Bailey likes to remain in the garage during the day and out in the yard at night. He seeks minimal shelter during rain, preferring to hide under trees, bushes or latticework, even though these obstacles will not prevent a soaking over time. He certainly won't go into the garage during rain, unless it's raining in the daytime. Even the chilly weather of winter hasn't changed his determined attitude.
Fortunately the weather has acted to accommodate Bailey. It's been very dry since June.
But time ran out on Friday evening. Radar showed that the light rainfall of the day was going to change to a fierce inundation as the front passed through Friday night. And nighttime meant Bailey would stay out in the yard, no matter what.
So, what to do with the stubborn inhabitant of the back yard? I decided to bring Bailey into the house to save him from a soaking, if only for a few hours, as the storm swept through. But how to catch him?
I brought out a pet carrier and set about to make a trap. As Bailey hid among the rushes at the end of the back yard I maneuvered a portable fence around him and caged him in against the back fence to the yard. Then, I stepped within the fence and cornered the rabbit.
Bailey panicked. As I grabbed him, he bucked. I hugged him hard to prevent him from breaking his own spine with his kicks. Bailey let out a scream from the very depths of his soul - the famed Rabbit Scream - right into my left ear.
And what is the Rabbit Scream?:
If a rabbit screams or squeals it means it is in pain or extremely scared. Such a scream is often let out when a fatal wound is inflicted on a wild rabbit by a predator.Hoping I hadn't inflicted a fatal wound I quickly put Bailey into the pet carrier and took him upstairs into the house. I set him in front of the heater vent and let him start to warm up as I started to watch television.
The Rabbit Scream notwithstanding, it appeared Bailey was only frightened, not injured. I shouldn't have been surprised he was a bit of a Drama Queen. Aren't we all, these days?
I opened to door to the pet carrier and presented Bailey with some food, which he nibbled at when I wasn't around. For the most part, he hunkered inside the pet carrier. The storm roared past and pummeled the house.
After about five hours, Bailey had dried out. I went outside, and it looked quiet enough again to release him. I went back inside, and Bailey was no longer in the pet carrier. He had taken advantage of my absence to start investigating the wonders of the living room: chairs, tables, etc. I encouraged him to go back into the pet carrier, which he did on his own accord. I took him downstairs in the pet carrier, and released him.
Somehow I need to figure out how to have a more-normal relationship with Bailey the Rabbit.
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