“If you touch them mom wont come back” is a myth for all animals. You can put uninjured babies back in the nest, and you can pick them up to check their bellies, then place them back in the nest. Round, full looking bellies means that babies have been fed recently. Skinny, shriveled bellies mean the babies are dehydrated and you should call a rehabber.

Mom bunnies only come visit the nest once or twice a day to feed, and then leave. You likely won’t see them! That doesn’t mean that the nest has been abandoned though.
If you’re nervous that the nest has been abandoned, you can put some short pieces of string in a tic tac toe pattern over the nest in the evening, and then by morning if mom has been back, the pattern should be disturbed. A ring of flour around the outside of the nest can work too to monitor if mom has returned.

Never move the nest. Baby bunnies are born without scent, and mother rabbits cannot physically pick them up and move them like a cat. If you move the location of the nest, she will not be able to find them to feed.

If any of the babies are injured, or they look dehydrated – call a rehabber! Check your states DEC/DNR list, or ahnow.org to find the closest help.

Never feed the babies. Please call for help. It is very difficult to save animals that have been fed improperly. Call for assistance. Orphaned rabbits require syringe feeding with tiny nipples – they will aspirate and get pneumonia from a dropper or a “kitten bottle”, and they require proper formula. Please find proper assistance. Improper feeding will make them sick.

We don’t tell you not to feed them because we want to deny you the fun experience, we say it because we’ve all gotten in finder fed animals and had them die from pneumonia or poor nutrition related illness. If you’re interested in feeding babies, volunteer with an experienced rehabber and learn the correct methods.

If a baby bunny has been in an animal’s mouth, it needs a rehabber asap. Always. Cats have a very aggressive bacteria in their mouths and under their nails, so any animal that has been in a tussle with a cat requires antibiotics. Dog’s can cause internal injuries, so even if there’s no apparent injuries – if a baby has been picked up by your dog it should be brought to a rehabber or vet for assessment.

Protecting the nest: a laundry basket turned over with a hole cut in it, a pallet over top, or even an upturned and propped up wheelbarrow are great options to deter neighborhood pets from the nest. See the images below for some great examples!

When in doubt, call your local rehabber for advice and they can help you determine if intervention is needed.