Help! I’ve Found an Injured Animal!
Eastern Cottontail
Wild Eastern Cottontail mothers make their nests in shallow holes dug in the ground. The mother lines the nest with fur pulled from her body, covering the babies with the fur and dry grass & twigs. Often, these nests are uncovered by people’s pets, or while mowing the lawn.
The important thing to remember is that a mother rabbit only comes two to three times a day to feed her babies. Eastern Cottontails are "crepuscular," which means they are most active at dusk and dawn. They feed their babies in the early morning, and a few times before it gets dark. Otherwise, the mother is absent from the nest, mainly staying away to avoid alerting a predator that there are babies there. Staying away is the mom’s way of protecting her babies, and in no way should be confused with abandonment.
If the nest is accidentally uncovered, look to see if the babies are injured. Do you see any cuts or bleeding? If not, put them back and cover them back up. Please note: touching a baby mammal briefly will NOT make the mother abandon or leave them. This is a myth. If your dog is the one that uncovers them, the kindest thing to do is to walk your dog on a leash, or keep him/her in another part of the yard. Baby rabbits grow up really fast! Within three weeks, they will be on their own. Removing them from their nest because of inconvenience's sake is putting their lives at risk. Eastern Cottontail babies are very nervous and stressed out; simply being in captivity is often enough to kill them. People sometimes think that young rabbits are comforted by petting as they will remain very still when they are touched. In fact, is is more accurate to think of this stillness as being "frozen in fear," petting is no comfort to a wild animal.
If you are unsure if the mom has returned to care for her young, you can put twigs in a “X” fashion over the nest, or place string in an “X”. Check to see if the string has been moved the next day. If moved, the mom has been back and the babies should be left alone. If the “X” is not moved, carefully check to see if the babies are warm. Sometimes, the babies can nurse and not disturb the string or twigs. If they are cold/limp, they need assistance. Remove them and call our hotline for further assistance. Do not try and feed them, even if a local pet store advises it is okay to do so. Keep the babies warm by placing them in a dark cardboard box with holes in it. Place the box partially on top of the heating pad, set on low, so that the animal has the opportunity to move to the part of the box not on heat if so desired. If you do not have a heating pad, you can fill a rubber glove or plastic bottle with warm water and place it in the box. Be sure to get the animal(s) to help before the water gets cold.
If a baby bunny has been caught by a dog or cat, follow the instructions for containment above and call our hotline for further assistance.
Click here to learn more about Eastern Cottontails' natural history and how to identify and help orphaned babies.
How do you determine if a baby bunny needs help?
Any baby that is pink with little fur, with eyes closed and ears down, is still in need of its mother’s care.
Baby rabbits stay in the nest for 3–4 weeks, and are about 4" when they leave. Their eyes are open, and their ears are up. They look like little adults and are self-sufficient.
A Note on Keeping Wild Bunnies as Pets
Volunteers for Wildlife receives many inquiries from people who have found a wild bunny and would like to raise it at home, and/or keep it as a pet. Please understand that it is not in the best interests of the bunny to do this, nor is it in your own best interests. Wild rabbits are prey animals, consequently, they are easily stressed by being in close contact with humans - they perceive us as predators! Our wildlife rehabilitation clinic does not keep wild rabbits for educational purposes, because they are terrified of humans. Wild cottontail rabbits are not the same species as domestic pet bunnies, and even a wild bunny raised from a baby will not grow up to be tame. Both young and adult rabbits can die simply from the stresses of being handled, being around domestic cats & dogs, hearing loud household noises, etc. For more information, please read our complete set of articles on keeping wild animals as pets.
If you would like a pet bunny, we strongly encourage you to adopt a domestic bunny - there are many affectionate pet bunnies that need caring homes!
Here are a few links to pet rabbit rescue & adoption groups on Long Island and beyond.
Long Island Rabbit Rescue
The House Rabbit Society