Before you do anything, make sure you do not touch the babies with your bare hands and read the information below to determine if the babies are truly orphaned. If you have any questions, please contact Lexington-Fayette Animal Care & Control at (859) 255-9033.

Mother rabbits will stay out foraging for food for long periods of time and only return to the nest twice a day to feed babies. Mother rabbits also will not approach the nest if they sense someone is watching. Your “orphaned” babies might actually have a very well-hidden mother quietly watching nearby.

Please follow these steps and don’t assume you need to rescue the babies immediately:

• If the babies are not injured, try to cover them up with the original nesting if it is available. Do not touch the babies while covering them up. (Pictured: Rabbit nest with baby bunnies.)

• If you do not see the original nesting material, cover them lightly with grass and leaves.

• Find two twigs and gently place an X across the top of the nest. Also, spread white baking flour in a 6inch-12inch ciricle around the nest.

• If you have left the nest alone for several hours and the twigs have been moved, or their are footprints in the flour, then the mother has been there and tended to those babies!

• If you have stayed completely away from the nest and the twigs are still in the same place after checking two times—once in the morning and once at night— then you will need to contact Lexington-Fayette Animal Care & Control or a wildlife rehabilitator for advice.

**Sadly, a very low percentage of baby wildlife removed from their nest will survive. And while it is difficult to walk away and leave the babies in their nest unattended, their best chance at survival is for them to stay where their mother left them.

PLEASE NOTE: baby wildlife of any species (birds, squirrels, raccoons, etc.) should never be touched with your bare hands! Oils from your skin transfer to the baby's feathers or fur, and as a result the mother
will reject the baby. If you must move a baby, use gloves to prevent direct contact.