WHAT SHOULD YOU DO IF YOU FIND A LONE BABY BUNNY?

Recently, there has been increased rabbit activity around the yard, particularly near the house. Given the season, my search for a hidden nest began. Despite my best effort to find the little fur balls, the mother rabbit proved too skilled at concealing her young.

This morning, while I was out admiring the newly emerging plants, the discovery of a significant amount of fur near the driveway led to an old bunny nest. Evidently, the occupants had recently departed, leaving behind only fur and a small indentation among the bee balm. Now, I know that wasn't there yesterday so my guess is those babies exited sometime in the last 24 hours. 

The nest near the driveway

The location of the nest, adjacent to the driveway, was quite surprising. Not the safest spot, but I'm glad there were no issues with that. Wildlife never ceases to shock, amuse, or amaze me. It's always something new and unexpected.

Years ago, I was doing some yard work when a tiny baby bunny popped out of its nest. He was all alone, which surprised me. No siblings were in sight so I gently put him back inside, covered the nest with leaves, and laid a string across it to see if mom would visit him on the overnight. Unfortunately, the temp dropped significantly that night, and the next morning the poor little guy was dead. 

The bunny that died from the cold

I've since learned if you find a very small baby bunny and it's going to be cold outside, it's best to take it to a wildlife rehab center for care. Baby bunnies can't regulate their body temp like older bunnies, so they need external warmth to survive. 

But before rushing a bunny to a rehabber, give them a quick call because size matters - tiny ones are super vulnerable but older babies still in the nest may be less at risk of the cold, so getting some advice is the best first step to finding out what you should do. 

Generally, it's best to leave bunnies be. Mom only visits twice daily to feed them, once in the morning and once at night. If your dog or kids are a worry, gently place a laundry basket or something similar over the top of the nest for protection and weight it down with a rock.

This image is taken from the Calamity Jane Wildlife Refuge Facebook page

In just 4-5 weeks, those little bunnies will be big and independent, ready to hop off on their own adventures so a little patience and protection can make a world of difference to these little guys.