Wild Rabbit hanging around meat rabbit cages? Help!

[xanthin1]

I am fairly new to meat rabbit raising, we've only had our rabbits for 8 months. We raise satins, and have them in all wire cages suspended from a wooden roof with legs. We live on the Oregon Coast in a fairly rural area, (we have chickens too), and have in the past seen some evidence of wild rabbits in the area (the cat usually eats parts of one or two a year and leaves me the rest). Yesterday morning, I went out to feed the rabbits, with my three wild and loud kids 9ages 4, 8, 10) and there was a wild rabbit out there by the hutches. I thought he would startle and run away very fast. He didn't. He seemed very curious and kept bounding up near us, then scampering away. It looked like he had started to dig two holes about a foot away from one of the hutches. Later when the kids were playing on the swing set the rabbit was out on the lawn with them only a few feet away as they were playing. Then this morning, the kids went out to feed our rabbits without me, and came running back in saying the wild rabbit was back and he let them pet it. I thought no way, and went out to investigate, and sure enough saw my 8 year old petting it on the ground a few feet from my hutches. I told them not to touch it, and to go wash their hands, since I have no idea what kind of diseases a wild rabbit might have or could pass on to our rabbits/us. But can't help thinking if this were really a wild rabbit, would he feel so comfortable around humans? Would he let my loud children pet him? Help! Advice please!

 

[cassie]

This seems like a non problem to me. In all liklihood this rabbit was someone's pet and they turned it loose. I once ended up with a ground squirrel that had obviously been raised by people and released. He stuck around for years and he was a lot of fun. While washing your hands is a good idea, if I were you I would quit stressing about it and just enjoy its company.

 

[Bunnylady]

I'd give you any odds you like that this isn't a native rabbit, but a domestic rabbit that has been turned loose. As far as I know,North American native rabbits don't dig burrows; even their nests are just shallow scrapes on the surface.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I'd give you any odds you like that this isn't a native rabbit, but a domestic rabbit that has been turned loose. As far as I know,North American native rabbits don't dig burrows; even their nests are just shallow scrapes on the surface.

Agreed! It was probably someone's pet at some point. if it is acting normally otherwise, it shouldnt cause any issues.

 

[User395221]

Absolutely agree that it isn't a wild rabbit. Rabbits run from you, they'll never come up to you unless they are already tame.

 

[ShrekDawg]

If it was me I'd catch it and set it up a nice area and keep it as a pet haha or at least offer it some food