Emergency Information

EMERGENCY?
(for Sick or Injured Rabbits)

To find veterinarians familiar with rabbits.

Cottontails
Cottontails are wildlife. The House Rabbit Society does not deal with wildlife. Please do not call us about cottontails. We cannot help you. Cottontails should be dealt with by licensed wildlife rehabilitators. One of these is Greenwood Wildlife Rehabilitation: (303-823-8455)

Some general guidelines concerning cottontails are:: • If you see a nest of baby rabbits, but don't see the mother, do NOT disturb the nest. A mother cottontail sneaks in during the night to feed and clean her babies. She stays away from them most of the rest of the time so her odor doesn't attract predators.; • If a nest has been disturbed and is in a place where it can be left, cross two light twigs over it. If the twigs have been disturbed during the night, you know the mother has been there.; • If a nest has been destroyed; the mother has been killed; or if you find an injured cottontail; call a wildlife rehabilitator such as Greenwood (303-823-8455). Do not attempt to give the cottontail food or water. Leave him in a quiet, warm place, until you can speak with a licensed wildlife rehabilitator.

Domestic (“Pet”) Rabbits
If your rabbit gets sick when the regular rabbit veterinarians are closed, and you can’t find an emergency vet who knows rabbits, don’t despair! You can call the Colorado HRS 24-hour Health Line.

Call the numbers in the order listed. If you don’t reach a human, leave a message at each number, including your phone number - spoken slowly, twice. Wait 10 minutes and repeat the calls. Hopefully, someone at one of the numbers will either answer your call or get back to you quickly.

These people are volunteers and have jobs and families of their own. They attempt to be available 24-7, but can’t always guarantee this.

Please be considerate of our volunteers. If you are not a member of the Colorado House Rabbit Society, a donation to the organization would be greatly appreciated.

If you have taken your rabbit to a veterinarian and need help with nursing tasks, we can explain how to give a pill, etc. Again, call our 24-hour Health Line. We can also provide nursing care for $15 per day, if you are unable to provide it yourself. For more information concerning non-emergency medical care, you may find our medical articles of interest.

One case where you definitely should call us for advice is if your rabbit has head-tilt which has progressed to the point where the rabbit is tumbling. We have developed nursing techniques which will help both you and your rabbit.