Wild Cottontail Needs Help

[Rekrap95]

I apologize in advance, if this post is in the wrong location but I am looking for help.

Today while outside with my Golden Retriever, I happened to witness a Red Tail Hawk swoop from the sky and take a full grown rabbit straight off into the sunset for a nightly meal. I am assuming that is the last of said rabbit ever to be seen. Shortly after I stumbled upon a lone baby wandering the woods line. Based upon information I have gathered on the internet; eyes open, ears up, fur still slicked against the body, and a little under 4 inches long. This little guy is quite young.

I have no intentions of keeping this little cottontail as a pet, particularly because it is illegal, but if you good folks dont suggest setting it free to fend for itself despite his/her immaturity, how would I go about steering this one in the right direction.

 

[SablePoints]

First you should keep the rabbit in your house and feed it for about 2 months, so it is getting bigger. Then you could let it go in your backyard (I am not sure if ur in a more rural or urban area, I am guessing you have a decent-sized backyard), and once the rabbit is going around the backyard, dump some food out. Leave him, and see if he ate the food later. Then slowly put less and less food out there, until he is independent. Hopefully this helps. I have never even seen a live wild rabbit before. I have domestic ones as pets.

 

[Watermelons]

Shortly after I stumbled upon a lone baby wandering the woods line. Based upon information I have gathered on the internet; eyes open, ears up, fur still slicked against the body, and a little under 4 inches long.

If its eyes are open, ears are up and it was wandering the woods, it is more then old enough to be on its own. Please put the rabbit back where you found it.
By bringing the rabbit into our house, you will do more damage then good.
Please DO NOT try and feed it other foods either.

 

[Rekrap95]

That is why I came here for the expertise. He/she will be set free at dawn when I wake up.

 

[DogCatMom]

If by some wild chance you're in the San Francisco East Bay (or even the Bay Area), check with the Lindsay Wildlife Museum/Rehabilitation Center in Walnut Creek. Here's a link to their "Found an Animal?" page.

 

[qtipthebun]

If you're in North Texas, Dallas also has a wild bunny/animal rescue.

 

[akane]

Young rabbits starting wandering from the nest as soon as their eyes are open and are eating nearby grasses even before that. They will return to their nest if they sense a threat or to sleep and have a very good sense of direction where it is. They should be left alone outside. If you keep and feed it you cannot just drop it outside one day. There is a full release procedure to follow to adjust it back to the wild. They also need to be kept away from people and pets in their own quiet room for both safety (they spook incredibly easy and will die of stress or a broken back) and to keep them from becoming tame to people and dangerous outdoor pets.

Really it stands just as good of chance on it's own outside as your attempts to raise and release it if you aren't a trained rehabber.