Run away rabbit came back!! How?

[sair5412]

Hi,
I have a lovely black & white boy rabbit (Bunjalina!) who is just 1 year old. He lives in a hutch inside but every day is let out to stretch his legs, either in the house or in his run outside if it is not raining! On Tuesday afternoon it had started to rain so my boyfriend went out to lift the run and pick up Bunjalina but he scooted off around the back garden. My boyfriend tried to catch him for about 30 mins until he disappeared under the hedge. We live on a housing estate with lots of roads and back alleys and LOTS of cats and dogs. I spent ages looking out of the back door and rattling his food bowl but eventually decided to call it quits and Bunjalina was gone forever. I was really upset. It was pouring with rain I could hear dogs barking all night and was convinced he would be eaten by one. The next morning I woke at 4am and went out to look for him but there was no sign so I went back to bed. At 8am the following morning, I opened my bedroom curtains and looked at the surrounding back gardens only to see Bunjalina looking kind of lame in the neighbours rockery! I couldn't believe it!! Did he know where he was? I went into next doors garden and tried to catch him but he was having non of it. Surely he wanted to come in? He was only dodging me not going far from me. Eventually I got him and he has been quiet ever since. Do rabbits know where they live and do they want to come back? Do they love their owners and try to find them like some dogs do? I guess I am just amazed. Or is it just coincidence he ended up next door after been missing for 16 hours?

[Sparky1979]

Hey, I've been keeping rabbits for years and have never lost a rabbit to the outdoor world through luck, perhaps. First time mine escaped, a local resident captured it and we managed to get him back. After that he never tried to escape (except for in to the next garden as they happened to love gardening!). I think it tends to be based on the experience of the rabbit of the outdoor world. If they have a bad experience they try to go back 'home' and then tend to stay there! Another rabbit we have enjoys escaping down the street, but nearly always comes back for food!

[horselady]

When my daughter was small we had a rabbit that escaped a few times and always came back. Once it was for ages and we thought he was gone for ever, then when I was pulling the curtains across in the dusk, I saw this rabbity shape on the lawn looking at me as much as to say "well I'm back, let me in my hutch then!"