Keeping rabbit as pet is one of the most exciting thing to do. Rabbits are known as not of the playful animal, but also a lovable, gentle creature. Not to mention their prefect adorable features that ready to melt people’s hearth. There are several ways for you to purchase rabbit: you could visit the pet stores or online stores, and you could also come to breeders and shelter. On the shelter, rabbits are open for adoption and not for money purpose.
Furthermore, one of the most enjoying thing about rabbit is that the variety of rabbit breeds you could choose. Let’s start from the Mix Rex rabbit, Pygmy rabbit, Fluffy rabbit, Holland Lop, Flemish Giant rabbit, and more. These choices would be perfect matter, considered which one is the most suitable rabbit based on your situation and condition. Moreover, there are certain things you need to pay attention for the care of rabbits. The first thing of equipment is the rabbit cage. Choosing the right cage would ensure the safety of your pet.
Then, you need to provide friendly rabbit toys to enlighten their days. Yes, like human, animal could be stress and boring, this is why you need to provide things that would make them less-lonely – also, keep them busy. But, what about the wild rabbit? If they could handle easily like the domesticated ones? Let’s found out on this article: how to care for wild rabbit as a pet!
Wild Rabbit
See a rabbit regularly visiting your garden must be a lovely experience for us, especially if you are an animal lover. Moreover, often time, we thought to catch her and make her our new pet. But, is that possible? How to care for wild rabbit as a pet? What we should do to tame the “wildness” inside of her? I bet, many questions would hang in our mind, that’s normal, my dear friends. Now, what if I tell you that it is possible to tame wild rabbit and turn her to be more hospitable like other pet animal.
But, let me remind you, it is better if you check the local law and regulation in your local area, because many states created a law to against the idea of taking wild rabbit as pet. Contact the local wildlife expert or the easy one is asked veterinarian about the law that applied in your area. If turn out that your local area is allowed you to keep wild rabbit, then you could tame her and keep her as pet. If it doesn’t, all you can do relocate the rabbit into the safer place. So, today we would show you some steps to care and tame wild rabbit.
Make The Wild Rabbit Use to You
The most prominent different between the wild rabbits and the domesticated ones are the relationship between the animal and people. Domesticated rabbits used to human’s presence – mostly since they were babies. But, it’s different with the wild ones; they were not familiar with human’s presence, even more, some are completely unfamiliar. Therefore, the first thing you must do is to make the wild rabbit used to your presence – and don’t worry, we would show you step by step how to make her familiar with you.
- Prepare for The Running
First, prepare yourself to face the attempt to escape. Don’t be too upset about it, this “running” thing is the natural instinct of rabbit as the prey animal. Rabbits are easily stressed out, and if they sense the “danger” surround them, the first instinct that come out is escape the situation. So, let me remind you, on first week, she would definitely run if you try to approach her.
So, how to handle this situation? Never stop her from run. Let her to have some spaces for herself. Stopping her from running would increase the stress level and worse, lead her to death. How is that possible? Keep in mind, rabbit could have a heart attack and trap in shock. So, let her run to “protect” herself would decrease the stress level within rabbit.
- Keep Close to Your Rabbit
The next thing you should do is keep close to her. To make her get use to you, she must familiar with your presence. Sit or lay down near her often, make a gentle and calm gesture, do not make any move that indicate you as threat. Decrease you height in front of her, to make you smaller and less-threatening. Do this frequently for hours; the process would be long, so be patient my friends.
The other thing is, make sure there’s no other animal’s smell in your body (in case you have other pet). Making sure that the smell she senses was purely yours. Therefore, wash your hands and cloths before you approach her. Then, try to talk to her in you most gentle ways. Do not ever shout or higher your voice in front of her. The last thing, is do not try to lift her up, especially on the first weeks. Another reason is because rabbits are ground dwellers, they would never use to on high place.
- How to Handle Scare Rabbit
As I mentioned previously, rabbit could be shock and catch heart attack, if you purposely scare her, she might really freeze. Actually, this is also the way to fool the predator – pretending to be death. If, in any situation she applies this method when she sees you, it’s signs that she is afraid and not happy with your presence. All you have to do is let her be, and do not tempt to lift her up.
When you force picking or move her while she’s exhibit this manner, you might trigger some serious problems such shock, heart attack and health problem. All you can do is let her alone. This was the only way my dear friends. Furthermore, after she was escape from “pretend-death”, give her some treats, to let her know that you didn’t have desire to harm her. Actually, give her treats often (in wise amount of it) would indicate that you are a friend rather than a threat.
That’s it. Apply all these methods, learn more the do and don’t to treat your new pet rabbit. If the tame mission is succeeded, the rest nursery is just the same as other rabbit’s cares.