But how do you tell how old they are? Why, with this handy guide, of course! We’ll walk you through the stages of cottontail development so you can deem whether your cottontail is old enough to go back into the wild, or whether he still needs the care of mom or a rehabilitator. "How do I tell how old a baby cottontail is?” NEITHER METHOD IS ALWAYS A GUARANTEE – so be sure to check the babies for plump tummies before determining that the mother has not come back. Again, you will then know that she has returned to her nest and her babies should be left undisturbed. You will see the mother’s footprints in the powder in the daylight. If after 24 hours the string is still in place, then we need to think about emergency care for those babies.Īnother method is to sprinkle cornstarch, flour, or other unscented powder around the nest. If the string is pushed back out of the way in the morning, then you know that mom has returned to her babies. You can check to see if the mother rabbit is coming back to the nest by doing the following: Make an X over the nest with strands of dental floss or other thin string. If the nest is intact, the babies look fat and plump and are nestled snuggly next to each other, and there seems to be no immediate danger to them, then leave them alone! If the babies’ eyes are still closed, it is under 10 days of age. “I found a nest of orphaned, eyes-closed baby rabbits.
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