I need rabbit peoples help asap!

[AkTomboy]

So the short story is the huby is a firefighter and today at a garage fire found a nest of babies. All but two were already dead and the other two not doing well. So all in all only one made it with the help of o2. So the day after all the meep meeps are out of the house I have this very very small baby. I have tried some milk replacer and a dropper and have had it eat aprox 10cc. His teeth are just out of the skin and have tried the green we have up already but he doesnt seem interested.

So rabbit people please tell me what I can do for the lil guy. He doesnt even fill my hand up he is so small.

thanks for your help

PS~ I dont know if it matters but he is a snowshoe hare not a rabbit...just incase it matters....

 

[cassie]

This is the formula I used when raising kittens. Five parts evaporated milk, one part water, one egg yolk per cup of mixture. Rabbit's milk is very concentrated and they only nurse once a day, so I think the kitten formula might work. You can offer oatmeal and a little leafy alfalfa if you know someone who has some. this baby looks like it is old enough to start nibbling.

 

[AkTomboy]

Cassie
Thank you for your time and info. He hasnt done much but sleep all day and cough here and there. I did give him some hay buts its timothy no alfalfa around here. I will use your formula and quit with the alpaca replacer untill I can get some kitten.

If I can get him not coughing and eating well I hope to let him go around my place we have a ton of hares so he should fit in. How long untill they can care for themselves?

Thanks again

 

[Rex Mom]

Goats milk is a great replacer... canned will work or fresh. If you are able to get the baby to nurse from a syringe or nurser you are lucky! I was able to save 3 two week old babie Rex by offering oat hay, feed with oats and a nipple type water bottle. Feed as often as it will eat and let it drink at its pace... do not force the milk as they will aspirate.. not good for the lungs. They will perish that way ... if it's coughing that's not a good sign.. means some of what it's drank may have gone in the lungs. Keep it warm... if necessary with a heating pad under the nest box. Without the warmth of it's siblings it needs added warmth. Even with it being fully furred. The best bet would be to have it indoors in a travel cage with a crock for rabbit feed, a waterer (nipple type) and some grass or oat hay. Everyone thinks they only feed once a day.. but that doe goes in there whenever she wants... to clean, feed or check on them. NO one knows what exactly goes on in there! I offer as much as they wanted 4 times a day no matter what. If they didn't eat it so be it. But at least he/she was offered. Since you cannot possibly replace moms milk you need to offer it often. Best of luck to you... and please email me with questions if needed.

 

[Mrs. Glassman]

Good luck on taking care of your little one. It's a terrible feeling to find some babies already dead & not know what to do to help the others. I would try the goat milk too. It seems to be good for a lot of animals.
Let us know how it's doing!

 

[Rex Mom]

Sorry after reading your post more and looking at pics... the baby looks to be over 7-10 days old since it's eyes are open.. probably 2 weeks. That will help with feeding since it can see and recognise you. They can't deal with life on their own until around 8 weeks... but since it's a loner it may be dependant on you now. So think of that. Normally they mimick what their mother does.. so it may be slow at knowing what to eat... drink... so give it time... put it in a quiet place out of normal traffic in the house but within ear range. Do not handle it too much... since it's wild it will be stressful for it to be handled. Only when you need to feed it. That's about it for now... don't feel bad if it doesn't make it... it's VERY hard to hand feed any rabbit wild or domestic. Ok?

Susan

 

[ChickenSal]

Try Baby food spinach. The success for wild rabbit survival is not that great, so don't put feel too bad if he doesn't make it. Thanks for trying.

 

[AkTomboy]

Rex Mom

He came to me from the hubby coughing im guessing its from the smoke being that the others were not burnt just died from inhaling lots of smoke.

Thank you for the idea of goats milk. I know we have used that in the past for emergency milk replacer for alpacas. I didnt even think of it for this lil guy.

Im glad you caught my post and are so willing to help out with information. Im pretty lost when it comes to this lil guy. All I can do is try so thats what I am doing with the help of all of you.

I have him in a small covered lizard cage so he can have a heating pad along with a few fuzzy slippers that my crib midget were to big for. A bit of hay and mustard greens, a few dandilions a bowl of water until I can get a bottle tomorrow and have been offering milkg by syringe about every 2 hrs. He is now hopping around and exploring his lil pace every now and then so we shall see.



Mrs Glassman
We are pretty sure it was smoke inhalation. We were just happy none of the family were hurt who owned the garage. And it is very sad even for big bad firefighters to see animals who have died due to a fire.



Thanks for all of your help I will keep you posted on how he does for the next few days and lets all hope it goes good.

 

[Rex Mom]

They can get over the smoke inhalation eventually so keep the faith. Just keep up the offering of milk... it will thrive on routine. Keep it consistent. Please email me if you have any questions.

Bunnies can be tricky... so don't be hard on yourself if it doesn't work out.

Yes, thank goodness the family wasn't injured from the fire.

Susan

 

[gypsy2621]

Smoke inhalation can kill months after exposure. trust me this I know from experience with rabbits and a house fire.
If you can pull him through he may die unexpectedly in a few months, remember structure fire smoke is toxic.
It gets in the blood stream and perculates unfortnately.
in the goats milk add a half cap of Vit E oil. mix well it will help detox his little body.
chances for survival are slim at best.
good luck my fingers are crossed for you.