WildRescue, Inc./Rabbit Rescue

From my friends at WRAM (Wildlife Rehabilitators Association of Massachusetts) - they have a series of “what to do’s” that are perfect. I will be forwarding them one at a time for you to save and share. Remember - you have to be a permitted wildlife rehabilitator in order to hold wildlife. Want to join my wildlife army? Just text me at 940-442-8289!

Found a bunny nest in your busy yard? You can help keep it safe!

Most cottontail nests are right in our lawns, gardens, and landscaping and a few simple steps can make a big difference while the babies grow.

• Keep dogs on a leash near the area
• Avoid mowing directly over the nest
• Mark the spot with a small flag or natural marker
• Leave the nest covered and undisturbed

If extra protection is needed:

• Create a small barrier or fence around the nest (leave space for mom to slip through or underneath)
• Place an overturned laundry basket or similar cover over the nest, with a two small openings for mom to come and go
• For extra-skittish moms, you could instead place the laundry basket over the nest during the day and remove it an hour before dusk so mom can return to feed

Be sure to monitor the nest to confirm mom is returning (check out our post on nest testing!)
Some mothers may be hesitant if the area is heavily altered. Simple protection is often best.

Mom will continue to care for her babies as long as the nest stays intact and disturbances are kept to a minimum.

The good news? Cottontails grow quickly and will be gone in just a few short weeks.

This is the final post in our baby bunny series. Thank you for helping protect wildlife in your community.

Feel free to share! These small steps can help save entire litters.

We are seeing more and more Wildlife stuck on these horrific glue traps. Yesterday I removed a Hummingbird and several wrens from them. For some of us it’s almost a daily occurrence now. I am sharing one of the most wonderful Wildlife centers for avians - Carolina Waterfowl’s video on how to safely remove an animal from a glue trap.

I would rather you know how to do this then not. Please stop using oil. Just the stress can kill the little birds and lizards and Cottontails and everything else that gets stuck on these horrible things. Please watch the video and have a little can of cornstarch nearby just for events like this.

There is always injury to an animal that’s been on a glue trap. Either feathers are missing or skin is ripped and eyes are often affected because they go face down into that muck. So whatever you do, do not let it go. Contact your local rehabilitator who is trained and has the expertise to do what they need to do. If you let an animal go after this kind of trauma, the likelihood of its survival is slim.

Ban glue traps. 

Alive Songbirds Removed from Glue Trap Video showing how our rehabbers perform a glue trap removal for stuck songbirds. Contains a lot of good info and answers some common questions we receive, li...