# Help Needed Fast! I just disturbed a rabbit nest with my lawnmower!



## Sunny & the 5 egg layers

I was just mowing a portion of my property that I havent mowed in a while. The weeds were about 2 feet high. All of a sudden little baby bunnies started running out of the grass.

I have determined these bunnies are about 2 weeks old. I searched around my property and I gathered up 5 of them. One of them I knicked with the lawnmower and it is bleeding from its foot.



How do I go about releasing these guys back into the wild? Should I recreate the nest with weeds in the same spot I found them? Also will the mother reject the bunny with the sore foot? I'm going to put peroxide on his foot to clean it out.



Thank you!


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## terrilhb

If you hold on for a minute I can try to find out for you. I will be right back.


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## Sunny & the 5 egg layers

terrilhb said:
			
		

> If you hold on for a minute I can try to find out for you. I will be right back.


Thank you.


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## terrilhb

If You Find A Baby Rabbit

Cottontail rabbits nest from March through September and may have as many as four litters per year. The average litter contains four to five babies. Young rabbits disperse from the nest at 15-20 days old. By three weeks of age, they are on their own in the wild and no longer require a mothers care. If you find a baby rabbit:

Is the rabbit injured (bleeding, broken bones, puncture wounds, been in a cats mouth, open wounds, etc.)?
 If YES, take the rabbit to your nearest wildlife veterinarian or rehabilitator.
 If NO, see below.

Is the rabbit fully furred with its eyes opened?
 If YES, if the rabbit is larger than a baseball and weighs more than 4 ounces or 100 grams, it is on its own and does not need human intervention.
 If NO, attempt to locate the nest (a shallow depression on the ground possibly lined with rabbit fur and/or grass; cottontail rabbits do not burrow) and put the rabbit back. Nests that must be moved (due to construction) may be relocated up to 20 feet away from the original site (scoop up and rebuild the nest with the mothers fur and place the babies inside). Check back briefly once a day for two days. If the rabbits appear to be plump and healthy, leave them alone. Mother rabbits feed at dusk and dawn. You are not likely to ever see the mother. If the rabbits appear thin and weak, have wrinkled, baggy skin, contact a state licensed small mammal rehabilitator in your area immediately. Rabbits may be temporarily moved for mowing if they are returned to the nest before dusk. Do not attempt to mow within 10 feet of a rabbits nest if there are babies present. If you suspect the nest is abandoned, you can sprinkle the area with flour or cross two twigs over the nest and check back in 24 hours. If there is no sign of activity at the nest, you will then need to get the bunnies to a licensed rehabilitator.
This is all I have gotten so far. I hope this helps. If you need anything else just let me know. If I find anything else I will let you know. Please let me know what happens to them.


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## Sunny & the 5 egg layers

Thank you so much for all you have done! 

I just dipped the rabbit with the foot issue in peroxide, he may have lost a toe but otherwise he looks fine.


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## terrilhb

How is it going?


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## Sunny & the 5 egg layers

terrilhb said:
			
		

> How is it going?


I made a new nest for them yesterday. I used some grass and leaned a bunch of tall weeds laying over it. The new spot is just a couple feet from the old one. 
This morning I went to check on them and the nest doesn't look disturbed at all, and I found a baby a couple feet away from the nest. I don't think the mom ever came back to feed her babies last night. Does it sound that way to you too?

Here are some pictures I took yesterday of them:

Dipping the one with the sore foot in peroxide:


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## PinkFox

wild rabbits generally only return to the nest ONCE a day usually dusk or dawn,  (and if she knwos the nest has been disturbed she may "skip" a feeding to make sure theres nothing about that would be a problem.  the rest of the time the babies will be left completly alone (for thier saftey as well as mommas) once those eyes open they are mobile and will be nbbling on frass and leaves so i woudlnt worry too much.


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## terrilhb

PinkFox said:
			
		

> wild rabbits generally only return to the nest ONCE a day usually dusk or dawn,  (and if she knwos the nest has been disturbed she may "skip" a feeding to make sure theres nothing about that would be a problem.  the rest of the time the babies will be left completly alone (for thier saftey as well as mommas) once those eyes open they are mobile and will be nbbling on frass and leaves so i woudlnt worry too much.


X2. I also read somewhere you can sprinkle baby powder around the nest. That way you can see if there are any footprints. Not in the nest though. They look really healthy. So very cute. What a good job you are doing. Awesome.


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## pennylove

terrilhb said:
			
		

> PinkFox said:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> wild rabbits generally only return to the nest ONCE a day usually dusk or dawn,  (and if she knwos the nest has been disturbed she may "skip" a feeding to make sure theres nothing about that would be a problem.  the rest of the time the babies will be left completly alone (for thier saftey as well as mommas) once those eyes open they are mobile and will be nbbling on frass and leaves so i woudlnt worry too much.
> 
> 
> 
> X2. I also read somewhere you can sprinkle baby powder around the nest. That way you can see if there are any footprints. Not in the nest though. They look really healthy. So very cute. What a good job you are doing. Awesome.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't use baby powder, it's filled with perfumes that the doe wont like and it might prevent her from getting too close. Perhaps corn starch? Less odor and edible, if the rabbits should have to clean it off their feet.


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## aggieterpkatie

You can put string or yarn around the nest, and if/when the mom returns she'll disturb the yarn.


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## Sunny & the 5 egg layers

My dogs were just barking in the direction of the baby bunnies, so I walked out there. I walked slowly just to be sure the mother rabbit wasn't there. I found one of the babies had left the nest and was upside down crying. I flipped it over and it flipped upside down again. I put it back with the others and it was still crying extremely loud. I did the dehydration test and it seems to be dehydrated. It's skin went down pretty slowly. 

What should I do? Non of the others are crying.


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## Sunny & the 5 egg layers

I was just able to find their old nest, including the mothers fur. I transported all of the babies to the nest.  They all look pretty healthy-- including the one with the sore foot.


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## Sunny & the 5 egg layers

The mother came back last night! This morning I realized all of the babies are gone. No sign of a predator. So I'm assuming the mom relocated them? Do rabbits usually do this if they sense something has been messing with their babies?


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## terrilhb

I am not sure. I would think she relocated them. You did an awesome job.


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## Sunny & the 5 egg layers

terrilhb said:
			
		

> I am not sure. I would think she relocated them. You did an awesome job.


Thanks. Just an update- 
The babies are back (or at least one baby is). I walked out there this morning and there was a baby in the nest looking back at me. I didn't bother to look inside the nest as I didn't want mother rabbit to move them again (in case she was watching). 

Maybe they just went on a field trip yesterday? Lol. 


*Edited for a typo.


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## terrilhb

Thank you for the update. I am glad they are doing so well. Please keep me updated. You have done fantastic.  They were out exploring with mommy. LOL. They knew you would check on the one still home. LOL


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## Sunny & the 5 egg layers

terrilhb said:
			
		

> Thank you for the update. I am glad they are doing so well. Please keep me updated. You have done fantastic.  They were out exploring with mommy. LOL. They knew you would check on the one still home. LOL


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