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Game Warden pick up or wait ?

  • Game Warden pick up

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Wait and see if she comes back

    Votes: 2 100.0%
  • Total voters
    2
Augustus&HazelGrace

Augustus&HazelGrace

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So yesterday afternoon my puppy found a nest of rabbits in our yard. When we shocked her to make her let go (She is a bird dog and we don't want her messing with rabbits, plus we didn't want to have her hurt the babies), she dropped the baby and I think her back is broke, she is dragging her back legs when she walks. The other babies, there are 5, I hope, that we found that was out of the nest and I put them back in the nest and covered them back up. My dad mowed so I put a plastic kiddie pool over them so he wouldn't run over them. I put the x of sticks on top to see if mom would come back, this was before dusk, and I checked this morning before I left for school and she has not come back. My dad doesn't want me to put them in with my nursing does who have litters the same age due to possible diseases. So, I'm thinking if she hasn't come back by this afternoon then I will call our local game warden to take them to a rehabilitator. Is this a good idea or should I give longer to see if she will come back? Also, they all seemed to have an angled back almost like a 90* angle is this normal?
 
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Hello, I am new to this form, however I am not new to rabbits. Hopefully I can provide some help. You mentioned that you had placed a kiddie pool over top of the nest? The concept of protecting them wonderful, but can the mother get inside to her nest? Even if she can, this may deter her from returning. I would remove the kiddie pool and place an open wire cage with no bottom over the nest. I would make that adjustment and then leave them for one more night before taking them to a rehab. You also said that one kit was dragging it’s back legs. I would take that one to a rehab immediately. If you could take a picture of the other ones, that would be helpful for me to see if they look normal. I agree with your Dad as to the wild kits possibly spreading a disease. This may be a rare occasion, but it is better to be safe that sorry. I have tried to raise an older injured kit myself, and it didn’t make it, so I wouldn’t suggest that option either. I am sure that it is possible, but taking them to a rehab will give them a much better chance. Hopefully someone else will come along and offer some more advise, but I’m hoping that this helps you some.
 
I took it off when he got done mowing, sorry I should have mentioned that. I don't have anything to take a picture with, my phone is broke, or I would.
 
No worries! Since you can’t take a photo, you should be able to compare their body shape to that of your domestic rabbit kits. Are the wild kits bellies full or shrunken? Also, are they calling all the time or are they quiet?
 
They are very different than that of mine. As of yesterday afternoon when I put them in there, the bellies were not sunken badly, but I don't think they are getting adequate amounts of milk, they are not as full as my kits. They are very quiet, I never heard a sound from them. One baby kept escaping from the nest and I kept putting him back in. But the others didn't move very much when I held the escapee he was wriggling when I held the others they barely moved at all.
 
Hmmm... that doesn't sound so good. Maybe you should go ahead and take them to a rehabilitator. How old would you estimate them to be?
 
Please get them to a wildlife rehabber if the mom has not returned. Marking with sticks was the right thing to do. Keep other objects and animals away.
DO NOT BRING THEM NEAR YOUR OWN RABBITS.
Stop picking them up.
Just leave them be. Keep your scent away from them.
 
I only picked them up to put them in the nest I haven't touched them since. And I am keeping my dog away. And the pool was only on there to make sure my dad didn't kill them when mowing, I took it off after he was done, and put the escapee baby back in. I have not messed with the nest since then. I just looked at the sticks this morning to see if she had come back. I'm not bringing them near my rabbits. The nest is 20 feet away from my rabbits.
 
Eyes open around 7-13 days. ~ Glad you are protecting them and monitoring for full bellies in case Mom does return. AND Most of all, keeping your dog away.

Contact local wildlife rehabber with experience in cottontails. Our local cottontail "mom" has a compassionate interest.

The disabled kit will need an experienced rehabber - who may be able to keep as sanctuary wildlife.

FYI, DNR has little interest in seeing cottontails survive.
 
Dept of Natural Resources. I've heard things about their views on cottontails but will not repeat.

7-10 days prior to eyes opening is a difficult time for young kits. Infants truly need the colostrum in mom's milk jugs to establish the proper bacteria for digestion at a later age (3-4 weeks).

Rehabbers have the proper formula mix. Hoping for a positive outcome for your nestlings, Thanks for showing them kindness and doing all you can to help survival chances!
 
The little baby who can't move his back legs will have an insurmountable time trying to escape a nocturnal or diurnal predator; raccoon, hawk, fox, coyote, snake. That boy should be taken to a rehabilitator asap. Unfortunatly, at our center where caring cottontail moms are minimal, the babe may be euthanized. Better than being torn apart by a crow, though, as his chances to freeze/flee/fight in the wild are poor.
 
Good idea with the pool cover, too, or a semi-elevated yard wheelbarrow, etc., leaving mom enough room to sneak in underneath just in case she's still around? Crows and hawks, overhead predators, will see the juveniles moving and not give them any chances to scamper away (run and hide) to safe-haven brush piles, log piles, under a deck area, behind bushes...
 
Augustus&HazelGrace, where are you located in KY? I may know of a good rehab if you are close Cincy.
 
When I get home I will check on them. The pool is for my dog to cool off in, which is why I didn't leave it on there, because of my dog's scent. I just did it during when he was mowing. They blend in so well with the ground I don't think that we have to worry about any birds, plus I covered them up. I live in Western Ky.
 
Ok guys now I feel really bad, we should have checked the yard before we let her in the yard, making her stay away from the first nest of course, well she found another nest and dug them up and got a hold of another one paralyzing it, both moms have been back, we had to scoop up the second litter and put them back, I don't think we got all of them there were only 4, I checked on the other litter and there was an extra one, It's a surprise he was uninjured from the lawnmower. I will be taking both paralyzed ones to the rehabber tomorrow. The second litter is about 2 weeks old. Now we are keeping the dog on the leash instead of letting her roam around the yard on the shock collar until the babies are out of the nest, we checked for more nests but just incase.
 
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