Found a baby cottontail outside, should I put it back even though I found it next to the road (our garden)....

Question

And in a place where there are ALOT of cats roaming around. I feel bad. It looks like this right now

http://www.yorkcenterforwildlife.org/images/cottontail-rabbit-baby-sm.jpg

Should I put it back and make it fight for it's life. I heard the proper way is to give it goats milk and no veggies whatsover.

Thanks and hope to have some advice.

Answer 1

dont put it back cuz after u touched it the mommy wont take it back and either it will get hit by a car or a kitty will get it. go to ur local pet store and ask for pointers and stuff.

Answer 2

Call a liscenced wild life rehabilatator. They will give you a proffessional opinon.

Answer 3

Put it back outside.  If its ears are upright it can survive on its own, it's survival chances are better out there than with you.  Wild rabbits almost never survive in captivity for long.  http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/orpha...

Answer 4

Yes, put it back it has a better chance of survival in it's natural environment then you taking it in.. It's mother is around somewhere, mother rabbits leave their young for hours at a time, unlike birds..

Answer 5

Call an animal shelter for advice. Do not put it back near the road where it can get killed. Keep your eyes open for the mother rabbit. Hopefully you can put it back near its den so that she can take care of it.

Answer 6

Find an animal??  LEAVE IT ALONE!!

Don't ever assume the baby you  find is abandoned and don't interfere.

If it is nature's way for the neighborhood predators to find it, then so be it.  It's call the Circle of Life.  Only the strong survive.

Answer 7

Don't touch it! Put it back nearby, somewhere out of danger. The mom might be around or might have put it out because of some defect. Nature is like that.  Just let nature take it's course.

Answer 8

Put it back close to where you found it,under a plant or something.Baby cottontails are very hard to keep alive.They will die of shock most of the time.It really has a better chance outside,and it looks nearly big enough to be on it's own. Do not give it any milk,as it is most likely not nursing anymore,but eating grass and other plants.I would release it ASAP.

Answer 9

I work for wildlife rehab, leave it alone.

That  baby is hardly a baby anymore, it's "fledging" from its nest, for lack of a better term with rabbits. It is fine. You will be doing it MUCH more harm than good by coming in contact with it.

Oh by the way, it's a myth that the mother won't take it back because it can smell humans.

Oh yes and for your information, in case something is wrong with it, baby rabbits are EXTREMELY hard to rehab, almost impossible becuase they get so stressed out. Most private rehabbers simply will not take them because they are so hopeless. So please leave it where it is.

Answer 10

put it outside- it is old enough to be on it's own- doesn't need milk anymore. Just grasses and veggies. That rabbit is close to a month old, most likely. You probably found it because at that age, they are very stupid and unsure of what predators are. If you keep it inside, you aren't doing it any favors because it cannot learn what will or will not eat it. Most wild rabbits die in their first month out of the nest- otherwise the world would be overrun with rabbits.