How To Tell If A Rabbit Is Domestic Or Wild
Introduction
Rabbits are among the most common wild animals (or domestic pets) to encounter in a garden or other suburban habitat. However, identifying whether a rabbit is domestic or wild is critical for determining an appropriate course of action. Whether you have a rabbit running around your back yard or are trying to determine if you saw a pet gone astray, here’s how you can tell if that fuzzy little bunny is wild or domesticated.
Domestic rabbits have thicker, shinier and softer fur.
Domestic rabbits have thicker, shinier and softer fur than wild rabbits. The reason for this is because domestic rabbits are bred for their fur, whereas wild rabbits are not. Their thick fur protects them from the elements and keeps them warm during harsh winters.
Domestic rabbits also tend to be larger than their wild counterparts and have longer hind legs as well as shorter forelimbs than their feral cousins. They are also known to live longer due to better care given by humans or other domestic animals that may take care of them (such as cats).
Wild rabbits have longer ears, but domestic rabbits have shorter ears for a reason.
While it’s true that wild rabbits have longer ears, this is not a dead giveaway as to whether or not they are domestic. Domestic rabbits also have longer, thicker fur and their short ears help them stay warm in winter.
However, if you see a rabbit with its ears on the side of its head instead of pulled forward past its eyes (like a wild rabbit), then you know for sure that it’s probably domestic because domestic rabbits aren’t constantly alert for predators.
Wild rabbits are afraid of people and their presence.
Wild rabbits are afraid of people and their presence. They are very skittish and will run away if you approach them. Wild rabbits do not like to be picked up or held, though some may tolerate humans if they feel safe in their surroundings. Wild rabbits live in colonies, meaning that they have other rabbits around them when they’re outside of their burrows (nests). Because wild rabbits don’t live with humans, it’s unlikely that one would come to you on its own accord; therefore, seeing a domesticated rabbit is a sign that it was either abandoned or escaped from captivity.
Wild rabbits have shorter tails than domestic rabbits.
The length of a rabbit’s tail is an easy way to differentiate between wild and domestic rabbits. A wild rabbit’s tail will be about 6 to 10 inches long, while the tail of a domestic rabbit can be up to 18 inches long. This difference in length reflects how much time spent outside versus indoors in the wild versus domestic rabbit’s lifestyle.
Wild rabbits have shorter tails than domestic rabbits because their tails serve two purposes: one for communication, and one for balance when running. The tips of their ears express emotions like anger or happiness; therefore it makes sense that they would also use their tails as a way to communicate with each other as well. In addition, the longer your body is while running away from danger (i.e., predators), the harder it will be for them to catch up with you!
Wild rabbits are much more athletic than domestic breeds.
Wild rabbits are much more athletic and can often be found climbing around in bushes. Their bodies are built for running, with strong legs and sharp claws for digging into the ground to escape from predators. They also have powerful back legs which they use to jump or hop around quickly.
Wild rabbits have a more developed sense of smell than domestic breeds. You may notice that your domestic bunny has trouble catching their own food, but this isn’t usually due to laziness—it’s because they don’t have as good an olfactory system as wild bunnies do!
Knowing the difference between wild and domestic rabbits will help you better understand what you’re looking at.
In order to properly care for a rabbit, it’s important to know whether your pet is a domestic or wild rabbit. The two breeds differ in their behavior and diet, and knowing the difference can help you provide better care.
To begin with, let’s look at some characteristics of domestic rabbits: they have floppy ears (or no ears), which are larger than those on wild rabbits; they also tend to come in a variety of colors since domestication has led them to breed for certain physical features that make them more appealing as pets or show animals.
On the other hand, wild rabbits are usually grayish brown in color with long pointed ears that stand upright when alert—think of how dogs’ ears perk up! They also have longer legs than domestic breeds do because they run fast enough to escape predators like hawks or foxes looking for lunchtime snacks these days (not so much back then).
Conclusion
Now that we’ve covered these different ways to tell if a rabbit is wild or domestic, it should be a lot easier for you to figure out which one you have! If in doubt, remember that wild rabbits are generally skittish and fearful of humans, so try approaching them with caution. And if it comes down to the last resort—physically restraining them—the best way is by gently pinning them down between your knees while holding their feet together behind their back (just like you would any other animal).