Rabbit Folks - need some advice

[Appytaz]

Good Morning from Florida

Last night I kept hearing some aweful critter squealing noises from outside one of the windows. I knew 3 of the 4 cats were in the house and BF was on his way home from work. Well once he gets home - he calls to tell me he found the gray cat and there is a baby bunny behind a few bricks next to the house. He said it was breathing and seemed to be moving - it wasnt bloody or anything. So lets just get the gray cat in the house for the night and let the bunny go back to its home. Well, gray cat was NOT agreeing with this new plan and was completely refusing to be caught and brought in the house. I was in shorts and thsirt and freezing outside so I went back in to see if he could get gray cat. A few mins later - he comes in carrying this littel gray bunny - said if we cant bring in the cat - might as well bring in the bunny. (This is the same man that told me on his way home that it sounds like the cats caught something and it was "natural selection" we need to leave them alone)

Well, Bunny spent the night in a large tote box locked in the dogs crate. It was fine this morning. Now what do I do with it????
How old they need to be before releasing?
Should I keep in until the cold snaps are over?
I know I can not release in my yard - how do you go about finding a good spot to release it?

Any advice or websites would be great!

TIA!

 

[BeccaB00]

First off - I've been there

My cats found where a bunch of baby bunnies were in the woods and kept going back and getting more of them.

Sad to say everyone of the bunnies my cat has caught, dies of internal injuries. Your bunny doesn't have a big chance of living-as they

normally die from shock alone. If he does make it- you should let him go into the wild around 4-6 weeks old. Tell us, is his eyes open?

They normally open their eyes around 10 days after birth. He will need to be hand fed until hes 14 days old.

 

[Appytaz]

Thanks! This one appears (from what I can find in pictures) to be a few weeks old - eyes open - fully furried - hoping around in the tote. I know he will need to be relocated. I just don't know if I should wait for the weather to warm up alittle to give him a better chance. When I get off today - I am planning to transfer him to a more suitable crate. I did stop at the store and get him a box of rabbit pellets and I have water and coastal hay in with him for today.

If they are going to past from stress - how long does that usually take?

 

[BeccaB00]

Quote:
The two bunnies my cats caught a while back - Both of them died with-in two days.

As far as the weather goes, You dont HAVE to wait as long as your sure hes old enough to be let go. however I, being myself would probably wait.. He may or may not make it through the winter.

 

[jerseygirl1]

Funny, any baby bunnies my cats have caught, I leave them alone and they get up and run away after a few hours. It's the ones with the intestines sticking out and all sorts of other body parts missing that pass away. I had one bleeding all over me, screaming, that I put down and jsut kept an eye on, get up and hobble away. Maybe it died, maybe it didn't, but I just leave them alone.
If they are too young, they have the white spots behind their ears.

 

[BeccaB00]

Quote:
The bunnies you've seen might not have made it either. Just because they hoped away doesn't mean they're fine. The bunnies we got from our cats we're hopping everywhere. Looked completely normal, then died. No bleeding or anything. Many have internal injuries - which I think our's did. Yes, some live but what I'm saying is - cat or dog attacks normally don't end well.

 

[jerseygirl1]

I never said they lived, actually

 

[BeccaB00]

Quote:
I know. I'm Just sayin'

you did the right thing with leaving them alone to.

 

[Appytaz]

Well at least I know to not get my hopes up for a few days. I just had to try and help the little fella! I knew when we could not catch the cat- that the bunny had no chance for survival. We will keep up with it a few more days and see how it all goes. If it passes - at least I know I tried!

 

[BeccaB00]

Quote:

good job. Let us know how everything goes to please!
-Becca