Eastern Cottontail Rabbits are one of the most common species DCHS’s Wildlife Center receives calls about, as they are a frequent backyard visitor in urban areas. A mother rabbit will make her nest, or burrow, digging a shallow spot in a yard, mulch pile, under a bush, or other vegetative area, line it with grasses and belly fur, and place her kits in that spot when she’s ready. She nurses them twice per day at dawn and dusk, leaving the nest alone at all other times to limit anyone from noticing their presence in the area. It takes approximately four weeks from birth to independence for young rabbits to leave the nest, which is when they are at highest risk to predation, human interaction, or contact with companion animals such as dogs or cats outdoors. 

Wildlife rehabilitators are only (legally) allowed to admit wild animals that are deemed sick, injured, or orphaned – something that needs to be verified prior to any admission. DCHS’s Wildlife Center schedules admission appointments daily between 9:00 am – 5:00 pm but calling ahead (608-287-3235) or sending a text to our triage line (608-960-8328) is required before stopping by our facility in-person. This is for many reasons – mainly to reduce the incident of “accidental kidnappings” (unintentional removals) of healthy wildlife from their environment and to provide the best-possible advice for every situation, including when to intervene. If possible, send a photo of the animal, surroundings, or situation to provide us with extra information that we can assess. 

A baby animal has the BEST chance of survival when raised by its parent, if they are present and available. Humans (including rehabilitators) are not the best substitute, no matter the situation – high risk to predation in the wild or not. Most calls from the public come from concerns about a predator, companion animal, or child(ren) getting into a rabbit’s nest and wondering how they can keep them safe. If the animals have been injured, rehabilitation services are likely warranted. If not, it’s likely safest to leave the babies in the nest for mom to continue caring for them. Check out our website for reuniting instructions if they’ve been displaced, and for suggestions about how to test if mom is returning to the nest to nurse them regularly. However, advice will also depend on their age and condition, which photos can aid in determining. 

How do you age wild Eastern Cottontail rabbits? Here are a few helpful criteria to look for: 

How do you know if Eastern Cottontail rabbits have been fed? Here are a few helpful things to check: 

• Are their bellies full or empty? If they’re plump and round, mom has been there recently. If their abdomens are sunken in, they may be starving. Somewhere in-between is difficult to tell, especially during the middle of the day when they might be in the process of digesting. 

• Can you confirm they’ve been fed? Do you have a video-recording device you can place in view of the nest during dawn/dusk times when mom would normally feed them? Home security cameras, cell phones, or trail cameras are great options to catch footage, if it’s safe to leave them somewhere in your yard. Check back later to see what kind of evidence you find! If you don’t have a way to catch video footage, try one of these simple tests using flour, yarn, or blades of grass to see if mom disturbs the area during feeding time:  

For situations where pets might have some time unsupervised in a fenced-in yard where a rabbit has nested, covering the nest temporarily during the time pets are out can prevent them from contacting the babies directly. Laundry baskets, wheelbarrows, or crates work well for most people, as long as there is adequate ventilation to the nest and a weight to keep animals from digging up, flipping over, or pushing over the barrier. The barrier MUST be removed before mom comes back to nurse her young, so it’s meant as a temporary solution. More permanent solutions include on-leash walks, dog parks, or investing in Catios for outdoor cats. 

When in doubt, contact a local licensed wildlife rehabilitator listed for rabbit rehabilitation for further advice. Otherwise, please keep kids, pets, and disturbances (i.e., avoid mowing the lawn or weed whacking) at bay until the babies have disbursed safely away from the nest site to continue their development and independence.  

Jackie Edmunds is the Wildlife Program Manager at DCHS's Wildlife Center.