A Bit of A Scare/Mystery

[rabbitlady4433]

This morning when I went out to feed and water and play I about had a heart attack. I turned the corner of the house to see that one of my doe's doors was standing wide open! I immediately turned and started looking for a big white bun.. didn't see her. Then I went to the cage and she was cowering in the back of her pen. I checked her over real good and seems to have no obvious injuries. However, the was covered in yellow goo......hmmm. Literally covered and quite sticky.

The cage is almost 3 feet off the ground, so I cant quite imagine her jumping out then jumping in. The cage lock is also secured with a piece of bailing wire (I know, I'm just paranoid that one lock might not keep out the misc animals/hoodlums that appear here), so you would have to have to be a species with two thumbs to get it apart. (All cages locks are checked again before bed, like I said, a bit on the paranoid side.)

I know that this particular doe is not friendly with strangers. I could easily see a hoodlum sticking their hands in there and getting bitten and shredded. But, no blood or foot prints no nothing.

If it was a hoodlum what was all the yellow goo?

Any body ever had any weird happenings with their rabbits?

 

[ChickenPotPie]

Oh, wow. I'm so glad your doe is okay. Well, as okay as she is, anyway. :/

I haven't heard of this particular thing happening but I've heard of people breaking into rabbit cages, torturing them and then putting them back for owners to find. Sick, sick. >.<

I am not sure of what to make of your odd happening. Until you figure out what the mystery goo is, I'd take photos of the inside and outside of your barn, your cages, and especially of your doe and her cage just as you found her.

Seriously, I'd call the police and animal control to make an official report (fill out actually papers) so they can have something on file. Just in case, you know? Who knows, there may be some other case with which the police see a similarity and can link the two to make a more solid case against any suspects. Yes, sometimes they do wait to make arrests until they're sure they can put someone away for as long as they deserve instead of just getting a slap on the wrist for a lesser crime.

I can't guarantee you that anything will come of it but I can guarantee that if you don't file a report, they'll never know it happened at all. Someone needs to start a paper trail.

I really hope you get this figured out and your doe is not worse for wear after clean up. Wow.

ETA: Oh, I meant to say that you should preserve samples of the sticky substance and bring it to your vet for testing and save a vial for later jic. I mean, who knows, you might have an open bucket of "who knows what" that a family member stuck behind something in a corner and forget to tell you about. My camera got dipped in maple syrup. :/ Just sayin'. lol!

 

[rabbitlady4433]

Filing a police report would sound like the sane thing to do if two weeks ago I hadn't raised a big stink with the local law enforcement. We've had a really expensive log splitter, 3 car radios, a bunch of tools stolen from our place over the last three years. Like any regular person the police were called and reports were made (all with one particular officer). No evidence was ever taken. I even did the leg work for this person and found out the people, their address, and where my stolen property was. They waited 48 hours to investigate, these people admitted that my stolen property was at their house at one time but was gone when they arrived. No action was ever taken! Then two weeks ago a lady with 4 unseatbelted children in her van, blew through a stop sign and plowed into me, totaling our truck. This lady had no insurance. She wasn't written a ticket of any kind! When I confronted this officer, he seemed appalled that I had questioned his judgement, and sent me on my way. So, I wrote the cheif of police, the mayor, and our city council members. Needless to say, I could be on fire, naked and running through the streets and I don't think they would come to my rescue any time soon.

We are seriously considering moving.

 

[norcal]

However, the was covered in yellow goo......hmmm. Literally covered and quite sticky.

What was covered in yellow goo? The cage?

 

[Roll farms]

Maybe the cop came and peed (I agree, gross...but...) on her to "show you"...?

 

[elevan]

Yellow, sticky goo...makes me think of honey...

I'm thinking it was probably some kid thinking they were being funny. I would file a report with animal control and the police regardless of your past issues with them...Quite frankly you're probably more likely to have animal control notice some similarities in other crimes than the police in your case.

Good luck and hope your bun is doing ok.

 

[rabbitlady4433]

It was the bun that was covered in the goo. It kinda reminded me of honey too. My honey is installing pad lock type locks to the doors tomarrow, so hopefully that will keep the pests out.

 

[tortoise]

Sounds like you need a BIG good dog! (Looks mean but isn't gonna bite). Black dogs are overlooked at shelters. I bet you could find a nice black lab that needs a job and some exercise.

 

[rabbitlady4433]

I have two jack russells, and they are worthless! Its funny they are really good hunters, last year they caught a few dozen squirells, three muscrats, a few moles, and the water meter reader. Other than that they are the laziest jacks I've ever seen. They will not do anything, unless they are hungry. I wanted to get a big outside dog, but our city limits us to two dogs. Can not wait to move!