Found wild bunnies in backyard - need help

Hello everyone! Just joined so I cansee if anyone has advice. I'll try to make this short andsweet. We live in a city on a corner lot and we have aSiberian Husky. Our husky likes rabbits and we unfortunatelyfind adults wild rabbits dead in our fenced in backyard. Lastnight when my husband was crossing our yard he stepped into a hole, butit felt squishy so thankfully he didn't step with nearly anyweight. What he found was a hole with seven bunnies init. Our dog hasn't been outside much in the past 2 weeksbecause of rain. We called around to some animal resues tofind out what we can do because leaving them in the hole in the middleof our backyard wasn't an option because sooner or later our dog willfind them. Surprised she hasn't yet, but that's because thebunnies have no scent. Anyway, none of the resue places wouldtake them and told us to move the den. We didn't have verymany options to move them since we have neighbors, but we dug a newhole outside of the fence and still on our property. We thinkit will be okay there. We moved the bunnies and the beddingthough I'm not sure if the hole is deep enough. We are hopingthat the momma will find them there. What are the chances ofthat happening? It's weird that momma had chosen the middleof our yard since we have no trees and no bushes only dog smelleverywhere. Now if the momma doesn't find them, will theysurvive? There is 7 of them and they are all about 4 - 4 1/2inches long when they aren't stretched out. The resue thoughtthey were about 14 days and that they are close to the age when theyare on their own to feed. If the momma doesn't come back,what do I feed them?

Thanks in advance!

Adopted Momma

Best advice I can giveisforyouto link to the following site forinformation regarding how to deal with the immeidate problems you seemto have.

http://www.wildliferescueleague.org/report/nova_rabbit.html

Be sure to read the entire site, as it later goes on about how to dealwith the babies if you are unable to return them to their mother, orfind an animal rehabilitation center that will accept them.

Another excellent site, with valuable links that may be of service to you is:

http://www.geocities.com/crawdadcreekrehab/OrphanedBunny.html

It is supposed to be a tough row to hoe, but it has been done on occasion. I wish you and the buns the utmost of luck.

Buck

Thanks for the links. Unfortunately allthe links say to not move them, but there is no way we can keep our dogaway from the area once she sees the bunnies. I'm afraid thatthey have a 50/50 chance. It looks like they mustbe 10-14 days old. It looks like the new den was messed up alittle so maybe the momma found them. Otherwise I will tryand put some food down for them.

What about a wire "cover" over the nest, permitting the Momma rabbit to go through and the dog not to?

Obviously, not everything in those sites will apply. Use whatyou can and discard the rest. I thought the state listings ofrehabilitation centers in the second link might be of value toyou. Did you see that?

Buck

Yes I did see the phone numbers and we called theones in Wisconsin (that's where we are) last nightand theyhad us call another person who takes in animals, but she only takescare of birds so she called another person whom told us that they couldbe close to being on their own anyway and that if we have to move themthen we have to. No one was able to just come and get them,which was what I really wanted. What it seemed to me is thatsince rabbits around here are alot like squirrels, if they don'tsurvive,it wasn't a concern.

When I went home for lunch I peeked at them from afar and I did putsome fresh clover and some oatmeal next to the hole in hopes that maybethey will munch on it or perhaps the momma will come that direction andfind them. I'll just keep on trying until they hop away!

Well, all you can do is all you can do. I wish you and the buns the utmost of luck and success.

Buck

Good News! When we got home last nightthe momma was in the backyard so I scared her towards the corner wherewe put her babies and she had to have gone right past them. Ichecked back about an hour later and she was at the nest eating theoatmeal and taking care of her babies!!! To make sure thatshe was actully checking on the little ones I put a few leaves over thetop of them and checked tonight and the leaves had been moved aroundand she was near by. No more worries!

Thank you for all of your help!

Great outcome! This is what we all hoped for. Donna