Is a cottontail rabbit a good pet?

Answer 1

No, cottontail rabbits do not make good pets. No wild animals make good pets. Pet rabbits have been domesticated over hundreds and hundreds of years: that's why they make good pets. But wild animals will always miss being in the wild, and they will not be able to lead a happy or healthy life. It is extremely difficult to provide for the needs of a wild animal.

Another reason that cottontail rabbits don't make good pets is that they are too shy. Maybe if you work REALLY hard to socialize them and are very gentle, they can come out of their shells.

In many places, it's illegal to keep wild animals as pets. Many people consider it immoral, unless you're an experienced wildlife rehabber, and you saved the rabbit in the first place.

Answer 2

No. In some places (including some US states) it is illegal. Many people consider keeping wild animals as pets immoral. Wild animals will not be able to lead a happy or healthy life as a pet. Pet rabbits were domesticated over hundreds and hundreds of years, and that's why they make good pets. Unless you're an experienced wildlife rehabber, and you find an injured or ill or abandoned animal, then you should leave wild animals alone.

Answer 3

As a pet, I would say NO. As a companion, YES. These critters are,simply put, NOT FOR EVERYONE. Too few people are willing (or able) to devote the time and energy that Cottontail rabbits require to become good companion animals. "Good companions" is the point here. Companion implies there is a sense of equality in the relationship - friend, compatriot, comrade. Friends are accepted for who they are, and integrated into your life. You don't ignore your friends, keep them in a cage all day or abuse them. You cannot do that with Cottontails either and expect that they will become your friends.

These are unique, LOW-energy animals who are intelligent, creative and demanding. These are not traits that most people, looking for a pet rabbit, are prepared to deal with - though, unfortunately, far too many think that they are. A Cottontail will test you in ways unimaginable if you are inexperienced or unknowledgeable. Even if you are prepared, you will be constantly tested - it definitely helps to have a sense of humor with them because the tests will be a challenge.

People "own" pets, but you can never "own" a Cottontail rabbit. You can provide for it, care for it and love it - but ultimately they make the decision whether or not to "share" their soul with you. If you are chosen to share this bond with them, they will place their trust in you for the rest of their lives.

Answer 4

Description:

* Fur brownish or grayish.

* Tail round and cottony white, 2 1/2-3".

* Eyes deep brown, appearing red in reflected light.

* Feet whitish.

* Head and body length: 14-17".

Temperament as Pets:

A Cottontail rabbit can be quite skittish and does not respond well to inanimate objects, fast motion, loud noises, or new people. They require much patience. Training is not for the weak, and serious consideration should be given prior to obtaining a Cottontail rabbit, as they require firm, consistent training and ample time outside their cages, though they are not active (they hate being caged, but once out they just sit there). If there's something you find foul and offensive, you can bet a Cottontail rabbit will stay far far away from it! It is not until a Cottontail is about one month of age, that it will start showing signs of timidity. Cottontails younger than 1 month of age are babies, they are playful and adaptable. They take directions readily and can bond with other species. Young Cottontails act more like the common domestic rabbit as they have not developed into maturity. As a Cottontail grows out of it's baby-hood, its hormonal system reaches adolescence and it will begin to exhibit all of the typical behaviors of the wild Cottontail rabbit.

Length:

15.5 to 18.75 in (39.5 to 47.7 cm)

Weight:

1-3 lbs. (28 to 54 oz) (800 to 1533 g)

Health Problems in Captivity:

They are generally prone to stress and can die easily from too much. Babies are prone to dysbiosis, which is one of the leading reasons that babies.

Life Expectancy:

10 years in captivity.

Grooming:Brush them at least once a week. Cottontails do not need baths and generally find them very stressful. Regular nail trims should also be part of the grooming routine. Check the nails once a week and trim them whenever they get a bit long. Cottontail rabbit teeth grow continuously throughout their lives. For this reason they MUST have safe woods available for them to chew on to help file teeth down. Check ears at each grooming. They should be clean and smooth, with no obvious odor or redness.

History:

The Cottontail rabbit is one of the most common wildlife species in the state of Ohio. Although native to the state it was not as nearly widespread prior to European settlement. As with several other species of wildlife, the Eastern cottontail was a beneficiary of settlement; the clearing of woodlands and the establishment of more open areas along wooded borders provided an ideal environment. They are distributed throughout much of the continental United States, found as far west as the Plains states and into parts of New Mexico and Arizona. They can also be found in southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan, Canada.

Status:

A Cottontail rabbit is a wild animal and it is illegal to keep one if you live in the USA without a permit because they are native here, which means they are automatically protected. Their conservation status is "least concern," which is the best a species can have.

How to Hand-Rear a Cottontail Rabbit:

If you are going to attempt to raise a wild rabbit, you should know that they only have a 10% chance of survival with you, and even in shelters their chances of survival are 37%. They are the hardest animal babies to rear to adulthood. In my opinion, I think the chances of death are way too high, so you should just leave the baby alone.

If that is not an option, then at least take your rabbit to a shelter so they'll get that extra 27% chance of survival! If you are going to be stubborn and keep the baby, you should keep it warm. The ideal temperature should be around 75 degrees F until the baby grows THICK fur.

Bottle feed the baby once or twice a day (like how the mother would), and you can kill the baby if you overfeed it milk. Milk for the baby should be kitten replacement milk. When the baby is about 3-4 weeks, you can release him into your backyard.

If you want to keep him, you should begin to feed him rabbit pellets. Don't give him any other foods because your baby didn't get the bacteria fighting immunity it would've gotten from it's mother's feces.

Make sure to keep his cage as clean as possible (this is VERY hard to do!!!), or he may get ear mites, which is very painful.

When your rabbit is six months, you can begin feeding him some fruits and veggies. I wouldn't give them any plants from your yard, because even though you have a wild rabbit, it is no longer accustomed to eating wild food and you don't want to cause any diarrhea, which can kill him.

You should begin holding and petting your rabbit from the very beginning, but never force anything, and NEVER chase your rabbit when you're angry with it (though some of my Cottontails loved playing Tag). Try to teach your rabbit to use the potty, and it needs 4 hours at least out of it's cage every day.

Cottontails for the most part are less active than domestic rabbits (most people don't know this). Your rabbit will like to sit around and zone out. Cottontails do get into a ton of mischief. They'll pee/poop EVERYWHERE if not potty-trained (which is extremely hard to!!!) and they'll chew everything up! I suggest you provide him with loads of toys.

Never yell or hit your rabbit, of course. But be especially gentle with Cottontails because they are shyer and more easily frightened than pet rabbits. They are also more prone to keeping grudges and they have very good memories!

Cottontails do best in a low-stress environment, and they HATE strangers. When new people come over (or even family members who don't live with you), your Cottontail will be terrified out of it's skin. In their heads, new people are predators. No joke, they are terrified of people other than the ones in your immediate family!

Your Cottontail can be trained to an extent. They are very independent and will not care to please you. I taught my Cottontail tricks, like "stand" "walk (on hind legs)", "come", but this was when he was still a few months old and after my rabbit reached maturity he became too independent to obey me most of the time.

This means start your training early and be very consistent. They do best with food bribes. After your Cottontail hits maturity he won't obey you much anymore, though.

Cottontails don't like water, so if you want to bathe him do so by wiping a damp towel over his fur and drying him immediately or he may get a cold and die. Never bathe your Cottontail in his first few months of life. That is just asking for death.

Also, your Cottontail is not legal without a permit. You can always tell your vet that he is just an agouti mixed rabbit breed. That's what someone told me to do with my Cottontails! It works!

Good luck! To gain the love and trust of a dog is beautiful, they give it freely. To gain the love and trust of a Cottontail is a miracle and the best gift, they give it to YOU, their chosen person, only.

Cottontails take a lot of time, and my most exhausting days ever were spent with them. In the end, I gained one great friend that I will never regret, but that was one great friend out of nine rabbits I raised.

Answer 5

Tame rabbits make good pets and are especially popular with children.

Answer 6

Cottontail rabbits are wild animals, and they do not make good pets. In many regions it is illegal to keep wild animals as pets.

Answer 7

yes