Update-Orphaned baby bunnies

[Farmer Kitty]

DH was cutting hay yesterday and uncovered a nest of wild baby bunnies. None were hurt that we can tell. He watched while cutting for momma but, didn't see her and she was killed. We left the babies in the nest over night and checked them a little while ago. They are making crying noises so, it was momma bunny and not another bunny.

My question is, what kind of milk/formula mix works for them? I used a milk, corn syrup, egg mix for kittens, will that work for the bunnies too. I do know they need rabbit poo and that won't be a problem.

 

[Phox01]

What you used for the kitten should work for the bunnies too. Depending on the age you might have to stimulate them to urinate and poo . Use a warm damp rag to rub gently on the rectum and urinary tract , should take care of it.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Thank you. They are still young-eyes are closed so, I will stimulate them too.

 

[maplesky7]

We never had any luck with the bunnies...they'd grow for a while and jump around but eventually would die. They'd seem healthy too...so it always was a mystery. But I've heard from others that the wild ones don't survive well in captivity.

We live across from a farmers feild and sometimes the farmer accidently got the mom, so he'd bring the bunnies over here to my mom and us kids.

I live in the house now though.

And you all were sure the mom was gone for sure?
My dh took a baby bunny home from a tree he cut down that had a hollow...I drove it right back to the customers house and saw the mom bunny and set the box on it's side and the bunny and mom ran under the porch. yay, happy ending.

Many blessings to you and those bunnies. Hope they can pull through.


me,
g

 

[willowcol]

nope, they usually won't make it. They might live a few weeks but then they will pass. I don't know why, but there really isn't much hope for them. Can you call someone who sepializes in wildlife rehab?

 

[chicks4kids]

We have had to adopt some bunnies before as well. Used kitten formula from the pet store. We also used a heating pad under the box we kept them in (not inside) along with a blanket formed like a cubby hole. Our two lived.

They don't eat much. A wild bunny only comes twice a day to feed her young.

 

[rancher hicks]

I had a friend who had puppies whose mom wouldn't nurse. One thing I remember that she had to do that most people might not think about is stimulating them so they can poop.
Feeding them yes. To help them poop you use a warm Q-tip and rub their bumms. Moms do it but we just think their cleaning them.
If your going to try to save them don't forget this important part.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Yes, we are sure it was momma bunny.

They have been fed and stimulated this morning and I will do them again tonight.

As for them not making it in captivity. I don't plan on keeping them as pets. After their eyes are open a few days they should be able to go back into the wild and we will handle them only as little as necessary in their care so they will still have that wild drive. I do have a place in mind where it will hopefully be safe to let them go and we can still get to inorder to check on them.

There are 8 little ones.

 

[Tweeza]

I would find a wild life rehabber, the success rate of kits surviving in captivity is very low. They are cute though!

 

[Southernbelle]

What they need are ceacetropes!!! They are the soft, grape-like cluster of poo a rabbit drops first thing in the morning. They are choc full of probiotics and antibodies neccessary for the development of the digestive tract of the babies. The mother rabbit drops them in the nest for the babies to eat.

My friend is a wildlife rehabber and she asked me to save ceacotropes from my pet rabbits for her whenever she had baby bunnies. She didn't have any rabbits herself and was lamenting how she could never get the baby bunnies past that 2 week mark without them. She would mix them in the milk.