How Old Do Rabbits Have to Be When They Go Wild?

As with most wild animals, raising an undomesticated baby rabbit can be a tricky task. The unfortunate fact is fewer than 10 percent survive after being taken from their natural habitat before they've developed survival skills. People who have been among the successful minority know nurturing a sick, injured or abandoned baby rabbit to good health is only half the battle; releasing it into the wild at the right time is critical to its survival.

  1. No Set Rule

    • One rabbit might develop at a different rate than another from the same litter.

      Generally speaking, a rabbit is ready to set out on its own when it's about 7 weeks old. That said, it should also be noted that, like humans, rabbits develop at different rates. So while one rabbit might be ready to set out on its own at 7 weeks old, another from the same litter might not be equipped to survive unassisted until it's 8 weeks old. To best determine when it's ready for release, the rabbit will be better served if you pay less attention to the calendar and more attention to the stages of its development.

    Stages of Development

    • In the wild, a rabbit is born blind and with little to no fur, rendering it completely dependent on its mother for warmth, food and protection. Its vision kicks in about 14 days later, after which the rabbit usually begins making brief excursions to explore life outside of its nest. These excursions don't necessarily mean a rabbit is ready to leave home --- its digestive system can handle only its mother's milk until it's 4 to 6 weeks old. As it continues to spend more and more time outside of its nest, a rabbit will begin incorporating solid food and water into its diet until it's no longer dependent on its mother's milk. That's when it sets out on its own.

    Substituting Mother's Milk

    • Use an eyedropper to feed the rabbit 2 percent cow's milk or baby formula.

      Being that you likely don't have a supply of rabbit's milk on hand, you'll have to find a substitute to nourish the rabbit until it's ready for solid food and water. Experts are divided in this area, as some feel 2 percent cow's milk is the best choice while others endorse the use of baby formula. Whichever you use, it should be fed to the rabbit at room temperature, one eyedropper-full three or four times a day. If the rabbit's eating well but appears to be unhealthy, switch to the other rabbit milk substitute.

    Solid Foods

    • Although lettuce has somehow earned a reputation as being an ideal rabbit food, the truth is it doesn't contain enough nutrients to help a young bunny grow. Instead, hand feed the rabbit small amounts of finely chopped carrots, alfalfa hay and rabbit pellets when it's about 4 weeks old to supplement the milk or formula. After a few days, leave some food and a rabbit water bottle in its enclosure. As the rabbit increases its intake of solid food and water, wean it from the milk or formula. When the rabbit is living solely on solid food and water, it's ready to venture into the wild.