Cottontail Rabbit

Cottontail rabbits often give birth to multiple litters a year and the young, called kits, can be encountered anytime from spring through fall. The nest is typically a shallow cup scraped into the soil, lined with some of the mother rabbit's fur and dried grasses. In residential areas, these nests are often in unusual locations, such as the middle of a lawn, by a sidewalk, on a playground or in a garden. To avoid attracting the attention of predators to her nest, a mother rabbit does not stay with her kits and only visits the nest briefly at dawn and dusk for quick feedings. She will conceal her nest with fur and dried grasses between feedings to keep it as hidden as possible.

The kits open their eyes at one week old and begin exploring outside the nest for short periods to nibble on grass at about 2 to 3 weeks. A young cottontail rabbit that is about the size of a softball (4-5 inches long) with its eyes open and the ability to hold its ears upright is capable of being on its own and should be left alone. 

Tip: If a nest is disturbed by a pet, child or because of lawn work, the nest should be rebuilt if possible. Put the kits back in the nest and the mother will likely return. It is important to rebuild the nest in the same location, as the mother will not relocate or search for the nest if it is moved. To deter pets from further disturbing the nest, a laundry basket can be placed over the top with a heavy object (e.g., a stump) to prevent your pet from accessing the nest again. It is important to remove the laundry basket before dusk each night to allow the mother to return and feed the kits. The setup can be replaced after dawn each morning to continue protecting the nest. To determine if the nest is abandoned, you can place multiple grass stems or very fine twigs in a crisscross pattern over the nest and check it the following morning. If the pattern has been disturbed, then you know the mother has been there to feed the kits. After you have determined that the kits are not orphaned, do not keep visiting the area, as your scent could lead predators to the nest.