# Raising wild rabbits



## woods-n-water (Jan 11, 2012)

Has anybody ever trapped and tried to raise wild rabbits....


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## dadsbuckshot (Jan 11, 2012)

I would venture to guess upon my reading of the regulations that if one chose to do such activities that it would have to be approved by the DNR and appropriate permits would have to be issued. Otherwise one might find that they are trapping illegally and or possessing wildlife without proper permitting. 

Again this came from my readings here:
http://www.eregulations.com/georgia/hunting/unlawful-activities/


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## cuda67bnl (Jan 11, 2012)

Yep, it ain't legal.
But it's been done with varying degrees of success. Older wild bunnies are too stressed in captivity to breed in most cases. Young caught ones did better.


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## jimmy ballard jr (Jan 11, 2012)

They will only survive if they can eat their own fecal matter


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## Beagler282 (Jan 11, 2012)

jimmy ballard jr said:


> They will only survive if they can eat their own fecal matter



Say what??????


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## p&y finally (Jan 11, 2012)

Beagler282 said:


> Say what??????



you beat me to it


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## cuda67bnl (Jan 11, 2012)

That's almost funny......


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## dawg2 (Jan 11, 2012)

jimmy ballard jr said:


> They will only survive if they can eat their own fecal matter



That is correct.  

Wild Rabbits produce two types of scat.  The one they MUST eat to maintain proper intestinal flora are the cecotropes (this is NOT feces).  These contain essential bacteria / fungus / nutrients for the wild rabbit to be able to properly process their food.  Most rabbit hutches are designed to allow all feces to pass through a screen.  This is a fatal design to wild rabbits.  This design will result in their death due to malnutrition.  

Lots of people "save" wild baby rabbits that only end up dead shortly after due to lack of access to the cecotropes.  If you have to chase down and "rescue" a baby rabbit, then you are not rescuing a rabbit.

Keeping a wild rabbit(s) is not legal in GA and unless you know what you are doing, you are subjecting the animal to a slow death.


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## cuda67bnl (Jan 11, 2012)

It's not just wild rabbits. All rabbits do it, and they usually take them straight from the butt, and not drop them first. When they do drop them, they don't look like a normal piece of poop. They look like grape clusters.


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## woods-n-water (Jan 12, 2012)

Thanks for all the knowledge guys.....you can learn alot from this place sometimes.....


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## gemcgrew (Jan 12, 2012)

Yes, rabbits reingest their own droppings (rather than chewing the cud as cows do) to digest food further for sufficient nutrients.


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## Ole Crip (Jan 12, 2012)

Beagler282 said:


> Say what??????



Dangit son I think I just had a laughing stroke...


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## Faithrider (Jan 12, 2012)

Thats why I love this forum when it comes to small game yall realy know your crap !


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## Beagler282 (Jan 12, 2012)

Faithrider said:


> Thats why I love this forum when it comes to small game yall realy know your crap !



 til my stomach hurt.


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## bethelpreacher (Jan 12, 2012)

*now i know why*

that must be why some beagles eat their own poop  it helps them digest their food


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## dawg2 (Jan 12, 2012)

bethelpreacher said:


> that must be why some beagles eat their own poop  it helps them digest their food



*All *dogs eat it.  If an owner says their dog doesn't, then they:

1) Are lying
2) In denial
3) Not very observant


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## jimmy ballard jr (Jan 12, 2012)

cuda67bnl said:


> It's not just wild rabbits. All rabbits do it, and they usually take them straight from the butt, and not drop them first. When they do drop them, they don't look like a normal piece of poop. They look like grape clusters.




I was wandering what those were while hunting, i knew it wasnt deer droppings, and was kinda skeptical of it being swampers dropping, when you mentioned that it hit the nail on the head, you learn something new everyday!


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## Lukikus2 (Jan 12, 2012)

Caught a young one when I was kid and kept it in the house for over six months, named him Speedy. They don't potty train well but I did train him to stay off carpeted floors. The poop is easy cleanup, no mess. Got tired of moving the refrigerator to get him out of the back, his favorite hiding spot, so I turned him loose. He slept in bed with me every night. No, my parents wouldn't let me have a dog.


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## jimmy ballard jr (Jan 12, 2012)

Lukikus2 said:


> Caught a young one when I was kid and kept it in the house for over six months, named him Speedy. They don't potty train well but I did train him to stay off carpeted floors. The poop is easy cleanup, no mess. Got tired of moving the refrigerator to get him out of the back, his favorite hiding spot, so I turned him loose. He slept in bed with me every night. No, my parents wouldn't let me have a dog.



Are you with PETA, my understanding from what you stated is you wont harm a hair on a rabbit? i loved the story it was very unconventional who woulda thought?


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## Lukikus2 (Jan 12, 2012)

jimmy ballard jr said:


> Are you with PETA, my understanding from what you stated is you wont harm a hair on a rabbit? i loved the story it was very unconventional who woulda thought?





No PETA fan. I've probably ate as much hasenfeffer as anyone here. Just couldn't kill my little buddy. 

I even raised tame rabbits and bred them at one point. Feller I bought them from said "When you go to kill them and eat them, just hit em' in the head with a hammer and it knocks their lights out instantly". Well, it didn't. All I did was gave them brain damage. I gave them away to a guy at work.


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## Mako22 (Jan 12, 2012)

Lukikus2 said:


> No PETA fan. I've probably ate as much hasenfeffer as anyone here. Just couldn't kill my little buddy.
> 
> I even raised tame rabbits and bred them at one point. Feller I bought them from said "When you go to kill them and eat them, just hit em' in the head with a hammer and it knocks their lights out instantly". Well, it didn't. All I did was gave them brain damage. I gave them away to a guy at work.



You didn't do it right, hold them up by the back legs use the handle portion of the hammer and strike down hard where the back of the skull and neck meet. I promise it will kill them instantly and humanely.


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## Mako22 (Jan 12, 2012)

Instead of messing around with wild bunnies I would go buy some California meat Rabbits or New Zealand whites, you should be able to buy a 12 week old bunny for $4-$5 each. Get a buck and a couple of does to start with and you'll be in business. I recommend reading "Storeys guide to raising rabbits" by Bennet, this book helped me a lot when I got started.


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## Mako22 (Jan 12, 2012)

Also if you raise rabbits outside you must protect them from stray dogs.


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## Lukikus2 (Jan 12, 2012)

Woodsman69 said:


> You didn't do it right, hold them up by the back legs use the handle portion of the hammer and strike down hard where the back of the skull and neck meet. I promise it will kill them instantly and humanely.





Woodsman69 said:


> Instead of messing around with wild bunnies I would go buy some California meat Rabbits or New Zealand whites, you should be able to buy a 12 week old bunny for $4-$5 each. Get a buck and a couple of does to start with and you'll be in business. I recommend reading "Storeys guide to raising rabbits" by Bennet, this book helped me a lot when I got started.



Guess I didn't do it right. 

New Zealand whites is what I raised. Those big boys will hurt when they thump you with a back leg. 

Yep. A good seperated hutch that stands at least 4' off the ground, water bottles, feed and salt for when they birth and that's about it.


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## Mako22 (Jan 17, 2012)

Lukikus2 said:


> Guess I didn't do it right.
> 
> New Zealand whites is what I raised. Those big boys will hurt when they thump you with a back leg.
> 
> Yep. A good seperated hutch that stands at least 4' off the ground, water bottles, feed and salt for when they birth and that's about it.



Yep you got to grab em right or that back leg will get you good! I had a doe that liked to bite and the second time she did it she ended up as rabbit stew for the office luncheon.


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