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Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

Eastern cottontails feed their young only at night.  You will not find the female at her nest during the day.  Rabbits leave the nest when they are just three weeks old.  A small rabbit with its eyes open, ears standing up and approximately five inches long is self sufficient and does not need your assistance.

Cottontail rabbits are probably the most frequently encountered wildlife infants in urban/suburban back yards. There are about a dozen species of cottontails in the U.S., with the Eastern cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) being the most widely distributed. They nest in shallow depressions in the ground, commonly amongst vegetation. The nest is usually lined with grass and the mother’s fur. They are born in litters of two to eight, hairless and helpless with eyes closed. The eyes open at one week and within three weeks they are weaned and totally independent. A female cottontail may have up to five litters a year from February through October. One reason that so many cottontail rabbits are presumed orphaned is that the mother normally avoids the nest in daytime, feeding the young between dusk and dawn.

If there is a question as to whether or not the young are being cared for, the nest should be rigged to determine if the mother is coming at night. The infants should be covered with the nesting material and a few pieces of string (NOT THREAD) laid over the nest in a manner that would have to be disturbed in order for the mother to get to the infants. If the string is disturbed the following morning, it is safe to assume that the parent has been there. You can also use flour in a 1 to 2-inch wide circle around the nest.  Check for tracks the next morning.

If a rabbit’s nest is being predated by dogs or cats, it can be equipped to keep them out.

A laundry basket, tub, or large bucket can be inverted over the nest during the day.  The container should be weighted down with a rock or heavy object.  This container MUST be removed at dusk to allow the adult mother rabbit to visit the nest at night.  If the nest has been disturbed by dogs, cats, lawn mower, etc., it can be reconstructed and the infants replaced. However, any rabbit that has been in the mouth of a cat or dog should receive medical attention.

A rabbit's nest that is in an inappropriate place should be tolerated for the short nesting period, if possible. An infant Eastern cottontail is only in the nest for approximately three weeks from birth to weaning. A nest on a playground or ball field can be a rewarding educational experience for children, but should be marked and monitored by an adult. If the nest is in an area in which there are hazards that cannot be offset (e.g. floods, construction, etc.), the nest can be relocated short distances as a last resort. Preferably, the nest should not be moved more than five feet every two days.

Because cottontails wean at such an early age and small size, many independent juvenile cottontails are mistaken for orphaned infants. Sadly, these juveniles are often captured by people who believe they are helping them. Inevitably, the juvenile rabbits succumb quickly in captivity. At three weeks of age, an Eastern cottontail is approximately four to five inches long, weighs about four ounces, and is able to hold its ears erect. At this age, it does not need help.

If an infant cottontail is believed to be sick, injured, or legitimately orphaned, a wildlife rehabilitation facility should be contacted. If the rabbit must be held overnight before transport to a rehabilitator, keep the animal warm, away from children and pets, and do not give anything orally other than re-hydrating fluids such as Pedialyte™.  Pedialyte™ can be purchased in the baby formula section of most grocery stores.

The fluids should be administered slowly from an eyedropper.  Stomach capacity of an infant rabbit is approximately one and a half standard eyedroppers (1 1/2 milliliters) per ounce of animal.  Do not offer any type of formula or attempt to hand rear the infant yourself, regardless of any advice you may have been given to the contrary. Veterinarians and pet store owners may have extensive experience with domestic or exotic animals, but are often lacking in their knowledge of native wildlife. Cottontails have different gastrointestinal tracts than domestic rabbits and are very prone to digestive problems in captivity. The impromptu introduction of a new formula nearly always results in lethal enteritis.

Because rabbits do not have the defense mechanisms or the same methods of exhibiting fear as other animals, people often do not realize the amount of stress a cottontail endures when it is handled by a human.

Consequently, many infant and juvenile cottontails are killed by kindness.

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