Cats raided a bunny nest; what to do?

[Callender Girl]

Came out to my driveway to see a cat tossing something in the air. Turns out it was a very young bunny, about the size of a chipmunk. When I got closer, I found one dead, one dying, one that was just bits left and one live bunny.

I'm guessing it's at least two weeks old because its eyes are open and it's got fur. I put it in the garage in a shoebox that I put on top of a seed-starting heat pad to keep it warm. I grabbed some of the discarded mama fur and put that on top of some pine shavings. I minutely diced up some baby carrot, chopped up a little grass and put some water in a jar lid.

I don't drink cow's milk, so I don't have any here. What else do I need to do?

 

[Debbie292d]

I wish you were close as I have a bag of small animal milk replacer the DNR told me to use when I had rescued some newborn bunnies. I think I got it at Walmart. He said to feed it by dropper and then run my finger sideways from its neck to its tail a few times. That imitates the mother licking them to get the milk down.

He didn't think they'd survive and he was right as they were just too little. Maybe you'd have luck with yours though!!

 

[Callender Girl]

Thanks! I appreciate that you would if you could .

I called the DNR and was referred to a local wildlife rehabber who will take the bunnies (the one I thought was dying is still alive).

In the meantime, he thinks it sounds like they are old enough to just drink water. I'm hoping he's right. If I can keep them alive until tomorrow morning, I can take them to Fort Dodge and hand them off to him. Fingers crossed that they will make it!

 

[Callender Girl]

The bunnies did not get a chance to go to the rehabber. They were both alive at 8:30 last night but gone at 4 a.m. today.

 

[Qwerty3159]

The bunnies did not get a chance to go to the rehabber. They were both alive at 8:30 last night but gone at 4 a.m. today.

Unfortunately that is very common with cat-caught animals, in addition to almost guaranteed infection even from small, easily missed wounds, the stress alone often kills vulnerable small mammals and birds.

Thanks for trying to do the right thing!