Wild Baby Rabbits
You have a
litter of wild baby bunnies. Now What?
I get several e-mails starting in
the spring about how to care for wild baby bunnies.
Many times the best thing to do is nothing. If the babies look okay, just
leave them in their nest or return them to it. If you return the babies,
put unscented baby powder or unscented dental floss around the nest and check to
see if it is disturbed in 24 to 48 hours to show if the mother has been there. If not, then you may need to take
care of them yourself so they survive.
The
House
Rabbit Society
website has the most complete information on
ORPHANED BABY BUNNIES
in case you need to rehabilitate the bunnies yourself and keep them
for a time. It includes instructions on how much to feed
them and a lot more so be sure to visit the link above.
You should know:
Rabbits
won't reject their offspring if you touch them.
A female
rabbit will only nurse her litter a few minutes at night.
Wild baby bunnies
do not have a scent and won't attract predators except by sight
or sound.
The rabbit doe
will be out of the nest to eat and draw attention away from her
new brood most of the time.
Do not give a
baby rabbits cow's milk, instead give them KMR (Kitten Replacer
milk from the pet store or goat's milk) and please do not over
feed. If they are old enough, grass, alfalfa or timothy
hay and water is the best feed for them. No carrots! or
other vegetables (especially fruit).
In most states it is
illegal to keep wild animals no matter how cute.
Feral Rabbits
are not "wild rabbits." They are domesticated
pet rabbits
abandoned by their owners. Domesticated rabbits are only
cousins to cottontail rabbits, they cannot mate and produce
young together.
If
you have domesticated rabbits of your own:
Please remember that
it is best not to touch wild rabbits because you can pass on
diseases to your pet rabbits. If you do touch them, wash
and disinfect your hands!
Wildlife Resource:
Licensed wildlife rehabilitators
are located in several states. Locate one at this link:
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