How to Tame a Wild Rabbit

If a rabbit frequently visits your garden or you come across a wild rabbit on your farm, you might consider capturing it and domesticating it. Keep in mind that wild rabbits are usually harder to tame, even with extensive training. Additionally, most localities have laws prohibiting the keeping of wild animals as pets unless you are working at a wildlife rescue center. If you're unsure, consult with a veterinarian to understand the legal implications. If you want to capture the rabbit and relocate it to a safer area, there are various methods to help you tame it.

Be ready for the rabbit to run away. Rabbits are prey animals in the wild, so they often experience more stress than other animals. This means that a wild rabbit will likely flee if you try to approach it. Its first instinct is to run to safety.

• Do not try to prevent the rabbit from running away. This will only increase its stress. A rabbit could die from the stress, experiencing a heart attack or shock, leading to intestinal blockage and starvation.

Lie down with the rabbit. To help the rabbit become accustomed to you and not see you as a threat, lower your body when approaching it. This will make the rabbit feel less threatened. If the rabbit approaches you, initially, don't respond. Stay still for as long as possible, potentially for hours. You may need to try this several times over multiple days to help the rabbit get used to you.

Avoid the scent of other animals. If you carry the scent of predators, such as dogs or cats, the rabbit will avoid you. Wear freshly washed clothes and wash your hands before going outside to ensure that no other animal scents are left on you.

Leave a piece of food. To gain the rabbit's trust, leave a tasty morsel that will lure the rabbit toward you. You can use leafy greens like watercress, dandelion leaves, or a few slices of carrot. This method will help the rabbit trust you and move toward domestication.

Speak softly to the rabbit. When trying to tame the rabbit, speak to it in a low, gentle tone. This will reassure it and prevent further fear.

• Never shout or make loud noises. This will make the rabbit run away and flee.

Face the frightened rabbit. If you scare the rabbit, it may freeze. Rabbits often use this response to deceive predators into thinking they are dead or to help them hide. If the rabbit approaches you this way, it means it is not happy to see you and does not want to be picked up. It is genuinely frightened.

• Although you may feel the urge to pick up the rabbit in its tense state, this is not a good way to help it. The rabbit could go into shock and face serious issues. It could have a heart attack or experience shock and die shortly afterward.

Avoid picking up rabbits. If you must lift a rabbit, do not raise it too high. Rabbits are ground-dwelling animals, and lifting them can cause extreme distress. This can even lead to heart attacks or shock in rabbits.

• You may also permanently injure the rabbit's legs by picking it up incorrectly.

Select the appropriate trap. If you want to catch a rabbit without using your hands to hold it, this could be an optimal and less frightening option. Consider creating a humane trap for the rabbit. Check with local wildlife protection associations or animal welfare organizations to see if they have any available traps. You could also purchase a trap from a pet store.

• Alternatively, you can make a simple box trap using a cardboard box that can be closed when the rabbit enters. To make this trap, use a stick to prop up the box and poke a hole in the cardboard. Then, tie a string to a carrot or other bait and pass it through the hole to attach it to the stick. When the rabbit enters the box and grabs the bait, the string will pull on the stick, causing the box to fall down and trap the rabbit.

Place their favorite food inside. To lure the rabbit into the trap, place some of their favorite treats inside. These can include carrots, leafy greens, or dandelion leaves.

Position the trap in a safe location. To encourage the rabbit to approach the trap, place it in a quiet, sheltered area. This will make the rabbit feel secure enough to approach and eat the food placed inside the trap.

Set the trap at the right time. Rabbits are typically most active during dawn and dusk, so make sure your trap is clean and ready during these times. Be sure to check the trap after these periods to see if you've caught any.

Move the trap. After catching a rabbit, cover the trap with a blanket to help it feel safe. Lift the trap and move it to a new location where you’d like the rabbit to be. Then, open the trap to let the rabbit run out.

• Make sure that the release location is safe for the rabbit. You can consult with local wildlife rescue organizations or animal control centers for advice.

• Catching wild animals to keep as pets, including wild rabbits, is often illegal. In many areas, you are not allowed to "domesticate" a wild rabbit as a pet.
• Never remove baby rabbits from their burrows! Doing so can cause serious health issues and even death for the rabbit. Less than 10% of young wild rabbits survive when taken from their nests.