behavior of wild rabits

Question
Recently we found nest of babies(4) in our back yard, we told our child about it and told her to leave them alone. she told her friends about them and young boys being what they are, teased her about finding them and doing them harm. she came home and moved them from the nest. they had been away from the nest for several hours befor I was able to return them. the following morning the babies were gone. I assume that the mother has moved them, and hope that she has not rejected them. Is it in the habit of rabits to kill their young if they have been tampered with? the rabits had their fur and the kids told me thier eyes were open.

Answer
Dear Jennifer,

The mother may have moved them, or a predator may have found the disturbed nest.  There is really no way to know for sure.  But mother rabbits generally will not harm their babies, even if they have been handled. They are more likely to abandon the nest if there is evidence of severe tampering, but even this is not common.

For more information on wild babies, please read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/wildbabies.html

I hope that helps.

Dana