Wildlife Rescue of Central Texas
Rescue. Educate. Coexist.
Rabbits/Hares
Background
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The most common species of rabbit in Central Texas is the Eastern cottontail. Jackrabbits and swamp rabbits can also be found.
Fun Facts
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Rabbits will run in a zig zag pattern when being chased by a predator so they are harder to catch.
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Rabbit's teeth never stop growing!
Rabbit Concerns
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Rabbits make their shallow dens in high grass using grass and some of mom’s fur to camouflage the den. If you accidentally uncover a rabbit's nest, cover it back up with grass and fur. Mom only visits the den at dawn and dusk to feed her babies, otherwise she does not want to draw attention to it. You will rarely see the mother rabbit, but that does not mean she is not around.​​​​​​​​
This is an example of a cottontail nest/den. They are usually very well-hidden and you can see the grass and fur camouflaging the nest.
If you are unsure if mom is coming back, you can use string to create a tic-tac-toe pattern over the nest. Check back the next day to see if the pattern has been disturbed. If it has, mom is still caring for her babies.
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Rabbits are comfortable in urban settings and you may see them regularly in your yard. They have multiple litters each year, usually starting in February and lasting into fall and sometimes winter. Please be careful when mowing high grass, as a den may be hard to see.
Wild rabbits do not make good pets. They are very high-stress animals and can die from too much handling. Please leave wild rabbits alone and bring them into a rehabilitator ASAP if you find an orphaned one.
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Cat bites can be deadly to rabbits. If your cat brought you a rabbit, please bring it in for care so we can start it on antibiotics.