Bunnies
What to do if you find a nest of baby bunnies
Did you know bunnies are one of the most frequently "kidnapped" mammal species?
There aren't many things that are as cute and innocent looking as a baby bunny. Many people assume, because they don't see the mother nearby, that the babies have been abandoned and are helpless.....destined to die without the intervention of a well-meaning human. These good samaritans scoop up the baby bunnies intending to save them when, in reality, they've kidnapped them from their mother and severely jeopardized their chance of survival.
Here's the 411 on baby bunnies:
- Mothers dig a very shallow nest in the ground that is easily uncovered when mowing or raking the yard.
- If you find a rabbit nest, leave it alone!
- Mother rabbits only return to the nest two or three times a day, usually before dawn and right after dusk.
- To determine if the babies are indeed orphaned, either place a string across the nest in a tic-tac-toe design or pour a circle of flour around the nest. Check the nest the next day. If the string or flour is disturbed, then you know that mother has returned and is tending the babies.
- A bunny that is bright eyed and 4-5 inches long is fully independent and does not need to be rescued!
If you've determined the baby does indeed need rescuing, here's what to do:
- Place bunnies in a dark, quiet location. A shoe box works well, with soft towels to snuggle and hide in.
- The natural, healthy body temperature of a bunny is 103 degrees. If not fully-furred yet, place half of the box on a heating pad set to low; let the other half of the box remain unheated so if bunnies get too warm they can wriggle to the cooler side.
- Do not attempt to feed the bunnies. They require a specialized diet and anything you feed them could have fatal results.
- Bunnies are a prey species and while they may look calm, they are actually very, very frightened.
- Bunnies have a very high mortality rate in rehab so their best chance at survival is to remain with their own mother.
- Please call our TAS volunteer rehabbers (WING-IT Wildlife In Need Group-In Tulsa) at 918-508-9607. If there is no answer please send a text to that number rather than leave a voicemail. They will try to walk you through some options for possibly reuniting the babies with their mother.
- If you know a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, call them now. If not, please call our TAS volunteer rehabbers (WING-IT Wildlife In Need Group-In Tulsa) at 918-508-9607. If there is no answer, please send a text to that number rather than leave a voicemail. They will try to walk you through some options for possibly reuniting the babies with their mother.
- If it is determined that bunnies must be removed from the nest, they may be taken to one of our Tulsa area veterinary wildlife partners. These vets work closely with rehabilitators and accept orphaned/injured wildlife from the public free of charge. Currently only one vet in Tulsa, Forest Trails Animal Clinic, will accept wildlife, they are at 6528 E. 100, Ste A, Tulsa, 918-299-8448.