GIVE BABY BUNNIES THEIR BEST CHANCE
Each spring, as the grass grows taller and nests are tucked quietly into backyards, we start to hear the same worried question: “I found baby bunnies all alone—have they been abandoned?”
It’s a natural reaction.
The babies are small, still, and there’s no sign of their mother anywhere nearby. But in most cases, they haven’t been abandoned at all. Mother rabbits only return to their nests a couple of times a day, usually at dawn and dusk, to avoid drawing attention from predators. The rest of the time, they stay away on purpose. What looks like neglect is actually a survival strategy that gives those babies their best chance.
When baby bunnies are picked up and brought to a wildlife center, their chances of survival can actually decrease.
They are incredibly fragile, and even the stress of being handled can be too much for their tiny bodies. At our Wildlife Center, caring for them requires careful, specialized feeding and a very gentle touch, but despite every effort, stress alone can cause them to decline.
The best thing we can do is often the hardest: leave them right where they are.
If the nest is undisturbed and the babies appear healthy, keeping a safe distance gives mom the space she needs to return and care for them. That quiet patience can make all the difference.
If you’re unsure what to do, we’ve put together a helpful guide with step-by-step instructions on when to intervene and how to safely re-nest baby bunnies: HERE
And when intervention is truly needed, our wildlife team is ready—providing expert care and compassion to give these delicate babies a fighting chance.
To get a hold of our wildlife team, you can call or email them at wildlife@ahconnects.org OR (847) 697-2880 x25
