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General "Spring has sprung" ... Cottontails and even some Jackrabbits can be found in many areas that have been newly developed. Some can even be found in "established" neighborhoods where small groups have been able to "hide out". Too many times to count, we're asked what to do with a wild baby bunny. The short answer is LEAVE IT ALONE! Overview "Wild" by definition means "without human intervention". For this discussion, we'll call all wild bunnies "Cottons". First, Cottons do not make burrows. Second, Cottons are actually solitary animals. A female's range is around 7-9 acres while a male's range can be up to 100 acres. A momma Cotton will seek what is a safe place, in her estimation, to nest. She cannot allow for human eventualities, but she does the best she can. A Cotton will not begin a nest until a day or two before birth - again, to avoid detection, even by others of her species. She's concerned both about predators to her (and her kits) and male Cottons. Adult males will kill newborns in an effort to reduce future competition for does. Momma Cotton will dig a slight hole no more than a few inches deep and long - more of a "depression" to you and me. She then lines it with grass and her own fur. After giving birth, she will also cover the kits or make a burrow of sorts in the grass and fur for their protection. "I found this bunny ..." This is where we humans enter the picture. We - wrongly - assume that, because we see no mother, the nest or baby is abandoned. Here's the story: Momma is in the nest in the morning and evening to nurse and otherwise leaves the babies literally alone. This is by design. She can lead a predator away from the nest if she's not in it. Along with the fact that there is simply no reason for her to be with her young - they only need her milk, not her. Sometimes a mower will uncover a nest. If, because it is a low spot, the babies are unharmed, simply cover the nest a bit with some grass and LEAVE IT ALONE. Babies begin to develop their "land legs" after a couple of weeks and begin to wander. Mortality is high at this point, but there is nothing we humans can do about that. If you happen upon a wild baby or it happens upon your property, you have two choices only: 1. LEAVE IT ALONE or 2. Return it to the grassy area from whence it came. In either case, surprisingly to most humans, the baby will return to the nest at "feeding time". "My cat brought in this bunny ..." If a baby bunny is injured, that's another story. Call us or find a wildlife rehabilitator. We're certified to rehabilitate, but someone that does it "full time" is, in most cases, better suited to the task. If a housecat "drags one home", waste no time finding help. Cat saliva is almost like venom to a bunny and injuries can be multiple. The problem with housecats is that they don't kill except by accident. A feral (wild-?) cat kills for food. A housecat "plays" with its prey - like a toy that requires no batteries - until it's no fun anymore (dead) by biting, clawing, releasing and recapturing. If you own a cat and care at all about wild animals, birds, etc., PLEASE put a bell on its collar so the unsuspecting will be warned. "So, what's the "bottom line"? Unless you actually see the momma Cotton dead, do not assume that a baby needs help. God and the bunnies have been doing this for a long, long time - they can handle it without us. Remember the "short answer" -- LEAVE IT ALONE. |
