Pet Forum / Mammals / Rabbits / April 2008

I've been studying our Cottontail under our backyard deck for the past
1-2 yrs. I am sure it is a female and a male shows up now and again. I
suspect she is not too furtile as only one kitten have I seen but died
early in life. How similar are Cottontails and domestic rabbits? I
don't think I've seen her on her haunches but the males seem to do
that. Maybe she does too sometimes. She also seems interested in TV
and will stand to watch better but is very skidish when she sees
us.What is this "chinning" all about? She will do it sometimes on the
deck. I figure she must be used to us by now and loves what we feed
her. I am sure she will never trust us even though we are very quiet
when she is out. She spends most hrs under the deck and is out early
in the morning and abit in the evening. Such a lonely life..I read
they only live 2-3 yrs in the wild. She must be old by that standard.

Larry