Been a loooong time since rabbits but here goes.

If you can catch the momma, look at her belly. You will be able to tell if she has some little ones nursing because the hair will likely be seperated, more so the more babbies there are. Watch those back claws, keep your face away.

To see if she is pregnant, with your left hand grab the scruff of her neck. Lift her front part up slightly hold her still, so she stops struggling. Other palm upturned under her belly gently lift her belly, squeezing slightly to feel for babbies. Be careful, if she's wild she can claw you pretty good (that's why you're holding her scruff). Remember rabbits can bite, can scratch, and they can scream!
Brendasue

The one thing wild rabbits(cottontails) cannot do is cross breed with domestics which are of European heritage.

I was kinda under the impression these were someones pets that were let go, i.e. "origin unknown"?

another note: If you do find her with kits later on, she will probably attack you with her front feet & teeth. If moved at that time she'll probably kill her kits.
Brendasue

They scream? LOL I never heard a rabbit scream. Then again I did not know goats talk.

Yup. They can scream when scared or hurt & growl when mad, such cuties.

My chore as a young teen was to feed the 1000 + meat rabbits. Those darn things got me in trouble at least once a week, they's scratch the feed out of their feeder & I'd get in trouble cause they had no food!!!!

Rabbits, are the animals I like the LEAST, and will never own willingly. But, they sure are cute to look at.
Brendasue

And that rabbit can scratch you bad.If you must handle her,I would wear long heavy gloves.Posy Pet

She will come right to me and I can pick her up and pet her. That is how I know she is a she. Her name is Dee Dee. To be that tame I am sure she was someones pet but I have no idea where she came from, 'origin unknown'. The big white rabbit is wild and runs away when he sees me. I am sure someone dumped him too. Brendasue what do you mean "the hair will likely be seperated"?

Sorry I guess that wasn't clear. Her fur, not hair, will be pushed away from the nipples where the kits were nursing, if she has any.
Brendasue

The hair is not pushed away so she has no babies yet. I don't know what the babies should feel like but she is thicker in the middle than she was a few weeks ago. I will catch her tomorrow and then time will tell. Thanks

They feel like little lumps. At any rate if she's pregnant it won't be long. A nice nest box with some hay & she'll fill it with fur (not hair!, lol). The nest box should be large enough she can turn around & not step on them, but not too large as those pink furless things can crawl away & get cold. Ours were about 2ftx1ftx2ft, with a cover if I'm remembering correctly.

Good luck, rabbits are cute.
Brendasue

Checked on Dee Dee this evening and I'm a daddy. She has three babies. Two blacks ones and a black and white one. Cute? Those babies need to get some hair before they would be what I would call cute. Is there anything I need to do? Just leave them alone and let momma do everything? Should I do anything special for momma?

Congratulations!

I don't remember if we did anything special, I don't think so. I know we weighed & sexed them but other than that I don't recall. Offer her part of a carrot or something if you'd like, a treat. Easy on things like lettuce or she'll get the runs.

Disturb her as little as possible for at least 2 weeks. It all depended on the rabbit, but some would kill their babies if they were disturbed, be it a person or loud noices, some were temperamental. Hopefully she has a big enough nest box she isn't stepping on the kits.

Brendasue

Congratulations! Baby Rabbits are so cute, (with fur) and those long ears! Id love to see pictures of them.

awwww congrads!!!! No wonder I had not heard from you

As for the rabbit scream, Virtually all rodents vocalize distress. Almost all wild Canids (read dogs) make Rabbits a large part of their diets; the kissing sound that many of us use to call dogs actually mimics the rabbit distress call, and yes it works on foxes, coyotes, and wolves too. A popular pastime in some parts of the American West involves Coyote calling, where a loud artificial rabbit call is used to draw in Coyotes, and they are shot, typically at the behest of ranchers.

More on topic, What do you plan on doing with your new heard Mitch? Are you going to breed them, or just keep them? I would imagine that you wont be able to release the young ones ever if you are concerned about them being eaten, having been raised in your care will leave them ill equipped to take care of themselves unfortunately.

Shake 'N Bake is good on rabbit! Rabbit manure is not hot and can go strait on the garden. I'm considering fabbits for food, myself.

I just looked up rabbit distress sounds and this is nothing like I use to call a dog

Here is a link that might be useful: rabbit distress sound

I just switched to Linux and haven't got sound yet, so I can't hear that call, but I've heards rabbits hurt in the past, and while it is generally a bit lower than the kissing squeal sound I make to call a dog it has the same kind of undulating property. They are unmistakable different, but they are mimics, not identiticle (and younger rabbits have higher quieter calls). Also with domestic dogs they learn to respond to us, and many people change their calls to short quick kissing squeals, completely bypassing the middle portion, which is more appropriate.

The connection between the two was pointed out to me by a hospital administrator who many years ago (20) received his PhD in Comparative Biology studying canine audiology (dogs being used frequently for animal testing).

We just tattooed a bunch the other day and a couple really let out a loud squeel. Wild rabbits let out a loud noise when you get close to them in a wire box trap too.

I was startled when i went to pick up the first Fallow deer fawn born here and the little bugger really screeched! It really startled me a good one, jumped up and took off like a flash !

Most wild prey mammals are very quiet so as to avoid getting eaten, I think that leads us to think that they don't make noise, and be surprised as heck when they do.

Oh, that made me sad just to hear that distress call! I realize pests have to be taken care of, but I still can't stand to see or hear an animal when it is cornered.

You really don't need to do anything. Mama will take care of her babies. It will appear as if she practically ignores them because she will only feed them once or twice a day and most of the time she just leaves them be. I hope she pulled enough fur that they will stay warm. I love rabbits and they make great meals or great pets...LOL it's usually one or the other...

I have not heard her scream but she will growl. Sounds like a dog growling.

Brendan are you talking about breeding rabbits like the SICK LINK you posted on breeding cats over on the Homesteading Forum? I agree with freedomfarm, you are sick and ask that you not post to me.

Ruthieg thanks for explaining about her not spending much time with them. I was going to ask about that. I have checked on them and they are fat and warm but was concerned about her not staying with them. There is a pile of hair to the point you can't see them without moving some of it. It is in the 80's during the day and 60's at night.

Obviously not.

you mean the momma shedded to the point of building a nest out of her hair? how interesting. why no photos??

i WANNA SEE'

They reach down and bite their fur and pull it out, birds often pull feathers in the same way. Not only does it provide a soft and warm substrate for the young, but it makes room on the belly for contact with the warm skin.

You know how it is with children, they can make a mother want to pull her hair out.

LOL
Well if the old rabbit coats are any indication... the hair falls out easily anyway.

PS that link you mention on the homesteading forum has been moderated and removed. whooo whooo.

I am pleased they removed it. That kind of sick stuff has no place on forums where whole families may participate.

I checked on the babies this morning and they are as fat as they can be. I guess three babies getting all the milk should make them fat. What age do they start sitting up like a rabbit instead of rolling around like a grub?