I Found a Bunny, Now What?

Rabbits make their nests in shallow depressions in the grass. The nest is lined with fur and loosely covered with grass. Rabbits have evolved to have a stomach capacity larger than other mammals and are able to hold a great deal of milk. As a result, the mothers only visit the nest twice a day (early morning and dusk) to feed the babies, thus reducing the chances of attracting predators to the nest.

Baby rabbits are often found when people disturb the nests while mowing the grass. If this happens to you, do the following:

1. Make sure that the babies are not injured.

2. Place the babies back into the nest and cover it loosely with grass.

3. To be sure that the mother has come back to the nest, place several strands of string or yarn over the nest. If the string has not been moved by morning, then the mother has probably not returned

If you find healthy bunnies that are at least five inches long, able to hop, with eyes open and ears up, they do not need help. They are able to survive on their own and should be left alone.

Baby rabbits should be picked up only as a last resort, such as when you know that the parents are dead or injured. Young rabbits are difficult to rehabilitate and more often than not, do not survive the stress of being handled.

If the parents do not return, or the bunny needs help...

If the animal is showings signs of injury, or the parents do not return, please call Greenwood Wildlife at (303) 823-8455 to discuss what you observe and to decide with a rehabilitator if the animal you see needs help.

If you determine that an animal needs to be brought to our facility, please follow these instructions for capturing and transporting animals.