Wild Cottontail Rabbit, Jackrabbit/Hare, and Squirrel

Rescue & Rehabilitation

Non-profit volunteer wildlife rehabilitation

serving Phoenix, Arizona & surrounding areas. (480)816-9095 & cell (480)227-6284

If you need immediate help with newborn baby cottontail rabbits, jackrabbits, or squirrels, or an older injured cottontails, jackrabbits, or squirrels in the Phoenix, Arizona metro or surrounding areas (including Ahwatukee, AZ., Apache Junction, AZ., Avondale, AZ., Carefree, AZ., Cave Creek, AZ., Chandler, AZ., Desert Hills, AZ., Fountain Hills, AZ., Gilbert, AZ., Glendale, AZ., Gold Canyon, AZ., Goodyear, AZ., Guadalupe, AZ., Gila River Community, AZ., Mesa, AZ., Paradise Valley, AZ., Payson, AZ., Peoria, AZ., Phoenix, AZ., Prescott, AZ., Queen Creek, AZ., Salt River Indian Community, AZ., Scottsdale, AZ., Sun City, AZ., Surprise, AZ., Tempe, AZ.) please call (480) 816-9095 or cell (480) 227-6284) to speak with Ginny Thome, a wildlife rehabilitator specializing in cottontails, jackrabbits, and squirrels who can help you determine if the animal needs help or if it should be left alone. If help is needed, transportation is sometimes available and arrangements can be made to get the animal(s) to a rehabilitator. Please do not give the animal anything to drink or eat before calling, as dehydration or injuries may cause the animal to aspirate (choke), and some common foods can make them sick or kill them. Please do not try to raise them yourself – they require special diets and handling or they may not survive. If an animal has carried or bitten the bunny and possibly punctured it’s skin, it needs to be medicated immediately by a wildlife rehabilitator, as cats/dogs etc. carry germs in their mouths which, when passed on to the rabbit via a bite, can kill the rabbit. Rapid intervention by a rehabilitator can make a big difference in enabling the animal to survive, heal, and return to the wild. Pictures below can help you determine the type of rabbit and its approximate age.

For a listing of shelters that can help with wild or domestic animals, scroll down past the pictures or click here

Some Reasons For Rescue & Rehabilitation

• Mother has been killed or abandoned the nest

• Cat/dog/bird dug up the nest and cannot be kept away from it.

• Nest has been overrun by ants/other insects and can’t be kept away, or bites have compromised babies.

• Rainwater has flooded/destroyed the nest, scattering the babies.

• Area is being dug up/nests destroyed for new construction.

• Nest cannot be moved to a safe nearby location the mother can find.

• Juvenile/adult has been hit by a car or seriously wounded by another animal.

• Animal is found very dehydrated, emaciated (starving). A general rule of thumb: – if you can walk up to it and pick it up, there may be something wrong. If healthy, humans usually can’t get close to wild rabbits (unless they are newborns in a nest).

Cottontail Development

Western Desert Cottontails are plentiful in the Phoenix and surrounding areas. Females have litters of newborns usually between January and October, often having many litters each year with one to six newborns per litter. The mother burrows a shallow nest, often under a bush, tree, or near a wall, lining it with fur she pulls out from her chest, as well as leaves, twigs, etc.

Newborns have their eyes and ears closed, no fur, black skin with pinkish-red feet, tummy, and ears, and they weigh about 20-30 grams. They begin getting their grey-black-brown fur after several days, and they open their eyes and ears in about 7-10 days. The mother returns to the nest briefly  once or twice between dusk and dawn, feeding them within five minutes and then leaving to avoid attracting predators. She often remains nearby, however, and may appear if the babies are threatened. The babies may begin exploring outside their nest and sampling solids by the second week. 

In rehabilitation settings, they are fed a formula made specifically for them. They need to be raised by a rehabilitator experienced with them, as they are prone to developing diarrhea and can die rapidly without appropriate intervention.

PICTURES BELOW SHOW NEWBORN COTTONTAILS RAISED IN A REHABILITATION SETTING.

Newborn cottontails have black skin with no hair, their feet, ears and tummies are pink, eyes and ears are closed.

Two and a half week old cottontail. The eyes and ears are open, it is fully furred, and the bunny is alert and active.

Four week old cottontails. They are eating a range of solids by now.

Six week old cottontail prior to release.

Black-tailed Jackrabbit Development

Black-tailed Jackrabbits (also called hares) are also plentiful in the Phoenix area. Females have litters of newborns from January through December, having one or more litters each year with one to four newborns per litter.

Unlike the cottontail mother, the jackrabbit mother may not dig out a nest. Also unlike the cottontails, newborn jackrabbits are born fully furred, their eyes and ears are open, and they are able to move about within a short time after birth. They are larger than cottontails at birth and grow rapidly, though they may nurse longer than cottontails (five to six weeks). After birth, the mother often places them separately in an area to minimize attracting predators and enhance their chances of survival. Like the cottontails, they wait for her to return once or twice during the evening and early morning hours to nurse. 

In a rehabilitation setting, they are fed a formula specially made for them, along with some solids which they can begin to eat as early as two days old. They need to be raised by a rehabilitator experienced with them to increase their chances of survival and release.

PICTURES BELOW SHOW NEWBORN BLACK-TAILED JACKRABBITS RAISED IN A REHABILITATION SETTING.

Newborn jackrabbits. Their eyes & ears are open, and they are fully furred with black tipped ears in the back.

Two week old jackrabbits.

Four week old jackrabbits. Notice their rapidly growing ears.

Six week old jackrabbit.

Eight week old jackrabbit.

SHELTERS THAT CAN HELP WITH THE RESCUE AND REHABILITATION OF WILD AND DOMESTIC ANIMALS

Copyright © 2006 Ginny Thome

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