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Discussion Starter · #1 ·
im not going to keep them . yet , they still have there eyes closed and mom is still feeding them . when they grow and leave the nest, can i catch one of them the day he leaves his nest? then we will drive him to a vet and do a checkup for u know gender and wild bunny sick stuff , but can we d that? is it illegal in alabama ? and most of all where do i keep him and what do i feed him ? ,, remember i did reaserch and found most babby bunnys die if u care for them so im wateing a mounth for them to grow , so pls bunny lovers tell me what to do
 

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To be honest, I wouldn't suggest it. I live in New York so I don't know about the laws in your state, but I doubt it is illegal. But there are differences between wild rabbits and hares and the domestic breed. So, i think it's a bad idea.

But, if you do catch the bunny anyway, It is best to keep a bunny inside your house. Bunny care is a bit complicated to put in a single post so I'll end off with a list of sites I like. I also have two magazines I picked up at petco, but I don't know if you can get them in your state.

THis site is what the ASPCA site says to help bunny owners get started
http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/small-pet-care/general-rabbit-care.aspx

These sites are a bit more indepth because they are only about rabbits.

http://www.rabbit.org/care/index.html

http://www.myhouserabbit.com/care.php
 

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+1 to snowy. You should leave the Wild Rabbits alone and stay away from the nest.
 

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Do not catch the baby wild bunny, leave the mother and her babies alone and in their natural habitat. It could very well be illegal. Wild rabbits do not do well captivity, especially young ones. They are stressed very easily.

Why take one from the wild and put in it a cage? Rabbits are the third most frequently surrendered pet in the United States and are euthanized in countless numbers because of it. If you really want a pet rabbit, adopt one from a shelter or rescue. Or you could even try Craigslist. It always has baby bunnies needing homes.
 

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In Tennessee it is illegal to catch and keep a wild animal. Despite this a lot of people do it anyway. I wouldn't, to be honest. It's a wild animal. It hasn't been bred for captivity and won't thrive as it would in the wild. Leave the baby bunnies where they are, head to the animal shelter or craigslist and find a bunny who needs a home and can't survive on their own.
 

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Discussion Starter · #8 ·
i live in an area where bunnys dont come to often , it may be a pet someone let loose , but its cotton tale bunny and im wateing til they grow up , and im not gona put him in a cage forever like u have to do with fish . but il take him out and play with him in the kitchen , and im wateing till he grows and leaves the nest , and i looked it up . we will bring him to a vet straight away
 

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It's highly illegal to keep any native wildlife that you catch in America.. You need permits to keep native mammals legally. Your vet will inform you of this. Cotton tails are wild animals.
It will most surely get a heart attack and die as soon as you catch it. That's just how rabbits are.
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Yeah even if you wait until it is old enough to be weaned it has been born wild and most likely its closest ancestors are wild so it is going to react a lot more differently than a domesticated rabbit would.

People do not realise that wild animals are a world apart from domesticated species. It would be extremely stressful for a half-wild rabbit to be captured, put into a rabbit hutch and then 'played with' by something it is going to think is a predator or threat.

If you want a rabbit so much why don't you just go and buy one? You are probably not going to be able to touch or get near your wild bunny for a long, long time.
 

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It's highly illegal to keep any native wildlife that you catch in America.. You need permits to keep native mammals legally. Your vet will inform you of this. Cotton tails are wild animals.
It will most surely get a heart attack and die as soon as you catch it. That's just how rabbits are.
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+1

And why would u wana take a rabbit out of the wild?!?! Rabbits get stressed out very quick, so once you cought it it would most likely die from being so stressed out because there is some kid holding/playing with him. Rabbits are prey animals, so they hate to be held (well most do). Rabbits should never be taken out of the wild to be made into a pet.
 

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Discussion Starter · #12 ·
Im going to pic it up not trap its. Sillys
 

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It will get a heart attack and die as soon as it's lifted into the air. Wild rabbits don't belong above the ground. It will also most likely let out an ear piercing scream. Yes rabbits scream when they're terrified. To that rabbit you are no better than a wolf or a hawk.
If you do this you'll be left with two options. Take it to the taxidermist, or enjoy some extremely tender fat free meat. Nothing like wild game, domestic rabbit can't compare to wild caught!

I've dealt with quite a few injured/young wild birds. Picking them up involves them screaming and biting you with all they can. Turtles? Well they defecate on you. Rabbits are much more delicate so I doubt you'll have to worry about this though.
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Do not catch the baby wild bunny, leave the mother and her babies alone and in their natural habitat. It could very well be illegal. Wild rabbits do not do well captivity, especially young ones. They are stressed very easily.

Why take one from the wild and put in it a cage? Rabbits are the third most frequently surrendered pet in the United States and are euthanized in countless numbers because of it. If you really want a pet rabbit, adopt one from a shelter or rescue. Or you could even try Craigslist. It always has baby bunnies needing homes.
+1
i live in an area where bunnys dont come to often , it may be a pet someone let loose , but its cotton tale bunny and im wateing til they grow up , and im not gona put him in a cage forever like u have to do with fish . but il take him out and play with him in the kitchen , and im wateing till he grows and leaves the nest , and i looked it up . we will bring him to a vet straight away
Please don't do it. This doesn't sound like an informed reason/justification. If you think you really want to have a rabbit, foster one for a rescue. Trust me. Domesticated rabbits are so far off from wild rabbits- it will surely die. If the momma bunny was a pet she wouldn't have survived long enough to make a nest for babies.
+1

And why would u wana take a rabbit out of the wild?!?! Rabbits get stressed out very quick, so once you cought it it would most likely die from being so stressed out because there is some kid holding/playing with him. Rabbits are prey animals, so they hate to be held (well most do). Rabbits should never be taken out of the wild to be made into a pet.
+1. My rabbit is 5 and a half years old. She gets upset EVERY time I pick her up for grooming. Rabbits ARE NOT an ideal pet for beginners as many believe. And I doubt the vet would spay it for you- it probably wouldn't live long enough to be spayed anyway. Rabbits cost more than many other pets for vet care bc they require a special exotics vet in a lot of states. Small animals are not cats and dogs.

Please don't take a wild bunny.
 

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Also not to mention when a rabbit goes into 'flight mode'. Just walking over and picking up a rabbit all willy nilly doesn't work. They run, jump, kick, bite, scratch. And you don't know if it carries a disease of some sort or not. As well as any ticks or other nasty little bugs.

In order for you to even get close to a wild rabbit to 'catch' it, you would have to use a trap. Which I'm betting is illegal.

In order for you to grab a wild rabbit right when it leaves the nest is impossible unless you are visiting the nest constantly, which is BAD. If you do this and the mother sees you, she could possibly abandon her young. She will see you as a predator near her nest, and will make the assumption that you have killed the litter.

That's what wild animals do...
 

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Just back away from the bunny nest. Don't you want what's best for the bunny? If so, leave it alone.

It will do just fine without you and doesn't need a playmate.
 

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Personally, I feel taking in pets is a responsibility that shouldn't be taken lightly. 90% of pet keeping is giving you animal the best life possible. Wild rabbits don't belong in tiny cages. Trust me. He or she would be miserable if he or she survived.

If you want a rabbit, get one that will thrive under your care. Wild rabbits will act as other people have said... Not to be mean, but the chance of rabbits dying of stress or fear is very high, especially for wild ones with extreme survival instincts.

If you want a bunny, get one that is domesticated, and care for it correctly, because they are more than smart enough to know when they are being miscared for.They are incredibly intelligent, heck you can teach them a bunch of tricks with patience. I know people whos pet rabbits are litter trained as to allow them to free roam a few rabbit safe rooms, and come when called by their name.

Have you considered researching? Rabbits can live some 10 to 20 years depending on the breed. Do you know everything you need to know about their care from young to very old? If you've done research, do you already have a hutch (the proper size, not the itty bitty things petstores sell) set up? Do you have the food, toys, bedding, and money saved up? Vaccinations and emergencies will cost a lot. Vet's aren't cheap. If you have the supplies, do you have a vet? If you have a vet, are there shelters, in state and out of state you have started contacting? Have you started applying? Yes. Good shelters have some sort of application process before giving their rescues to new homes. The bunnies have already had a failed first home, they don't need a second failure home. If you are serious about wanting to care for a rabbit and you have your parent's support, driving or getting driven to a shelter that has a bunny you want shouldn't be that big of a deal. Seeing as they live so long, commiting to a few hours of driving for your pet is nothing compared to the time and commitment of caring for your pet.
 

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Personally, I feel taking in pets is a responsibility that shouldn't be taken lightly. 90% of pet keeping is giving you animal the best life possible. Wild rabbits don't belong in tiny cages. Trust me. He or she would be miserable if he or she survived.

If you want a rabbit, get one that will thrive under your care. Wild rabbits will act as other people have said... Not to be mean, but the chance of rabbits dying of stress or fear is very high, especially for wild ones with extreme survival instincts.

If you want a bunny, get one that is domesticated, and care for it correctly, because they are more than smart enough to know when they are being miscared for.They are incredibly intelligent, heck you can teach them a bunch of tricks with patience. I know people whos pet rabbits are litter trained as to allow them to free roam a few rabbit safe rooms, and come when called by their name.

Have you considered researching? Rabbits can live some 10 to 20 years depending on the breed. Do you know everything you need to know about their care from young to very old? If you've done research, do you already have a hutch (the proper size, not the itty bitty things petstores sell) set up? Do you have the food, toys, bedding, and money saved up? Vaccinations and emergencies will cost a lot. Vet's aren't cheap. If you have the supplies, do you have a vet? If you have a vet, are there shelters, in state and out of state you have started contacting? Have you started applying? Yes. Good shelters have some sort of application process before giving their rescues to new homes. The bunnies have already had a failed first home, they don't need a second failure home. If you are serious about wanting to care for a rabbit and you have your parent's support, driving or getting driven to a shelter that has a bunny you want shouldn't be that big of a deal. Seeing as they live so long, commiting to a few hours of driving for your pet is nothing compared to the time and commitment of caring for your pet.
+1
I was going to reply, but you said everything for me.
 

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Please don't do it.
My daughter used to raise and show Lionhead rabbits. She has done a lot of research on rabbits and their care. She was given two wild baby cottontails by someone that took them out of the wild because she thought they had been abandoned by their mother. My daughter did the best she could for them, but they died anyway.
 
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