small grey rabbit

Question
I went outside and my cat had a small gray rabbit with orange on the bottom of the feet in his mouth.  I think it may still be a baby.  I took pictures with the digital camera if that will help.  I got it away from the cat unharmed, and brought it inside.  Right now, it is in an old laundry basket with a bowl of water and some grass and a vegetable mix.  I am not sure if it is wild or tame, as we have neighbors who have larger rabbits with different colorings who wander the neighborhood and often munch in our front yard.  
1) How do I tell its gender?
2) What do I do to care for it?
3) How do I tell if it is wild or tame?
4) How do I get it calmer?
5) How do I show the bunny that I care for it and wish it no harm?
6) Could I make it a pet if I kept the cat away from it?

Answer
Dear Danelle

I'll take your questions one by one...

1) How do I tell its gender?

Very wee babies are very difficult to sex.  However, you can get some tips on sexing here:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/sexing.html

Don't feel bad if you can't tell for sure.  Even experienced vets make mistakes. The important thing is to prevent accidental pregnancy, so this won't be an issue for a while.

2) What do I do to care for it?

If this is a wild baby, then it's best to release it in a spot where no cats or dogs can get to it.  Wild baby cottontails look pretty different from domestic babies, and one diagnostic feature is the white star in the middle of the forehead, which they all have.  You can see a picture here:

http://www.jessfarms.com/barn/wildlife.html

If the baby is truly *grey* and not "agouti" (the brownish-grey color of wild rodents and rabbits), then it is not a cottontail, and is probably a feral domestic baby.  

3) How do I tell if it is wild or tame?

If you're not sure, then call a local wildlife rehabilitator and ask if they can help you positively identify the baby.  To find the local wildlife rehabber in your area, you can use the following web site:

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/

4) How do I get it calmer?

If it's very wild, then it might well be a cottontail.  There is no way to tame a wild cottontail, which is all the more reason to release the baby once he's recovered from the shock of capture.  Wild rabbits do not do well in captivity, just as domestic rabbits do not do well in the wild.  The sooner he's released, the better, especially if he's not physically injured.

However, if this is a scared baby *domestic* rabbit, you might find the following tips helpful:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/shybun.html


5) How do I show the bunny that I care for it and wish it no harm?

I wish there were a way to do this, but wild rabbits are full of instincts to fear large, fast-moving animals as predators.  These instincts are the reasons their ancestors survived to allow them to exist.  

6) Could I make it a pet if I kept the cat away from it?

Only if it is a domestic bunny.  If it is a cottontail, you should not attempt to keep it.  Not only is this illegal, but the bunny will not thrive.  But this might be a great way for you to decide to rescue a domestic bunny who needs a home. They are well suited to living with human families, and make wonderful, loving companions.  To learn more about living with a domestic house rabbit (care, litterbox training, etc.), please visit

www.rabbit.org

I hope that helps!  Please write back if you have any other questions.

Dana