Even the most adventurous bunnies dont stand a chance if released into the wild. Even the most adventurous bunnies dont stand a chance if released into the wild.
The reasons for this include.
Can pet bunnies live in the wild. Domestic rabbits cannot survive in the wild. Because domestic rabbits cannot escape wild predators they are culled as pests and pet rabbits need the help of a vet to remain healthy. Can domestic rabbits survive in the wild.
Rabbits that are taken in and grow living as a pet are not equipped with wild survival instincts. When you release a pet rabbit into the wild you expose them. So can you keep a wild rabbit as a pet.
You could keep a wild rabbit as a pet however just because you can does not mean you should. The reasons for this include. The fact that it is illegal in most places to keep any type of wild animal you cannot be sure that a mother has abandoned them they may be carrying diseases and they could be more prone to biting.
Wild baby rabbits dont do well in captivity. Not only do their natural survival instincts prevent them from being a suitable pet but they spread dangerous diseases. Most bunnies become stressed and depressed living in small hutches and cages.
Their diet is also not as varied when living in captivity than the wild. It may carry a disease that the local wildlife do not have a resistance to. It doesnt have the survival instincts its wild cousins have.
Pets are physically different than their wild counterparts it may not have the right muscle fat size teeth whatever to survive in that area. The list goes on and on. Humans have introduced the best-known species of rabbit the European rabbit to every continent except Antarctica.
All around the world rabbits can be found living in the wild being kept as pets and bred for food. Rabbits live in a wide range of environments fromwoodsand meadows to grasslands and forests deserts and wetlands. One and a half months into their lives wild rabbits are considered fully adult.
It may take them another 4 to 6 weeks to fill out into their usual 2-3 pound weights as they grow to be anywhere between 12 and 20 inches long. After the age of 8 weeks they are fully sexually mature and will often begin to reproduce. Bunnies werent meant to live in tiny hutches and nobody out in nature is telling the what is okay and safe to eat they just know.
Ours are fat and happy and still tame. It is very nice to see them have the run of a 12 acre backyard. TellGRBill on January 28 2018.
What happens when a pet rabbit is released into the wild. Even the most adventurous bunnies dont stand a chance if released into the wild. Cottontail rabbits pros at life on the streets only live for about 1-3 years.
Keep in mind that wild rabbits typically only experience a life of a year or so under the best of circumstances. Domestic rabbits can live a good deal longer than that indoors but they may not survive a week in the wild on their own. All of the traits rabbits have that make them suited for the wild have been bred out of the house breeds.
They can also contract diseases from or spread diseases to other rabbits already residing in the area. Relocated rabbits might also have difficulty finding adequate food and water sources or shelter during extreme weather. For these same reasons and many others never release a pet rabbit into the wild.
So the good news is that eating a rabbit probably wont make your dog sick. After all many dog foods contain rabbit meat for protein. However wild rabbits can carry parasites and other diseases that could pose problems for your pooch.
That means that our domesticated rabbits if released into the wild cannot cross breed with wild rabbits or hares because they are different species and genera so there is no possibility of mating. They thus cannot disrupt the local ecosystem. In addition they have many natural enemies predators often attack rabbits that live in the wild.
Especially difficult is the animal being a rabbit when he needs food he must go to the surface where he is in danger. A large number of wild rabbits die before they reach the age of six months. Pet rabbits can live outside only if you take all the precautions to keep your rabbits safe.
Get ways to keep rabbits away from predators as well as extreme weather conditions. Similarly interact with your rabbits often which will prevent your pet rabbits from getting bored. They lack the ability to survive in the wild.
When pet rabbits are abandoned outside the end result is suffering followed by death. They are the easiest of prey for predators. They die in traffic.
If they live long enough they become infested with ticks mites fleas.