I recently rearranged my rabbits so that some of the cages are in my chicken coop so that they would be a bit more sheltered from the weather. One of my cages that contains my bucks is about 18 inches off the ground. Well one of my bucks has learned how to open his cage door so every morning we have rabbit round up. Thankfully he can't get out of the chicken coop. He enjoys running around so much I am considering setting up some kind of run for them this summer. Anyhow, this morning the kids went to catch the rabbit and the minute they walked in the coop he hopped back into his cage! Did he do this because he considered his cage his home or is he smarter than I think? I can't wait to see what he does tomorrow morning. He only seems to get out at night and stays in his cage during the day. Anyone else have a similar experience?

-- Amanda in Mo (aseley@townsqr.com), January 30, 2001

Answers

I had a doe that did the same thing. She would open her cage and we'd go out there to find her sitting in front of the cage the next morning. She had a litter of very wild looking Peter Rabbits. They were obviously not the kind that we raised. We had all blue lops and these were the spittin image of a cotton tail! Oh...I've heard that if you put them in a yard to bury wire around the edges or they can dig under.

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), January 30, 2001.

It sounds like a case of pavlo{i cant remember the right term}law. He rang a bell and taught animals to get food,or something like that.the rabbit has learned to go to his home to get food when he sees you comeing.Kinda cool.

-- renee oneill{md.} (oneillsr@home.com), January 30, 2001.

Pavlov's dogs. My kids know that when I whistle that it is time to eat and they come running. Once on a campout a man was calling all of his dogs and my kids came running expecting food!HAHA! My chickens know my voice and come running to the fence every time I do laundry and start singing! Animals are wonderful....kids too!!!

-- Nan (davidl41@ipa.net), January 30, 2001.

I have had two rabbits that could open their cages. Like you have said, we would open the doorof the out building and they would scoot back to their cages. I use a run during the summer. Watch out for stray's though.

My Niece had a rabbit that would run freely around the farm. I kept it at my place because she lived in town and spent alot of time with me. Kayla would call Petie and he would come to her. She would then put him away for the night. One day while working in my gardening shed he hopped in the doorway and scared the life out of me, becuase i had no idea he was out. Makes for a laugh or two.

I tend to think they get bored!

-- Shau Marie (shau@centurytel.net), January 30, 2001.

I believe there are different kinds of rabbits, smart and not so smart. when i bought my first rabbits several years ago ipick a large black doe and i was in the process of picking our buck out when this gray rabbit stood up against his a cage and had the most intelligent look on his face. that was Drasco the smartest funniest rabbit i have ever known. Drasco eat cat food with cats, tried to breed anything that was still , would open the back screen door and jump into my lap while i was sitting watching tv. Drasco slept under the back door step and was missed when he wasn't there one morning . My point is not all rabbits are created equal. Drasco was a RABBIT among rabbits. Sherry

-- sherry mullins (chickadee259@yahoo.com), January 31, 2001.

Years ago my two oldest boys[then 9 and 5] found a tame rabbit, it was a large white bunny with black specks on his nose. We lived in a neighborhood so I sent them around to everyones house to inquire if they had lost a rabbit. There were no takers. So they brought the bunny back. We had a large screened in back porch so we put the bunny in a box on the porch. The boys would take him out and play with him, after a while we just left him out of the box. He did his business in one corner so we put news paper down there and it was easy to keep clean. Sometimes I would leave the kitchen door open[if the weather was nice] and the rabbit, Mr. Specks, would come inside the house. After thoroughly investigating the whole house he decided he liked my 5 yr. olds bed for an afternoon nap. And every time I was in the kitchen preparing a meal he was there for a hand-out. Without a doubt he was one of the nicest pets we ever had. I don't know if that is usual or not because we never had another indoor bunny. Artie Ann

-- Artie Ann Karns (rokarns@arkansas.net), January 31, 2001.