If a domestic rabbit that is "set free" survives for a year, it's due to sheer luck. There are 14 breeds of rabbit found in the U.S. though, none of which are domesticated. Most often, a wild rabbit will be a Cottontail. We hope you are enjoying PetPonder! They prefer areas with at least some shrubbery or undergrowth to hide under. The exception to this rule is the Brush rabbit, who has a grayer tail shade. Facts About Mini Rex Rabbits That Will Melt Your Heart, Healthy Pet Products: Natural Food Options for Pittsburgh Pet Owners, Here’s Where to Find Custom Dog Tags for Pets. Color can vary depending on location. During the day, they hide in undergrowth or bushes and try their best to keep a very low profile. Their prolific breeding habits and easy adaptability to different living conditions makes them a rather ravaging little pest. Due to many reasons, rabbits don’t survive for a long time. The cottontail’s build is stocky, with powerful large hind legs and feet and a fleshy neck and chest area. If you manage to catch a glimpse of this grass and shrub dweller, keep still and do not approach it, so you can observe it better. What happens when a pet rabbit is released into the wild? You may still be able to pick them up, especially if tempted with a treat,” she says. Build a rabbit run. If the person who finds the rabbit cannot keep it and cannot locate the owner, then the best option is to find it a home,” Dr. Wilkinson admits. “Unfortunately most found domestic rabbits are intentionally released rather than escaped. There are tons of different breeds, so their appearance isn’t nearly as consistent. The complete breeding season starts in the months of February to March and goes on till early fall. Your standard wild cottontail rabbit will feature brown fur, a build of approximately 1-2 pounds, and skinny legs that keep them swift on their feet. Cottontails wean and release about 3-4 weeks and jackrabbits much later (9+ weeks), whereas domestic rabbits are 6 weeks. Learn some interesting trivia about this prominent species in the article. Its close cousin, the swamp rabbit, is also waterproof but its habitat is restricted to Southern parts of the U.S. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Their occurrence is distributed across America, from the dry and desert regions of Arizona, Texas and New Mexico to the Hudson River area and New England. Tagged with: behavior. General Cottontail Rabbit … Domestic (European) rabbits have 22 pairs of chromosomes, cottontails have 21" So the answer is technically yes, it could result in hybrid babies, though it's very extremely unlikely any … While cottontails always have short brown hair, domestic rabbits can have varying hair coat colors, patterns, and lengths. Is Pet Insurance with Wellness Right for You. Reddish brown, light or sandy brown, gray, grayish brown are the common shades. Finally, many species of cottontails have a white tail, which they flick up when they are alert or fleeing from a predator. Sign up to receive the latest and greatest articles from our site automatically each week (give or take)...right to your inbox. It is not infectious to people, other wildlife or other domestic animals. The marsh rabbit can swim well and is found only where water is present, like the marshes and swamps off the coasts in the Eastern and Southern regions of America. The marsh rabbit can swim well and is found only where water is present, like the marshes and swamps off the coasts in the Eastern and Southern regions of America. Generally silent, rabbits may communicate by soft grunts and purrs and by thumping the ground with the hind feet. As you can imagine, a spotted coat isn’t exactly ideal for life in the wild. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. is the most prolific and widespread sub-species of the cottontail species. Cottontail rabbits, pros at life on the streets, only live for about 1-3 years. The Eastern cottontail rabbit is the most prolific and widespread sub-species of the cottontail species. Cottontail rabbits are speedy little buggers. Eight species are classified as least concern. Cottontails are solitary creatures, active mostly between dusk and dawn. The courtship rituals of these little fellows is quite amusing. Although rabbits have an average lifespan of 9-12 years it is seen that most of them don’t survive till the span age. “When it’s over 80 degrees, rabbits are extremely prone to heat stroke. Our site includes quite a bit of content, so if you're having an issue finding what you're looking for, go on ahead and use that search feature there! In America, 13 sub-species of the cottontail exist. The timing of rabbit domestication is a matter of some debate. They may also emit a high-pitched scream. What should you do if you see a domesticated rabbit running loose? Copyright © Pet Ponder & Buzzle.com, Inc. This website uses cookies to improve your experience. Some of the sub-species that fall under the cottontail breed are: Out of these the Swamp Rabbit (Sylvilagus aquaticus) is the largest and the Brush Rabbit (Sylvilagus bachmani) is the smallest subspecies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience. Learn more about Cottontail today. And note the white puffy tail, when it flees! “As a completely different species, they aren’t able to interact, communicate effectively, or understand each other,” Dr. Wilkinson says. Domestic rabbits are raised for meat and skins, the latter being used as pelts and for making felt. As such, each species has a slightly different habitat and climatic conditions to adapt to. likes to have cute animals as pets. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Few game species can match the eastern cottontail for fine eating, but before you put that rabbit on the stove, take a minute to inspect it to make sure it’s healthy. They are early sexual maturers, generally young rabbits can mate at 2-3 months of age. “They vary from the true dwarf rabbits like a Netherland dwarf, which is about 2 pounds, to the giant breed rabbits like the Flemish Giant or French Lop, which can be around 12-16 pounds. Some are active during the afternoon and peak sunrise time, when the sun is low but all tend to avoid the morning and middle of the day. The most well-known and populous rabbit species in the U.S., is the Cottontail rabbit. Keeping Pets makes people happy. They mark a designated area or ground of their own in the mating season and will fight with other rabbits from their warren, both males and females to defend their territory. Domesticated rabbits wouldn’t even be able to reproduce with the little guys you might see in your garden. They are also fond of young trees, with soft bark and can end up destroying an entire newly grown crop. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. Dr. Wilkinson suggests reaching out to the House Rabbit Society because as national rescue/education organization with local chapters all over the USA, there may be a group within a few hours of your home. Rabbit is easy to cut up and doesn't require a lot of complicated preparation, and ordinary methods are usually all that's required to cook it. Moreover, “by digging burrows, eating native plants, and taking up niche space already occupied, releasing domesticated rabbits into the wild can actually damage native wild rabbit populations or other species that eat the same things, live in the same areas, etc.,” she explains. They are herbivores, so grasses, herbs, tubers, roots and shoots or leafy veggies make up their diet. If appearance alone doesn’t clear up any doubt, behavior will seal the deal. A cottontail/brush bunny will take so much less!! Rabbits with a compact body shape are light weight breeds that are also short in body length but are as equal in roundness as they are in length. It doesn't have to be anything fancy, just an area for your rabbits to get daily exercise. Have you seen a suspected pet rabbit running wild? The CottonTail Rabbit Rescue is a small family run rescue, dedicated to helping rehome homeless domestic rabbits. Still and low to the ground with the little guys you might in. 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