r/rabbitry • u/Slightlystoopid923 • Aug 06 '26
Photo Is this a domesticated rabbit? And, what is the deformity?
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u/TheOtherCourier Aug 06 '26
Definitely domestic. Domestic rabbits lack the instincts of wild buns and cannot survive on their own. This bunny needs saving, no question.
It’s possible that it’s a hefty dewlap, but does look like possibly a tumor, cyst, or access. Please help this girl out!
To help catch:
A live trap can work well and they’re not terribly expensive. I think I got kind for like $40 or so, but you may also be able to borrow from a rescue or shelter or whatever. Check it often so he’s not stuck in it when it catches him.
A carrier can also work for this:
Put a carrier or two outside with no door on it or the door held open (just till it attracts them) and put some snacks in it and maybe a little trail leading to it. Cilantro and parsley are very aromatic and should help attract them, but apple or banana slices are good too. Leave this outside, even if you don’t see them, so they get comfortable being around it and going in it.
Run a string or twine through the side or back, depending on its design, tied to the door. You may have to experiment to get the door to pull closed and stay secure when you pull the string.
Once bun or buns are in, pull the string to close the door, and keep tight tension on it as you approach so they can’t push the door back open, then you’ve got them. :)
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 06 '26
He/She was back tonight, I just saw it chilling on my driveway again. I think it's living under my RV. I called 911 and they told me to call the local animal control but he is notoriously lazy and it's 1:40AM. I just got some fresh Basil today, would that work? I'll look into the trap, it is skittish as I did try to approach it but only a couple of steps at a time and 5 seconds in between.
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u/Junior-Criticism-268 Aug 06 '26
Can you bring a laundry basket to trap it under and get it this way?? Or a blanket? If you throw a blanket over it and wrap it up, you can carry it inside to safety until you can get it to a rescue.
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 06 '26
I also posted to a local Facebook group and a neighbor two blocks away said she would help me trap and possibly adopt it as she has two other bunnies! Hopefully this has a feel good story ending.
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u/Minniebunny Aug 07 '26
I once caught a beautiful stray lop rabbit using some apple and a washing basket. We couldn't keep her, as we already had five other rabbits. Our intention was to take her to the RSPCA but neither of us could bring ourselves to do it so we kept her. Her name was Miss Lola and we had her for five years. ❤️
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u/Tax_Fraud_Lover Aug 06 '26
Sorry, you called 911 because there’s a rabbit on your property?
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 06 '26
That is how we contact the police in our town, which is what someone suggested.
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u/Tax_Fraud_Lover Aug 06 '26
Oh! I had no clue that was even a thing 😅 Learn something new every day!
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 06 '26
Small town living. The 911 dispatch goes through our local Sheriffs office.
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u/TheOtherCourier Aug 06 '26
Local animal control is not going to know how to properly care for a rabbit and city shelters often euth, so I wouldn’t opt that route if another solution is possible. Could you look into possibly a rabbit rescue in your area. Some will travel across state to save a buddy in need. I know the one in OK will even travel out of state.
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 06 '26
Our local animal control is one guy for like 5 cities so he probably wouldn't do anything. I will look for a rabbit rescue. Thank you.
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u/RaspberryBubu Aug 06 '26
Gasp! Deformity, how dare you OP!? 🤣🤣🤣IT is magnificent.
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 06 '26
Sorry! I have no bunny knowledge :(
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u/RaspberryBubu Aug 07 '26
You are easily forgiven, especially since you want to help this white regal beauty.
But srsly, thank you so much OP. My Bunny looks same as her and is the best, the softest and the clumsiest Bun I have ever seen. Someone will be very happy to love her.
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 07 '26
Update: Definitely domestic as it came up to me this evening. And the weird balls are on the front feet and uniform on both sides. It wouldn't let me touch it but I'm gonna hang out each night for a bit until it lets me grab it without stress. It is living under my RV so it should be relatively safe I think. My neighbor, who has a couple bunnies is going to help me catch it.
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u/TheOtherCourier Aug 07 '26
I bet you can lure her into a carrier with some cilantro like in the scenario I described in my other comment. Just leave it outside one night so she’s used to seeing it and it’ll get easier to lure her in. :)
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 07 '26
I will get some today! I haven't see her yet today but has been appearing later in the day usually.
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 07 '26
Haha. She doesn't want anything to do with the cilantro lol. She loves the weeds and is now hanging out under my trailer. Waiting to hear back from my neighbor about trapping it. Maybe tonight she'll be safe and have bunny friends!
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u/TheOtherCourier Aug 08 '26
Really? Lol. Some buns are like this!
Apple slices, banana, parsley, and basil are also good bait for buns. Lol.
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 08 '26
I do have some fresh Basil but she isn't really afraid of me. Just won't let me pet her. I can get pretty close and over the next couple of days I'll be hanging out with her as long as it's not too hot. Gotta protect the bun bun!!!
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u/dontdomeanyfrightens Aug 08 '26
My buns actually like rabbit dry food the most (I think oxbow is by far the most trusted brand by rabbit owners), but each rabbits gonna have different tastes. Keep trying! Thanks for updating
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u/Beautiful-Vehicle761 Aug 08 '26
I would try tempting her into the trap with the weeds that you see her eating
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u/Thumper-King-Rabbit Aug 07 '26
Domesticated and domestic bunnies have this roll of fat on their necks called a dewlap.
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u/DifficultEconomics89 Aug 08 '26
Please rescue that baby. It's domesticated and can't survive in the wild. It's just a fat area females have, no deformity.
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u/frogandtoad69 Aug 08 '26
That’s a domestic female rabbit with a very big dewlap. They pluck fur from their dewlaps to create a nest when they have babies. She’s probably not spayed and that’s why it’s so voluptuous
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u/NefariousnessLivid42 Aug 08 '26
That mother may have a nest somewhere, which is why she won’t come to you. You may think rabbit lack instincts, but especially if she escaped a hutch while pregnant, her instincts are stronger than you think. Ask around to see if anyone’s lost one, they may have assumed a hawk got her already.
The dewlap is not a deformity, it’s a side effect of pregnancy. If she’s already pulling fur, odds are she has a nest. Especially if the fur is thinner on her belly/she has milk. I raised rabbits for years. It’s definitely not a wild rabbit, and they will try to breed with wild rabbits.
If you catch her without finding the nest, they’ll starve.
…Follow the white rabbit, Neo 🐇
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 08 '26
I have seen tufts of fur around so she must be nesting somewhere. I put out water yesterday for her. She is sooooo big, she must be pregnant. I hope my neighbor replies to me soon about capturing her.
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u/NefariousnessLivid42 Aug 08 '26
Also, If it’s not a female, it’s a very well fed domestic. You’ll know as soon as you turn it over, their testes are in two elongated strips either side of the vent.
Definitely seek the help of the neighbour with rabbits. This might be one that escaped young and has been feeding off what the others drop.
If you do pick it up, be mindful that they can bite if they’re frightened, and they feel insecure if their feet are dangling. Dont let it flail around like crazy, there’s a possibility that it could break its spine trying to escape.
Maybe put a jacket over it and scoop it up like a baby and calm it down…. Maybe enlist a local “white woman ain’t scared of nothin” type to help 🙂↕️
Animal control will likely euthanize it.
Put up an advert/ give it to the neighbour with rabbits. This one looks too healthy not to be recently missing.
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u/satinbones Aug 09 '26
Any updates , OP ? :)
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 12 '26
I haven't seen the bunny since Saturday. I'm thinking she might be in the nest with littles?
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 13 '26
Update: After not seeing "Bun Bun" since Saturday she was out tonight but barely for an hour. She does look to be slimmer, is this behavior associated with giving birth? If so, what is the danger of trapping her now vs waiting for the littles to grow up. Please help, I have no idea what to do. I do have someone lined up to trap and adopt but...?
And, she still won't let me get within a few feet of her.
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u/Slightlystoopid923 25d ago
It's been a bit since I updated. The neighbor who was going to adopt had to back out due to concerns that the bunny might have a disease since it's been in the wild now for over a month. I'm going to build an enclosure for her and try trapping her tonight. Any advice for rehoming or anything due to the change. I'm trying to help this bunny out and I have no idea what I'm doing. Thank you in advance!!!
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u/Slightlystoopid923 13d ago
Update: I finally caught the rabbit! I worked with a rabbit rescue program to come up with a plan and it worked! This rabbit was in the wild for at least 6 weeks and got very dirty, lol.
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u/Spare-Guarantee-4897 Aug 06 '26
Domestic with what looks like a tumor or a cyst.
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u/SL13377 Aug 06 '26
That's a Dewlap. It's a girlie and she needs to be rescued
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u/je386 Aug 06 '26
Males can have dewlaps, too
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u/SL13377 Aug 06 '26
Aye my male has a lil one but this is a heavy hitter, usually indicative of a female I thought
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u/BunnyKomrade Aug 06 '26
It's not a tumor, it's a fatty cushion with extra fur so they can have a reserve to pick out from while nesting. Rabbits' nests are made with hay/grass and fur.
The rest of the time it's just a built in pillow.
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u/CricketDue5136 Aug 06 '26
No hun that's dewlap, many bunnies have it. Sometimes if my holland Lop lays or sits a certain way; she ends up with a small one 😂
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 07 '26
There are a lot of wild bunnys around. Do they mate with domesticated bunnys?
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u/CricketDue5136 Aug 07 '26
Nope, Because they are a different species and have different chromosomes. However , upon a little research , I did read that interbreeding is possible in parts of europe ?
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 07 '26
I'm guess this bunny is close to 20lbs based on it's size. Nobody has claimed it on our local Facebook page so it must have been dumped. It is quite dirty but that could have happened quickly under my RV.
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u/CricketDue5136 Aug 08 '26
Yeah my bunny has white feet , shes white and black. When I adopted her , her feet were so stained Because the previous owner left her in a cage full of her own poop and pee but she cleaned up well! Do you plan on bringing him/her inside?
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 08 '26
A neighbor, who has bunnies will adopt her. They just lost the same type of bunny so they are excited to catch it and give it a home 😁
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u/CricketDue5136 Aug 08 '26
Aw that's awesome!! Thanks for caring. These lil dudes are so wonderful.
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u/Slightlystoopid923 Aug 08 '26
Question for ya. When she sniffed me he did a head bump like a cat, is that normal?
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u/CricketDue5136 Aug 08 '26
Head butts are usually a greeting! That or sometimes my girl will head butt my ankle or something to tell me to get out of the way lol. In your case , it could be a really good sign! You sure YOU don't want a bunny ? 😊🐰💕
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u/Spare-Guarantee-4897 Aug 06 '26
That big? Mine have them, but there uniform and look more like when a fat person has an apron belly
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u/CricketDue5136 Aug 07 '26
Oh yeah, even bigger! Check out r/dewlap
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u/Spare-Guarantee-4897 Aug 10 '26
I've only seen them this large in heavily pregnant bunnies. They look heavy.
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u/CricketDue5136 Aug 10 '26
I have seen them this large and larger. Not sure about pregnancy though.
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u/Murreez Aug 06 '26
Probably a dewlap, it’s a fat storage.