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How do you know it's a a wild rabbit?
DISCERNING A WILD RABBIT FROM A DOMESTIC
RABBIT
Cotton-tailed rabbits, like many other wild animals, are agouti (ah goo tee) colored, a gray/brown/tan/black
flecked mix. On adult rabbits, there is no white coloring. Sometimes baby cottontails have a small white dot on their foreheads.
They are small, weighing 2-4 pounds, with long slender legs and wedged shaped heads. The ears are up, narrow at the base,
and are thin and translucent at the tips. They exhibit a natural fear of humans.
Domestic rabbits also come in the
agouti color with the same cottontail but with light tan to white under bellies. They also are light, medium, and dark gray,
palomino, white, silver, tan, chocolate brown, cinnamon brown, and black. A popular companion rabbit breed, the Dutch, has
"trousers" in black, brown, tan, or gray, with the face and ears in the matching color. The "saddle" area over the shoulders
is white. Other popular breeds are white with black, gray, tan, or a mixture of colored spots. They can be smaller than cottontails
but are more likely to be larger.
Some domestics have up ears. Others have lop ears that hang down by the sides of
their heads. Their ears are wider at the base than the cottontail's ears and are of an even thickness and are opaque to light.
The forehead is more dome-shaped than wedged, the cheekbones more prominent, and the cheeks fuller. They are not particularly
fearful of humans.
Click here to see a wild Eatern Cottontail rabbit.
Click here for the article "Does This Animal Need Help"? by the Wildlife Rescue League of Virginia. In the Northern Virginia
area, call (703) 440-0800 for advice.
More links for information about wild rabbits at http://www.lagomorphs.com/mainpage.html
Cottontail Rehaber Video: What to do if you find a wild rabbit.
Wildlife Center of Virginia, Waynsboro. At the bottom of the page, click on "I need rescue advice."
Wild Again Wildlife Rahabilitation. Click on "Wildlife Emergencies."
Maryland Wildlife Rehabilitators Association, 410-255-4737.
Poplar Spring Wildlife Sanctuary, P.O. Box 507 Poolesville, Maryland 20837. Phone: 301-428-8128
Second Chance Wildlife Center, 7101 Barcellona Drive Gaithersburg, MD.; 301-926-9453.
National wildlife Rehabilitators Association, 320-259-4086. Click on "Need help?" and then on "I found a baby mammal, now
what?"
International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council, 510-383-9090
How to Locate a Wildlife Rehaber: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm
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