Not Traditional Pet

[Witchdoctor]

Rescued a Leveret (baby Hare) from the middle of the road late one night. It is blind in one eye so no real expectations of releasing back. This little fellow started life with us weighing 113g & after 3 months he is 2Kg. We take him everywhere we go, mixing with loads of different experiences is good for him. We also take him camping, not that we get much sleep as they are active at night. Just last week we became foster career to rescued twins at 97g & 145g. Once they are weaned they will be fostered to full time parents. These little creatures make great pets, loves a great pat & cuddle time, no noise, goes to the toilet in the tray without training & comes when called without food.

Cheers
Dave

[jonesfam]

Hare?
Isn't that a Rabbit that got away?

[pop058]

Aren't there some funny laws about keeping such/similar animals as pets here is the sunny state. ???

[Gordie]

Had a wild rabbit as a pet once, never thought about a hare though! Any pics?

[Witchdoctor]

Rabbits are illegal to keep in QLD $60K fine & rising.

A Hare is not from the same family & is legal to keep in QLD.
Lots of rescued Hares are re-homed in QLD due to the rabbit laws.

This is our boy Jess on first day.

Cheers

[Gordie]

$60k...sheez! And I thought SA was the revenue raising state!

[Bigbjorn]

Here's a link.

Hare and wine stew recipe : SBS Food (https://www.sbs.com.au/food/recipes/hare-and-wine-stew)

[67hardtop]

Hare stew....mmmmmmm


JK.

Cheers Rod

[Witchdoctor]

This is our boy now.

Having trouble getting a harness on him it will come.

No he will not be going anywhere near a pot not on my watch.

[justinc]

Best name the next one Krishna...

😄

[cuppabillytea]

:Rolling:

[cuppabillytea]

Was told once, that Bugs Bunny was a Hare. I thought he was a line.

[ramblingboy42]

I'd name it Stewart.....stew for short

[Ferret]

Rabbits are illegal to keep in QLD $60K fine & rising.

A Hare is not from the same family & is legal to keep in QLD.

What's the difference between a rabbit and a hare, how can you tell them apart?

[Gordie]

What's the difference between a rabbit and a hare, how can you tell them apart?A ferret should know that! hehe!! From my experience, the hare has bigger ears with a black tip and much longer back legs and bigger overall.

[scarry]

And hare tastes very different from rabbit.

Out at the property we used to make rabbit stew,very nice.

Occasionally,we would end up with a hare in the stew as well,we could certainly tell the difference in taste.


We get quite a few around here,they are a ginger colour,and certainly give the dog a bit of exercise,but she can't catch them,as they zig zag at speed,the dog can't keep up.

Edit...just thinking,when we were kids,our German Shorthaired pointer used to catch them.All we used to find left was two ears,she would eat the rest.

The Springer Spaniel we have now just hasn't got the speed,she is more a quail/duck hunter.

[Gordie]

Yes they are very fast runners, I used to shoot rabbits and hares in NZ for a bounty....hares also live above ground whereas rabbits burrow...and hares will eat small trees etc that farmers have planted.

[donh54]

A rabbit told me once, he had just washed his thing, and now he can't do a hare with it!

[Witchdoctor]

Gordie,

You are correct.

The easiest way to identify a hare from a rabbit is the black tips on the ears. A closer look will show the size & length of the rear legs.
These creature can have short speed bursts up to 70K's their only defence.


Cheers
Dave

[Fifth Columnist]

Hares love boxing; rabbits don't. [bigwhistle]

[Ferret]

A ferret should know that! hehe!! ...

Ferrets know a bit about engineering and computer science but not a lot about wabbits.

[Toxic_Avenger]

Nice one! Non-traditional pets can be the most rewarding.
We had rats for 2 or so years, and had a great time while they were around.
A housemate years ago had pet rabbits which were great fun, until they ate the door frame and lost us our bond!

[austastar]

.......pet rabbits which were great fun, until they ate the door frame............!

Hi,
And the chairs, and any cable, (any size from phone to 35A stove wire) and carpet, and curtains, but they were cute.

Cheers

[Bigbjorn]

A friend had two emus, Fred and Mary. They were good pets and no trouble at all. Very good watch dogs. Night time intruders got attacked. Mate learnt to destroy any eggs. Fred became impossible to live with when he was raising chicks. Kept the thieves away from his free range turkeys.

[p38arover]

A pic I took in Qld last June.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2017/12/314.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/CJgfFF)IMGP0988.jpg (https://flic.kr/p/CJgfFF) by Ron Beckett (https://www.flickr.com/photos/117594589@N03/), on Flickr

[Witchdoctor]

Typical of the GOV, the fine is now $60K.

Also Hare's do not get Mixo or any Rabbit related diseases.

We are having a fun time looking after the twins as well as our boy.
Over Christmas I'm going to build a big run for the boy with a mesh roof as they can jump well over 6ft high.

When we where in Birdsville i had a Rabbit stew pie, very nice i must say. I do not mind a little game meat now & then.

Cheers
Dave

[Gordie]

I was told when a boy, by an English family friend, that over there, they would hang the(dead) hare until green, then cook it. Didn't sound very appetising to me....but I have never tried it.

[Homestar]

Hare was a special treat on the table when I was a young lad - Dad usually got Rabbits off a mate who shot them, or even from under the car if he’d hit them himself - but the odd Hare was also presented and made a very tasty stew. Much stronger flavour than Rabbit, but spitting the shot out into a central plate was still as much fun - the one that’s got the most shot in his Dinner got 5 cents extra pocket money. 👍😊

[Toxic_Avenger]

spitting the shot out into a central plate was still as much fun - the one that’s got the most shot in his Dinner got 5 cents extra pocket money. 👍😊

5c extra to make up for the inevitable lead poisoning, I bet!

[cuppabillytea]

When I was a regular at the Riverview ( Before I was hooked.[bigsad]) another regular would often bring his goat in for a tipple.

[mrapocalypse]

A drunk magician once said "I can't pull a rabbit out of my hat but I can yank a hare out of my arse"

[Homestar]

5c extra to make up for the inevitable lead poisoning, I bet!

Yeah, not much thought was given to things like that in the 70’s. Probably explains a bit though... [tonguewink]

[Witchdoctor]

Well things have taken a turn.

We are now official Hare carers for any Leverets found in & around the Gold Coast area.

Attached some images of our twins rescued from a rural yard after a man tried to kill them with a brush cutter.
These little fellows will be re-homed when they are part weened or in about 1 month. That goes for any other Leverets we care for after they are rescued.

So if you find a Hare or Leveret (baby Hare) please call me 0418457066

Cheers

Dave

[justinc]

Well things have taken a turn.

We are now official Hare carers for any Leverets found in & around the Gold Coast area.

Attached some images of our twins rescued from a rural yard after a man tried to kill them with a brush cutter.

So if you find a Hare or Leveret (baby Hare) please call me 0418457066

Cheers

Dave

Total scum!!! 😠😠 would like to have at him with a brushcutter😠. Animal cruelty is one of my biggest hates!!!
Congrats on the 'save the leveret ' appointment ☺☺🙄

Jc

[pop058]

This thread has been a learning curve for me (good thing). I, probably like a few other thought they (rabbits & hares) were all the same which prompts a few questions. Firstly, are Hares a native species to Aus?.

[V8Ian]

This thread has been a learning curve for me (good thing). I, probably like a few other thought they (rabbits & hares) were all the same which prompts a few questions. Firstly, are Hares a native species to Aus?.
No, introduced from Europe.

[donh54]

This thread has been a learning curve for me (good thing). I, probably like a few other thought they (rabbits & hares) were all the same which prompts a few questions. Firstly, are Hares a native species to Aus?.
Nope. Introduced around the same time as rabbits, but they don't achieve the same breeding rates, so they're not considered as pests. (At least by most people, rabbit boards and their ilk may disagree, though)

[austastar]

Hi,
Farm dogs can tell the difference at fifty meters.
Just not worth chasing a hare.
Cheers

[bblaze]

Hi,
Farm dogs can tell the difference at fifty meters.
Just not worth chasing a hare.
Cheers

A good dog (a stayer) will bring them right back to you, they run in a big circle, used to be a lot around locally but havnt seen one for a long time.
cheers
blaze

[Gordie]

We used to pursue them through the paddock on a motorbike, they would hesitate before going through a fence, that is when I would shoot. They were killed quickly and humanely. That fella who tried to kill them with a brushcutter...well, I would like to chase him around a paddock on my motorbike........

[Witchdoctor]

What we have learned is the Rabbit will burrow & that destroyes the landscape, hence the pest.
The Hare spends all its time above ground & will dig a shallow depression about 100mm deep to lay in & hide from predators generally in long grass.

The mortality rate of Leverets is about 90% when rescued & in general if they live past the first day they will lock their jaw shut until they feel safe in the new environment & one hopes that this happens before the 5th day after that mortality is 100%.
Our twins did not eat formula for 3 days & got down to 88g's, now they are powering & guts the formula down.

This is very tough on the emotions but very rewarding just the same.

Cheers
Dave

[Witchdoctor]

These Leverets are just so fragile.

Sunday was a day from hell, our smallest of the twins Wombat developed diarrhoea late Saturday arvo by the time we got the correct gear to treat him it was just to late. He passed away on my chest & i hope i never see that again in my life time, he struggled to live all the way.
We think the heat on Saturday induced stress which intern started the diarrhoea, just so fragile!

This has really hit me hard, they put there total trust to get them through.
We now have to put all our effort to getting Possum feeding on greens, grain & re-home can take place.
Our boy Jess has really taken Possum under his wing & looking after him.

Cheers
Dave

[Gordie]

Sorry to hear that Dave, I know how it feels to feel you have let an animal down...you did your best.

[weeds]

Bugger.....

[Saitch]

I was told when a boy, by an English family friend, that over there, they would hang the(dead) hare until green, then cook it. Didn't sound very appetising to me....but I have never tried it.

Isn't that called "Jugged Hare"

We have two resident hares here, both quite large. The photo shows the hares at the front, a wallaby at the rear. Sorry about the quality.

[Pickles2]

These Leverets are just so fragile.

Sunday was a day from hell, our smallest of the twins Wombat developed diarrhoea late Saturday arvo by the time we got the correct gear to treat him it was just to late. He passed away on my chest & i hope i never see that again in my life time, he struggled to live all the way.
We think the heat on Saturday induced stress which intern started the diarrhoea, just so fragile!

This has really hit me hard, they put there total trust to get them through.
We now have to put all our effort to getting Possum feeding on greens, grain & re-home can take place.
Our boy Jess has really taken Possum under his wing & looking after him.

Cheers
Dave
Great work Dave, you are doing a great job, but it's not good when "you lose the battle" is it.
A few years ago we were driving in the Goldfields area & I thought I saw a Kookaburra standing only a foot or so off the road. We drove on for a K or so, but then thought something was up so we turned round & went back to it,...it was still standing in the same place. So We approached it, it just looked at us, so we placed it in a rug & took it to the vet in the next town. We called in on the way home to see how it was, & unfortunately the vet said that it was too traumatized, would not eat etc, so He had to put it to sleep. We were sad about that.
However, when we dropped "Kooka" off, we hadn't seen the vet, only the nurse, but when we came back to check, we met the vet who said He'd been wanting to speak to us, because He'd "heard" us leave when we dropped Kooka off. At that time we were driving our AMG C63 which are renowned for their beautiful exhaust note from their 6.3L AMG V8! Anyway He came out to look at our car & then said to us, "would you like to see my cars"?. Of course the answer was yes, so we walked across to his home where He showed us a rear engined LS1 powered sports car he'd built from a U.K. sourced kit,..I reckon the rear tyres were about 18" wide, and He had a couple of BMWs including a very nice early M3. Really nice guy.
But we would've been much happier about all this if Kooka had been OK.
Pickles.

[mick88]

As a kid in the sixties and early seventies I used to trap and shoot rabbits for pocket money and they weren't a bad source of income, as there were plenty of them around. When I got my licence in the early seventies there were still a couple of "Chillers" (rabbit buyers) operating locally and to supplement my meagre wage of $19 clear per week as an apprentice, I would go out shooting a couple of nights a week. Fuel was cheap, ammo was cheap, and rabbits were bringing about 80 cents a pair and by the late seventies they were up to $2.20 a pair. So thirty or forty pair and home by midnight was a good sideline. Hares were worth the same, but easier work as they didn't have to be gutted for the chillers. From memory the story was they ended up being sold to a select market for "jugged hare". There wasn't a lot about, but every so often they would appear in a stubble paddock. The things you do when young, the only thing I would shoot nowadays is a target.
Everything has a right to live.
In later years there would be a few around the area in our vineyard and they can be very destructive on young grapevines.

Cheers, Mick.

[Witchdoctor]

This week has been very tough for me after Wombat passed over the Rainbow Bridge.

But it has also been very good, our boy has taken to the remaining Leveret, Possum & they spend all day together in & around Jess's hutch. They can even be found together in the sleeping area. This is a great development for both.
When we get other little ones jess will make them feel more comfortable in their new surroundings.
Possum weighs just over 220g with the big boy 1.6kg. Possum has also started eating solids & grain mix & is now trained in the use of the litter tray, this is very important for when they are re homed.

Dave

[MickInTheMud]

Cute x1000.
Who you calling big ears ?

[Witchdoctor]

As a career, we have now taken in another little 103g Leveret ( Pebbles ) found by the public on a building site.
We received a call from Wildcare at 10.00pm Thursday night to pick up in Bethania, i think we got to bed at 1.30, worth it.

Over the Christmas break i built a run for our boy but i think as the Hares in our care get stronger they too will spend their days in the run until they get a permanent home.
The raw panels section will have a raised floor that will be the sleeping/safe area for the Hares.

Cheers
Dave

[Witchdoctor]

So the O'Hare Castle is complete, our Jess loves it.
He got his first look at it late today, he will be spending all his days from now on in it.

His nights will be spent under the brick fireplace as we never use this one.

It amazes me how many QLD people are lining up to adopt these little pets.

Cheers
Dave

[Gordie]

Looks like one happy jackwabbit. Nice enclosure.

[gusthedog]

I feel a bit guilty reading this as we went out spotlighting on Boxing Day and rolled 5 hares and two rabbits in Western Vic. None of them suffered and they were put to good use! The hares became yabbie bait and we ate the bunnies. Hare is the best yabbie bait there is.

I’ll try and just shoot foxes next time.[bigsad]