AlaskaSue
North to the Future
A while back I came home from visiting my sister up north, and my brother had gotten me a ferret (he'd had a couple before). I had never been around ferrets and knew nothing. Now I have two (Winchester and Kimber) and they are living the best ferret life ever. So funny and fun for us all 
I guess he felt that was a success, so he told an old family friend that sure, we'd take some of her domestic breed, but living mostly feral, meat bunnies off her hands. I came home from the gym a couple weeks ago and SURPRISE! There were 10 bunnies of all colors and sizes sitting cozy in our half-burned barn *last year's fire didn't quite take it down*. We have a big wooded lot with trees, cliffs, open areas and lots of little sheds and places they can roam to their hearts' content. A lot of fresh hay was laid on the barn floor, there are a lot of areas there for them to hide in, with easy access. I go out 3 or 4 times a day (and night) to break the ice on their water and give them fresh and check on their feed. They come running as I walk out to the barn because I call them to come on. They mostly do except when I go out late at night. I always know the areas they frequent because we have so much snow (SO much snow) and they are making trails.
We got 4 more a few days later from her. Today he said we are getting yet more! Oh boy.
Long story short - this is all completely new to me. I grew up on a farm in Oklahoma and have dealt with a lot of farm animals (but wasn't in charge of them) and had many dogs and cats. But I'm looking for input from experiences of folks here. I'm reading and looking on line, etc. I like that they will run to me when I call them in, and if they get startled they'll listen when I tell them it's okay, to come back. I bring fresh carrot chunks and apples (well washed, no apple seeds), and a bit of fresh greens a couple times a day, regular feed and fresh water, fresh timothy to munch - and they are getting adjusted to me. We lost the ONLY one I'd named, a cute little friendly guy that wanted to sit in the feed dish and never had a problem with me gently lifting him out - he'd just come sit by my feet. Sad morning, he was chomped completely in two and I found his back half on the trail, poor lil guy. Most likely a big dog ran thru (that is quite rare at my place) and got him.
I used to put (domestic) rabbit on the table quite a lot, my boys grew up eating it, but that was the extent of my knowledge and experience until this! Mostly I want to keep them healthy and safe - I can deal with the work and I'll learn to dispatch them and safely handle the meat.
Thoughts, suggestions, aspersions...?
Thanks for taking time to read this, I don't like feeling so inadequate!
ETA: no mice or rats or things like ticks or fleas in my AO, so those aren't going to be an issue. This area's wildlife is mostly moose which I see frequently but I don't think they'll bother the rabbits ~~~
I guess he felt that was a success, so he told an old family friend that sure, we'd take some of her domestic breed, but living mostly feral, meat bunnies off her hands. I came home from the gym a couple weeks ago and SURPRISE! There were 10 bunnies of all colors and sizes sitting cozy in our half-burned barn *last year's fire didn't quite take it down*. We have a big wooded lot with trees, cliffs, open areas and lots of little sheds and places they can roam to their hearts' content. A lot of fresh hay was laid on the barn floor, there are a lot of areas there for them to hide in, with easy access. I go out 3 or 4 times a day (and night) to break the ice on their water and give them fresh and check on their feed. They come running as I walk out to the barn because I call them to come on. They mostly do except when I go out late at night. I always know the areas they frequent because we have so much snow (SO much snow) and they are making trails.
We got 4 more a few days later from her. Today he said we are getting yet more! Oh boy.
Long story short - this is all completely new to me. I grew up on a farm in Oklahoma and have dealt with a lot of farm animals (but wasn't in charge of them) and had many dogs and cats. But I'm looking for input from experiences of folks here. I'm reading and looking on line, etc. I like that they will run to me when I call them in, and if they get startled they'll listen when I tell them it's okay, to come back. I bring fresh carrot chunks and apples (well washed, no apple seeds), and a bit of fresh greens a couple times a day, regular feed and fresh water, fresh timothy to munch - and they are getting adjusted to me. We lost the ONLY one I'd named, a cute little friendly guy that wanted to sit in the feed dish and never had a problem with me gently lifting him out - he'd just come sit by my feet. Sad morning, he was chomped completely in two and I found his back half on the trail, poor lil guy. Most likely a big dog ran thru (that is quite rare at my place) and got him.
I used to put (domestic) rabbit on the table quite a lot, my boys grew up eating it, but that was the extent of my knowledge and experience until this! Mostly I want to keep them healthy and safe - I can deal with the work and I'll learn to dispatch them and safely handle the meat.
Thoughts, suggestions, aspersions...?
Thanks for taking time to read this, I don't like feeling so inadequate!ETA: no mice or rats or things like ticks or fleas in my AO, so those aren't going to be an issue. This area's wildlife is mostly moose which I see frequently but I don't think they'll bother the rabbits ~~~
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