a reason that it's illegal to keep wild animals as pets.

Please, please, please. Actually release him this time. And keep your cats inside.

[amiamiami]

bring him to the vet , maybe put on that vet wrap on him.

[PigPandemonium]

He was released a while ago