by Cindy Fromm

Created on: April 11, 2009

Cottontail Rabbit: Raising A Wild Baby

Not much is ever said about the real rabbits who are the cottontail rabbits living in our backyards. This article is devoted to those who have encountered a baby bunny or a nest of bunnies and need advice on how to take care of them.

It is important to remember that just because you do not see a mama around certainly does not mean that the bunnies are orphaned. Mama bunnies only come around to feed their babies once or twice a day. Unless you sit and stare at the nest for hours everyday the chances are slim that you will even see her but trust me she is taking care of her babies. Also if you move the nest to place it in a safer environment the mother will not find it and then the babies will be orphaned.

A cottontail has territories that they know extremely well and do not venture outside of this area. It is better to leave the nest alone and try to shelter it from predators. I have several cottontail nests in my vegetable garden every year and I create a safe place for them and their mamas by fencing off the nest. I have sat for hours, saw where the mother is entering her nest of babies, and left openings for her but at the same time protecting the babies from cats and dogs that are roaming around.

A few years back during spring, my neighbor ran over a nest of bunnies that were in his front yard that had a quiet and safe home until that day. By driving his tractor while mowing over their nest, all of the bunnies were killed except for one lone small bunny that was injured but still alive. I brought him into our home, made a soft bed for him out of a small box filled with grass, twigs, and soft material like his real nest, and made sure he was undisturbed so he could mend.

I have been raising him in my home now for over 4 years, and it is such a pleasure watching him and his antics. He does have permanent injury to his hind legs so by setting him free it would be sending him to his death. I have tried to make the best possible environment I can for him. The trick to raising one successfully is to remember he is wild. He was born outside not in a pet store.

There is a huge difference between a domestic rabbit and a cottontail rabbit. Their personalities are a little similar but cottontails will not make a good pet. They can be your companion and sit by you, follow you around, jump on you but as far as trying to pet them when you would like too well that is just not going to happen.

They are born with instincts and are flighty

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