What to do!

Keep the little one in a dry, dark and warm container away from domestic noises and domestic animals. Stress is the biggest killer.

DO NOT give it anything and please DO NOT handle unnecessarily.

Call Hare Rescue ASAP.

By following these easy instructions will insure the life of the leveret.

What not to do?

If you find a leveret (baby hare) in a grassy area that is not in any danger, please leave it where you fund it. DO NOT handle. They might look something like a rabbit, but they are a wild animal and stress is their number one killer.

If you find a leveret in danger i.e. covered in ants, birds attacking it, a cat is playing with it, a dog has it in his mouth or it’s simply in a domestic area, pick the little one up and remove from the danger. DO NOT hand it around to your children to pat and cuddle. The leveret will become very stressed and will die in time. Put the little one on a container with a soft towel in the base with a light towel over the top, as the can jump even when small. DO NOT try giving any liquids (water or milk) or solids (grass), doing so can kill the leveret. Place the container in a cool part of the building away from any domestic inputs like, light, sound, children and domestic pets. Call Hare Rescue ASAP. The longer you delay doing this, the higher the chances of the leveret passing away.

Important info

They are not a domestic animal, pet or toy and they need specialist care to survive. If your cat or dog brought the leveret to you then time is of the essence!

The bacteria in the saliva from both can kill a leveret within 48 hours, if it does not receive medical treatment.

Be advised that hare do not make pets. Both male and female mark their territory by spraying urine They have an extreme amount of energy and can therefore never be caged like a rabbit. They need a specialised diet and if that is not provided, the hare will easily die from digestion problems.

Note to Queenslanders

Hares are not rabbits and are not considered a pest in Queensland.

Identifying a Leveret from a Kit

To identify a leveret (baby hare) from a kit (baby rabbit)