Baby bunnies best left untouched
Q. We are so concerned. There is a batch of baby bunnies in the middle of our yard that we discovered while cutting the grass. I nearly ran them over, but have not seen the mother at all. Should I take them in and care for them?
-- Diane Leyton, Naperville
A. So, glad you asked this important question. To address your most-pressing question of whether or not to take the baby bunnies in, resist your initial nurturing instinct - do not take the baby rabbits in. I know this is oftentimes difficult because you want to help. If you already have taken in the baby rabbits in question, don't panic over the myth of mom rejecting them due to human scent. Simply return them to the nest ASAP. Momma bunny will not reject them for being briefly handled by you, but the babies will be extremely stressed and can die from the stress alone. Also, do not feed them or give them water.
Even experienced wildlife rehabilitators lose over 95 percent of tiny infant bunnies that are without fur or eyes open due to their complex needs. (It is against the law in Illinois to posses a wild rabbit.) If the rabbit is larger than your fist, ears perked up and eyes open, this is a baby that is now on its own and should be placed in the thickest wooded area available.
Diane, baby bunnies are abundant this time of the year and rabbit moms choose wide open spaces, which made your lawn an appealing nesting spot. Shockingly this process of building her nest usually occurs undetected.
Important facts are that 90 percent of baby bunnies brought to wildlife rehabilitators are not orphaned or abandoned as reported by Animals for Awareness. It is a little-known fact that the feeding time for mom and babies only lasts for 3 to 5 minutes in the wee hours of the morning or late into the night. She is purposely elusive to protect her nest from predators.
Baby rabbits in the middle of your yard can be frustrating because of the need to mow your grass or let your dog out, but maybe I can help.
First, note that rabbits only remain in the nest for approximately 4 weeks, so mow around the area during this time. If you have a dog in the yard you have a few choices. You may move the nest, but only by about 5 feet so mom will find them. This is done by digging a small angled hole and lining it with the original nest materials, covering the babies gently with some of the material. Touching should be minimal and only when necessary. Your second choice is to protect the nest by either leash walking your dog or covering the nest with a laundry basket with a heavy rock to secure it and leaving an opening large enough for mom to come in and feed her babies.
Baby rabbits should be removed and brought to a wildlife rehabilitator only if an adult rabbit has been killed nearby and the rabbits appear to be unattended. If they appear healthy the following day, the rabbit that died was probably not the mom.
Wildlife usually needs little intervention from us, but in extreme cases it is necessary to find a licensed rehabilitator to help the critters. For a list of local rehabilitators go to: www.dupageco.org/animalcontrol click on Animal Investigations at left and scroll to the bottom of the page for a listing of Wildlife Rehabilitators Serving DuPage County.
Kerry Vinkler is director of DuPage County Animal Care and Control. If you would like to ask a question, e-mail animalcontrol@dupageco.org, or write to DuPage County Animal Care and Control, 120 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60187. You can also visit www.dupageco.org/animalcontrol, or call (630) 407-2800.