Wild vs. Domestic
There are two types of rabbits that you may come
across. One is the domestic rabbit which is the one you can adopt
as a pet. The other is the wild rabbit, Cottontails or Hares which
They can be difficult to tell apart if you've never
researched it and while you think you're saving an abandoned baby bunny,
you could be causing its death if you bring it in and confine it.
They are extremely high stress, and can easily be frightened to death.
Cottontails can breed almost year round. The
mother will dig a shallow hole and line it with plant material and her
own fur which she pulls out. She will visit her babies once or
twice a day, at early morning and late at night to feed them. She
will quickly nurse them and leave in order to protect them and the nest
from detection by predators. The babies will only nurse for 2-3
weeks as opposed to the domestic rabbit which requires the mother for
about 2 months. The cottontail mothers milk is very rich and the
babies mature much quicker and are out on their own by about 4 weeks.
Contrary to popular belief, the mother will not reject her babies if
touched by humans.
So it is not unusual to see wild cottontail babies,
small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, out on their own.
Unlike adults, they may not run away or appear frightened but they do
not need rescuing.
How do you tell if its a wild bunny? The
colouring is brown and gray ("agouti" colouring) and they
often have a white streak on the head as babies. They have
noticeably long slender legs and their face is longer, thinner and more
pointed. They do not sport the more rounded head and chubby cheeks
of our domestics. The Cottontails also have ears that are very
thin and almost opened flat and wide at the top whereas domestic's ears
are thicker and roll in a bit more. Hares have longer ears and
hind legs than domestics. This enables their incredible speed
which can reach up to about 70km/hr. They can change the colour of
their fur with the season, going white in the winter. Mother Hares
nurse their young similar to Cottontails, in a shallow hole called a
In addition to the physical characteristics, you'll
find that even if a baby Cottontail does not appear frightened when you
come upon it, it will not have the friendly disposition of a domestic.
It will never be tame or friendly like a domestic bunny, even if you are
able to keep it alive in captivity. Its innate fear of people and
animals will always remain to some degree. A domestic rabbit can
also show some fear of people if abused or neglected but not as
pronounced as the wild rabbit.
Our domestic rabbits are descended from European wild
rabbits. Cottontails are found in North and South America.
Hares (jackrabbits) are found in North America, Eurasia, and Africa.
Both the Cottontail and Hare are solitary and although you may see
several near each other, they do not live together. The European
rabbit, which is where our domestic breeds originate, do live together
in large groups and form quite complex social structures. This is
why you can often bond domestic rabbits although the fact they are not
born into an existing group can make it difficult or sometimes even impossible
for them to accept each other and work out a hierarchy between
themselves. Established bonds can also break if the relationship
changes for whatever reason.
Wild bunnies and domestics are genetically different.
They cannot breed together. Adult Cottontails reach no more than
about 3lbs and always have similar colouring. Domestic rabbits
come in a great variety of colours, including the wild rabbit's agouti
colouring, and weight ranges from about 2-3lbs to as much as 16lbs or
more. For example our Chinchilla bunny has a typical weight range
of 13-16lbs which is even more than our New Zealand's typical weight of
about 10lbs, and New Zealand's are known for their large size!
There is also a difference in life expectancy. About 6 years for a
wild Cottontail as opposed to 8-10 years for a domestic rabbit.
It is illegal to keep wild cottontails in captivity so
if you find one, you must let them go. Babies under 100g may be
accepted by a local human society or wildlife center. If they are
over 100g and not injured they must be let go by law in Ontario:
From the Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act, 1997,
"A person shall not keep live game wildlife or live specially
protected wildlife in captivity except under the authority of a license and in accordance with the regulations. 1997, c. 41, s. 40 (1).
Cottontails are considered Live Game Wildlife under the same Act.
Everything you ever wanted to know about
rabbits but were afraid to ask ...