Ok so about four or five years ago a friend of a friend had baby kits and were giving them away for free, i thought they were going to be a domestic breed but they turned out to be cotton tails i believe. But ever since then ive been stuck with two wild rabbits. Ive tried to train them and pet them but it just doesnt work. I feel bad that they are going to live their whole life in a cage and would prefer not to give them to a shelter as they will most likely be put down. Im thinking about releasing them outside but am worried they wont survive as theyve been in captivity all their lives, maybe their instincts on how to survive from predators and obtain food and water are gone. Any help??
will they survive in the wild?
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redtailgal
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Cottontails just dont tame well at all.
Sadly, with them being raised in captivity, they would have a very poor chance of surviving for very long in the wild. They would likely fall victim to a prey animal very quickly.
They either need to stay in captivity or be euth'd.
Sadly, with them being raised in captivity, they would have a very poor chance of surviving for very long in the wild. They would likely fall victim to a prey animal very quickly.
They either need to stay in captivity or be euth'd.
elevan
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x2redtailgal said:
To release them would likely be to sentence them to death.
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One more question.....my fiance has a backyard that for the most part is enclosed with fences on both sides. Do you think if i let the rabbits out there and put food outside for them everyday would they return or just stay scattered?
secuono
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Worth a try. Put up a big wooden box, like a low dog house, for them to run and hide in. Put food/water near it, too.
terri9630
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Can you post pictures of the rabbits?
redtailgal
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Fencing them in the yard may work. You'll need to watch and make sure that they have enough instinct to watch for hawks. I'd put a dog house out, like secuono said, but I'd also keep them shut in it for a day or so, let them eat and sleep in it so that it becomes "home" before you turn them loose in the yard.
It's risky, but I think that would be their best bet.
It's risky, but I think that would be their best bet.
I had a pair of Lionhead boys that I had in a pen on the grass in the barnlot. They escaped by digging out. they had been here several months, so knew me and the barnlot area. ( I also did not know much about rabbits back then.)
One decided to see the world and did not last long due to all the predators around.
But one of them stayed very near to the barn and the original area. I put out water everyday cause I knew they might now find that. He lived over a year there in the immediate area of where he had escaped. He took up residence under a shed that was there. I saw him every morning and evening eating grass but he did not want to come back to the pen.
anyway just an experience that I had with free range rabbits but not on purpose.
If the area is fenced and predators cannot get in, they may do ok for awhile IF they are content to stay in the fenced area.
One decided to see the world and did not last long due to all the predators around.
But one of them stayed very near to the barn and the original area. I put out water everyday cause I knew they might now find that. He lived over a year there in the immediate area of where he had escaped. He took up residence under a shed that was there. I saw him every morning and evening eating grass but he did not want to come back to the pen.
anyway just an experience that I had with free range rabbits but not on purpose.
If the area is fenced and predators cannot get in, they may do ok for awhile IF they are content to stay in the fenced area.
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The funniest thing happened today, one of the rabbits had gotten a big ball of string caught in its teeth and i spent three hours getting it out. Maybe this is a sign i should keep them because they need me lol. But the cardboard box does sound like a good idea..
