Cottontail Alert   

The mother Cottontail spends much of her time away from the nest in order to divert attention away from her vulnerable babies. People often find these nests and mistakenly believe that the baby rabbits have been abandoned or are orphaned. When encountered, it is best to leave a wild animal alone unless you know for sure that it needs your help. Cottontails are a different species from our domestic rabbits and do not make good pets.  Baby Cottontail rabbits are very difficult to raise in captivity, and special permits are required to care for them and other wild animals.   Cottontails are identified by their small, light skeletons, natural Agouti coloring, and by the white underside of their tails.