Do I put the bunny back or find a new area?

Question

We found a baby bunny and yes we made the mistake and brought it home. Although she is doing surprisingly well (not getting scared, eating and drinking) I know that its best we put her back. But, where we found her was in a fenced in courtyard area at a middle school. The courtyard is right next to a parking lot but also a field. Other then that though, it is a highly populated, close quartered are. We've had her over night but will take her back if that's best. But should we put her where she was or the field or some other perhaps wooded area? (we thought she was abandoned cause she came up to us and we put her back about where we watched her come from and she just came right back up to us - at our feet! I need help fast because I don't want her to miss out on being with her family if mom is still around (and before we get attached). Again, I just need to know WHERE to put her? Thanks

Answer 1

Put her back where you found her. Depending on her age she may be on her own already. She may be friendly with people because she has been rehabbed and released and is now somewhat imprinted. Hard to tell. Best bet put her back in the field, or courtyard put some food for her. See what happens. Watch for a few. If she keeps coming to you then I would say call a rehabber for advice or maybe you have a new pet. Are you sure she is a wild baby rabbit and not a domestic that someone may have lost? If it is a wild bunny and it keeps coming to you then it is imprinted and may not make it out there. Should be very fearful or humans, dogs, cats, hawks.

Answer 2

I do not know a lot about rabbits but other animals such as foxes, birds etc if you touch their babies the parents may abandon them as human scent is now on them. If the mother came back to collect it and it wasn't there she may have left believing a predator has caught it or its gone. I know that birds give up looking after a short while as i have witnessed them searching.

Also if you do put it back a predator such as a cat may well catch it or it will go onto the road. As human interference has already occured it is up to you what you think is best as i do not know the area in which you have found it. If you fear for the rabbits safety you could wait and give it to a vet, feed it give it water but don't touch it, stroke it or cuddle it as this could well tame the wild rabbit. Make sure that children do not get attached as it is not a pet, it is a wild animal. Remember to always wash your hands after touching the animal it could have some infection or disease.

I know that when i found baby birds the vet always instructed me to put it where i found it even though we live near a lot of cats. They only put the bird down if it was unable to fly other than that they look after them if their injured and release them back to the wild. I do not think the vet will put it down if its a perfectly healthy animal capable of being released again.

Also i had seen on tv a family found baby fox cubs and the vets had wiped them down with a towel and rubbed soil onto them to remove any human scent and then left them in a box where they found them and watched them constantly for a few hours  to avoid predators taking them - the mother did not return for them and they had to take the foxes to an animal centre. However in your situation this may be inconvenient.

If you want to put her back you really should put her where you found her as the mother may have left her there. If i was in your situation and i had already kept it for a night i would worry all night if i released it again so i would keep the rabbit and take it to a vet as soon as i could. they're the experts and they get this sort of thing all the time and can deal with it.

Hope this helps x

Answer 3

Put her back.  Her mother is probably wondering where her kit is.  Rabbits feed their babies at night and only come back to the nests once.  The nest is probably still nicely preserved and is more hidden than you would think.  If you put the rabbit in the field, the mom won't be able to find her and the baby will die.  Put the rabbit back as soon as possible.  Good luck.

Answer 4

I would take her to a nature center in your area if there is one.  If you just take her back where you found her, she may become a victim of a dog or cat attack.  It is very unusual for a wild animal to approach people, so maybe she was picked up by someone and then abandoned.