Baby Cottontail Nests

A typical Cottontail rabbit nest is a shallow scrape in the ground covered with fur and grass, often in the middle of a lawn. The mother rabbit only visits the nest at night to avoid attracting attention to it. The young rabbits become independent of their mother at about four weeks of age when they are only between four and five inches long.

If you have found a rabbit nest in your yard, simply mark the location so you can mow around it. Instruct children not to disturb the nest. Keep your pets leashed or use another exercise area for the few weeks it takes for the youngsters to grow up and leave the immediate area. The same advice applies if you have seen young rabbits in your yard, though they will move on within several days.

If you suspect a nest has been abandoned, do not touch the babies. Instead, place twigs or pieces of string criss-crossed in a grid pattern over the nest in the evening. Check the nest first thing in the morning. If the twigs have been disturbed, the mother is caring for the babies. If it has not been disturbed, the babies may be orphaned. Do not try to feed or handle the babies until you speak to your local licensed wildlife rehabilitator. If you live in Milwaukee County, call us at (414) 431-6204 for further assistance.

If you have run over a nest with a lawn mower, check all babies for injuries. Uninjured babies should be placed back in the nest and the nest re-covered with the original nest material. Injured bunnies should be transported to your local licensed wildlife rehabilitator in a paper towel-lined, covered box with small holes for ventilation.

If your child brings home a young Cottontail, call a wildlife rehabilitator immediately. Cottontails have very special dietary needs. Improper feeding will cause serious illness or death. If the rabbit's eyes are closed, she must be placed back into the nest. The mother will not reject her babies simply because they have been touched. If her eyes are open, she is at least four inches long and able to hop around, the young rabbit is self-sufficient and should be returned to the location she was found.

If a young rabbit is found in a window well and appears to be healthy, active and uninjured, remove her from the window well and place her nearby, preferably under some bushes. Be sure to cover the well so other wild animals cannot fall into it.

If you find a young Cottontail rabbit who appears weak, injured, listless or ill, she may need to go to your local wildlife rehabililtator. If the rabbit was found in Milwaukee County, call (414) 431-6204 for more information.