Brush/cottontail rabbits

[chanla]

Hello, my grandparents found some brush rabbitsabout a year ago in saskatchewan(they were babies) and have kept them.Apparently they don't drink water, is this normal? Also one of thebunnies is losing some of its hair, does anyone know why this might be,as winter is coming.

Thanks for your help

 

[Haley]

what do they eat? If they eat a lot of grass or green veggies, they could be getting their water from that.

i dont know much about wild rabbits, but it could be mites or something...

someone else might know more, but most of us just have experience withdomesticated rabbits, which are very different from cottontails.

 

[chanla]

hi, they eat some lettuce and oats. Thanks for the reply. I will pass that on about the mites........

 

[ec]

the best thing to do re. wild rabbits and hares: call a wildlife rehab specialist.

 

[Mrpumpkinbunny]

My very first rabbit was a wildrescue. "Bugs" lived for 11 years and was such a wonderfulbun. He did not drink much water either but we did not feedhim any pellets only fresh veggies and grass.Helived a long, happy and healthy life. The only liquids hewould drink was puppy's milk when he was a baby bun.

No vet would ever care for him because he was wild. So weweregot someone from a nature preserve and the zoo to take alook at him and give him a clean bill of health.Henever had a health issue luckily, but I would suggest the zoo or awildlife specialist as mentioned previously for them to check them out.

Good luck.

 

[ec]

The species of wild rabbits that live in the US and Canada are very different from domestic rabbits as we know them.

That's one of the big reasons that a wildlife specialist/rehab person should be checking up on these bunnies...

All the best on this!

 

[chanla]

Thanks alot for all the info and suggestions, I will let them know.