Rabbit
Rabbits at least four inches long with open eyes and erect ears and who hop well are independent from their mother and should be allowed to fend for themselves. Uninjured baby rabbits in an intact nest should also be left alone. Although they might look abandoned because their mom isn't around, mother rabbits visit their dependent young only a few times a day to avoid attracting predators. If the nest has been disturbed, lightly cover it with natural materials you find around the nest, like grass, fur or leaves and follow these steps:
- Keep all pets out of the area.
- Avoid touching the babies, because foreign smells may cause the mother to abandon their young.
- Use yarn or string to make a tic-tac-toe pattern over the nest to assess whether the mother is returning to nurse their young. Check back 24 hours later.
- If the yarn or string was moved aside, but the nest is still covered with fur, grass or leaves, the mother has returned to nurse the babies.
- If the "X" remains undisturbed for 24 hours, contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.
Other Rehabilitators
Animal Help Now
https://ahnow.org
Why they are important
Wild rabbits are an important part of the planet's eco-system. This is because they help to keep invasive plants (weeds) under control. In turn, this encourages other plants, insects, and birds to thrive.
Interesting Facts
- They can not live off of carrots
- Some rabbits are as large as toddlers
- Baby rabbits are called kittens
- They can start to breed at 3-8 months old, can copulate 8 months out of the year, and have a gestation period of only 30 days
- When a bunny is happy it hops, which is called a binky
- They eat their own poop
- They can not vomit
- Their vision covers almost 360 degrees
- Their teeth never stop growing
- Their ears help them stay cool
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