Rabbit help?

[NanaKat]

I found a cotton-tail nest in my vegetable garden today as I was cleaning out some raised beds.
The little depression was under one of last year's jalepeno plants I was getting ready to pull. I laid a few other branches around it and cleared the rest of the bed.
Momma had apparently slipped off while I was working. She has been in the garden since last year. There are four, just barely fuzzed out. eyes still closed. This is her second attempt at a burrow. The first was in a flower bed and the dogs found it before she gave birth.

Will she return? If she doesn't, is there anything I should do for the young kits?

I have helped raise domestic rabbits with a doe who had more babies than teats. Then we used kitten milk from a vet.

 

[Chickielady]

Try to stay away and see if she does not return.
Rabbits typically only nurse their bunnies at night, usually once a night.
In the meantime, mama will be off somewhere else.
What you can do, is watch them, and in a day or two, see if the bunnies have rounded tummies or if they look slight, then maybe you could feed them.
It is hard to nurse rabbits, they get used to mama.
But usually mama rabbits sneaks back into the burrow at night.
Make sure the bunnies have fur and dry grasses to keep them warm, keep the dogs and cats away, and just have to waite a few days.
But I would not feed them yet, waite a few, then check tummies.
We raise California Rabbits, among other things...hope you have good luck !
Happy Easter !

 

[NanaKat]

Thank you for your quick response. I really appreciate your advice.

I was unaware that a wild mom only nursed her young at night. Domestic rabbits are more available in the box warren.

There is lots of little fur bedding and grass. I put some more grass as a wind break around the outside of the branches added for cover.

I have been out of the garden since 3 p.m. and was hoping she would return.

The dogs don't get to go in the garden...big feet...small plants. The cat goes up at night too.

Will keep you informed about the babies over the next several days.

 

[NanaKat]

Update...looks like we have full tummies

looks like mom is feeding the babies.