AUSTIN, Texas — If you're thinking of mowing your lawn any time soon, you may want to take a good look around first.
Rabbits start making their nests this time of year, and they sometimes make their homes in yards.
The moms tend to like the tall grass and find that a yard is a good spot to have their babies. Hayley Hudnall with Austin Wildlife Rescue said they've already had 17 babies brought in this year and they're expecting to see more as the weather warms up.
The tricky thing is the rabbit's nests can be hard to see in tall grass, so she said a lot of people don't even know they're there. In that case, pay close attention to detail.
“You could see some grass is disturbed and the fur, the mom will actually put some of her fur in the nest with the babies,” Hudnall said. "Otherwise you don't even see the mom, and I think that's why a lot of people think that the nests are abandoned. But [the babies] only get fed at dawn and dusk.”
Be sure to look out for nests before your dog or cat finds them. Also, monitor whether the mom is coming back in the evenings.
“They don't want to be found by predators,” Hudnall said. “They don't want to be found by humans. They want to have their babies really quick and get them moved out and into a safer place like the woods.”
Hudnall said baby rabbits are only in the nest for about three weeks before they grow out of it. So, if you spot one in your yard, it's best to wait it out, or just give Austin Wildlife Rescue a call.
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