wild mother rabbits

Question
Hi!About ten days ago I found a nest of seven wild baby bunnies in my front yard.Last night I let my dachsund out to go potty and she found the nest.When I found her she had all the babies out on the grass,one had passed away(from shock I'm assuming)the other had an eye popped out but was still alive.I put them all back in the nest hoping the mother would know what to do.When I checked on them in the mornning the injured one had passed,one died in my hands.So three have passed,Itried feeding the other four and helping them go potty as the internet suggested.I then left them alone hoping the mother will come back.I checked on them to see if mom had returned and the sticks have not been moved,telling me she had not.My question is does the mother leave her babies to die in a situation like this.I'm hoping she'll have came by mornning,although she did not come at her usual time tonight.  

Answer
Dear Angie,

The mother might have abandoned the nest because the dog smell was so strong, and because she might have instinctively realized that the babies were now doomed, because a predator had located them and was likely to return. It is to her advantage to cut her losses and not risk being attacked by the predator herself.  She can have more babies, and that's what her evolutionary hardwiring is telling her.

If she is not feeding the babies, they will not survive. If you would like to try to help them, instructions can be found here:

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

Daschunds have very keen noses.  If you ever see a nest in the yard, be sure your dog will find and destroy it.  It's her instinct, and only you can prevent the nest from being destroyed by keeping the dog strictly away from it.

Good luck,

Dana