wild baby rabbits.

Question
when I cleared my garden I found a burrow with 4 babies, I'm guessing around 5-7weeks in age. The mother has not been back in two days. What can and should I do...
They seem healthy, but haven't ventured out of the whole..I make sure they stay covered with branchs(the way the branch sits, it doesn't prohibit them from getting out if they wanted too.
Any suggestions?
Thank you for taking the time to read this..
Sincerely,
Christie ware
Cary, North Carolina  

Answer
Dear Christine,

Although you might not see mama visit, she is probably taking fine care of her babies.  If they are warm and alert, she is feeding them.

Mother rabbits feed their young and then stay as far away from the nest as possible to avoid attracting predators.  To see if she's been around, you can put some twigs or long blades of grass over the nest and check the next morning.  If they're moved, she's visiting and caring for her babies.

At the age of 5-7 weeks, the babies are almost ready to strike out on their own. So the best thing to do is to leave them where they are and be sure no dogs or other predators can get to them.

I hope this helps!  Please write back if you have any other questions.

Dana