Well I'm moving to my new house. It's just across town and we're nearly finished painting it.Bunnies though will have to go out in the stable for a few days. I have predator proofed stalls I let guinea pigs runaround in and for the bunnies I'll also put them in a doubled griddedC&C cage in the stall. With the external doors on the building shut at night not even a mouse can get in or out and nothing bigger than a mouse can get into 1 of the stalls I setup. The only issue will be the weather. I would think little wild rabbits could handle a 45F night with hiding places and towels to keep warm in? Otherwise I have designated a room in the new house for the small pets but the wood floor was just refinished and still giving off fumes so I wanted to wait a couple more days before moving the animals in.
Baby cottontails
- Thread starter sham
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I really hope you will take thought as to what is best for these wild bunnies and contact a rehabber.
If you want to have pet bunnies, well... there are so many out there that need loving homes, especially at this time of year(bought on impulse and dumped after Easter, often dying a painful death from predators and/or starvation).
The cottontails are fully equipped to be able to survive in the wild, provided you let them.
If you want to have pet bunnies, well... there are so many out there that need loving homes, especially at this time of year(bought on impulse and dumped after Easter, often dying a painful death from predators and/or starvation).
The cottontails are fully equipped to be able to survive in the wild, provided you let them.
gentle giants
Well-Known Member
It sounds to me like the bunnies are doing well.If you can contact a rehabber to sort of sound them out about what to do, that would be great, but I think you have done really well for them. I'm sure it's true that rehabbers are probably flooded with baby cottontails this time of year, and it's quite possible that they would be put down. Isn't it better to give them a chance?
bunnylove83
Member
Rehabbers will not simply put an animal down"just because there are too many". They will only do so if they have a poor chance of survival.
The longer you keep these little ones - the poorer their chances will be. As I've said before, they need specific diets (i.e. not goats milk), or you will permanently damage their digestive and immune systems. They need specific habitats, and the longer you keep them, the more likely that they will be unable to be released in the wild - or develop awful diarrhea in a few months. There is a reason you have to be licensed an experienced. If you are not going to do it right, you are only prolonging suffering.
Here is the reference as promised,
Dr. Mary-Ann Nieves of the Iowa State University Wildlife Care Clinic 515-294-4900. If she can't help she can probably direct you to someone who can.
If you truly care for these animals, please consult with a rehabber.You may have their best interests in mind, but in reality you need years and years of training, experience, and licensing to be able to give these ones a REMOTE chance of survival post-release.
The longer you keep these little ones - the poorer their chances will be. As I've said before, they need specific diets (i.e. not goats milk), or you will permanently damage their digestive and immune systems. They need specific habitats, and the longer you keep them, the more likely that they will be unable to be released in the wild - or develop awful diarrhea in a few months. There is a reason you have to be licensed an experienced. If you are not going to do it right, you are only prolonging suffering.
Here is the reference as promised,
Dr. Mary-Ann Nieves of the Iowa State University Wildlife Care Clinic 515-294-4900. If she can't help she can probably direct you to someone who can.
If you truly care for these animals, please consult with a rehabber.You may have their best interests in mind, but in reality you need years and years of training, experience, and licensing to be able to give these ones a REMOTE chance of survival post-release.
Pipp
Well-Known Member
sham wrote:
It sounds like they're doingwell. If they're over the 21 day hump, they might just make it.
BTW, it was Cloverbunny's first 'gotcha day' anniversary this week,Clover being Bo B Bunny's little (permanently) injured cottontail she bottle fed from babyhood. She'll never be a domestic lap bunny, but she's doing great -- happy, inquisitiveand alive.
I don't believe anybody should try and domesticate a wild bunny, but I don't think it's a horrible fate to be rescued by humans when the near-immediate alternative is ahorrible and frightening death in the jaws of a predator.
sas :?
They won't have a problem with the weather, they do better in cold than heat. They have fur coats.
It sounds like they're doingwell. If they're over the 21 day hump, they might just make it.
BTW, it was Cloverbunny's first 'gotcha day' anniversary this week,Clover being Bo B Bunny's little (permanently) injured cottontail she bottle fed from babyhood. She'll never be a domestic lap bunny, but she's doing great -- happy, inquisitiveand alive.
I don't believe anybody should try and domesticate a wild bunny, but I don't think it's a horrible fate to be rescued by humans when the near-immediate alternative is ahorrible and frightening death in the jaws of a predator.
sas :?
all that said, I can't help but feel that both bunnylove83 and Haley have some very important points - and that their offers of help are something to be taken seriously. I can really sympathize with what bunnylove83 is saying, re. illness and more.Rehabbers see a lot of painful things, and i believe bunnylove83 is trying to spare these babies and help them get back to where they belong.
OTOH, I would be going through a struggle myself re. not getting attached to wild babies, were any to come my way.
Just my .02-worth...
OTOH, I would be going through a struggle myself re. not getting attached to wild babies, were any to come my way.
Just my .02-worth...
TreasuredFriend
Well-Known Member
When our wildlife center got overloaded with e/c intakes, they would euthanize because there weren't sufficient bunny foster moms.
