I'm so PO'd right now! (rabbits, bunnies, legal, bunny)
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Anyway, they want to keep it as a pet. I think this is a bad idea because they don't know the first clue about bunnies (not to mention these are wild ones not domestic ones). Also, they don't have a clue about how to take care of animals, one of the first questions my little brother asked was "Does it need food and water?".....Duh!
Grr, I'm just so angry right now. They have no business keeping these bunnies. My dad said it would be best to put them outside, but he was going to let my brother decide, so that was if it died it would be on my brother's conscience.
Someone please agree with me in that they have no room keeping these poor creatures (They were shaking as we were holding them).
Can I keep a wild bunny as a pet? Or care for it until it can be released back into the wild?
No. It is illegal to care for or keep any wild animal – even baby bunnies – unless you are licensed with your state’s Department of Environmental Protection.
Wild rabbits are one of the most difficult species to rehabilitate. The suffering of all orphaned and injured wildlife should be kept to an absolute minimum. Not knowing how to rehabilitate them will only exacerbate their suffering. And although there are books on the subject, many that you will find in stores and libraries are extremely out-of-date and filled with incorrect information. Following them will only make the situation worse.
It is cruel to keep a wild animal as a pet. They need much more room than a cage, and they need to be surrounded by others of their own kind. If you want a pet, there are thousands of abandoned animals living in shelters – you would be doing a very kind thing by adopting your next pet from a shelter or humane society.
Hope this helps. The best thing is to put them back and leave them for their mother. First tell your siblings to read up on rabbit care to make sure that's the pet for them. If so, check out your local rescue and save the life of an abandoned domestic rabbit.
Can I keep a wild bunny as a pet? Or care for it until it can be released back into the wild?
No. It is illegal to care for or keep any wild animal – even baby bunnies – unless you are licensed with your state’s Department of Environmental Protection.
Wild rabbits are one of the most difficult species to rehabilitate. The suffering of all orphaned and injured wildlife should be kept to an absolute minimum. Not knowing how to rehabilitate them will only exacerbate their suffering. And although there are books on the subject, many that you will find in stores and libraries are extremely out-of-date and filled with incorrect information. Following them will only make the situation worse. It is cruel to keep a wild animal as a pet. They need much more room than a cage, and they need to be surrounded by others of their own kind. If you want a pet, there are thousands of abandoned animals living in shelters – you would be doing a very kind thing by adopting your next pet from a shelter or humane society.
Hope this helps. The best thing is to put them back and leave them for their mother. First tell your siblings to read up on rabbit care to make sure that's the pet for them. If so, check out your local rescue and save the life of an abandoned domestic rabbit.
Kahskye has said all that needs to be said, but I highlighted something I think you really need to try to make both your parents and your siblings understand.
Please understand that just the stress of being handled is enough to kill a wild rabbit. It can't be nice to die from fear, can it?
I would suggest putting them back but after bing handled the mother may not nurse them again. Check in 24 hrs. and watch for adult bunnies in the yard tonight from the window; but, by all means get them back into the nest TONIGHT, ASAP. Mother cottontails feed their babies the most at night and stay off the nest during the day as not to attract predators. Wear gloves t handle them and put them back into the nest to minimize the human scent. And, for gosh sakes, do not let the little children pick them up again!
The siblings obviously didn't know any better, don't be too hard on them but this is a teachable moment. Wild bunnies cannot be tamed nor should they be. Their diets also are not that of domestic bunnies so don't make the same mistake of keeping them and trying to feed them. Likely they are not 100% weaned or the never would have stuck tight enough in the nest to be picked up. Most cottontails are not fully weaned until they are 4-5 weeks of age. I'd guess that these, if their eyes are open are about 3 weeks.
They need to be sat down with, and taught, why it is not feasable to have a wild animal as a pet, in this case, wild bunnies. They cannot be tamed, what would they be fed, they have a different diet, then rabbits bred for pets. Teach them why it is not a good idea, to have a wild animal as a pet. Is it not illegal, to have a wild animal as a pet, i could be wrong!
Wild rabbits need to stay in their natural wild habit where they belong. And in some states it's illegal to keep wild rabbits so check the laws in your state!
Wild animals do not make pets. They are wild for a reason!
OP: were the bunnies returned to their nest? Please update us!
Unfortunately, my siblings gave one of the bunnies to a friend and his dog killed it a few days later.
But, we just released the other one today. I told them that one of them would die sooner or later, but no one believed me till it actually happend, so I walked around rubbing it in till it pissed everyone off enough to release the other one. I hope they all feel guilty for that baby bunny dying.
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