Found a Baby Wild Bunny Any Advice

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Tam24927

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I rescued a baby bunny tonight it looks to be maybe 6 weeks old brought it home does anyone have any advice on caring for it?? I have had baby bunnies but are wild ones any different. Any advice would be greatly appreicated.

Thanks

Tammy
 
The best thing you can do for a 6 week old that is not injured is too find safe place to put her /him(like in a hedge or covered area and set the bun free. if the bun looks healthy has hair and is active this is an bun that can survive independently and would be hurt by any attempts at human intervention.
 
Yes, at this age an uninjured wild bunny should do fine on its own. If he's injured, the best thing to do is get it to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, as it is illegal in many parts of the US to keep wildlife without such a license. You can find one through some links in our library article on wild bunnies http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=15487&forum_id=17
 
Coming from someone who has a disabled, very much loved cottontail - Place the baby back in the wild. Some people have even put them in a backyard and the bunny stays there as it matures... where they could see it which is awesome!
 
The little cottontail will do better if you can release it. They don't always do well in captivity. It may also be against the law for you to keep a wild rabbit. (leaving you open to all kinds of problems).

They can also carry parasites and bacteria that might make your companion rabbits sick.

He's old enough to fend for himself. Find a safe place (away from dogs and cats) to let him loose.
 
HI all Thanks for the advice I took the baby to the Ohio Wildlife hospital and they are going to take care of him. Thanks Again
Tammy
 
Hi,

As a licensed wildlife rehabber, I can assure you that you made a good decision in taking the cottontail to the wildlife hospital. It is illegal in most states to be in possession of wildlife without proper permits. Cottontails are also the most difficult species to raise in captivity. And I can assure you that if this rabbit were 6 weeks old....you would not be able to handle it unless it was seriously injured or sick. To give you an idea of how a cottontail develops....it is born totally helpless and is a dark purple/black and is many times mistaken for a mole. They have their fur by 5 days. Eyes open 7-10 days. They can technically live on their own by 14 days but are not fully weaned until 21 days. They are lactose intolerant and can't digest high levels of lactose....the professional formulas we use are low or trace lactose. Goat's Milk or Kitten Milk Replacers are totally inappropriate for rabbits (or any other wildlife) as they do not contain the proper nutrients. Few cottontails have a sucking reflex and they are easily aspirated. They also have a very quick and violent weaning....and that weaning is when most cottontails die in rehab. They are also very prone to death from just the nick of a tooth of a cat (as are most small mammals and birds) due to the population of harmful bacteria found in a cat's mouth. And we have done everything perfect and still have some die on us and the volunteers of my rescue have some of the most advanced cottontail protocols in use anywhere.

I know this is more information than you asked for....just hoping to educate others. Wildlife requries specialized care and formulas and if they are sick, injured or orphaned....there best chance of survival is in the hands of properly trained and licensed rehabbers.

Randy
 
I also rescued 2 baby bunnies from a hawk last night. I think they might be 2-3 weeks old.I tried to feed them this morning but they wouldn't eat. I'm not sure what to do now. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!:nod


Thanks


Maddy
 
Ok thank you! I tried feeding them about an hour ago and they ate a little bit. I am going to feed them again soon! Is there any special food that I should be feeding them. I saw that they have teeth when they ate.


Thanks again

Maddy
 
I acutally tried to feed them about a little over an hour ago and they both ate a little bit! I also got them to drink!! I was just wondering if there was any special kind of food they should be getting or what I should give them to eat?

Thanks again

Maddy
 
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I am feeding them oats and plenty of grass. There is no wildlife rescue around me. Thank you so much I really appreciate all the help. If there is anything else I can feed them please let me no!

Thanks

Maddy
 
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You want to stick with feeding them the kind of things they would find outside, like fresh grass. Don't feed them veggies or domesticated rabbit food, as they aren't used to that kind of thing and it can mess up the flora in their gut. I suggest reading those links, as it will give you a better idea of what they need and what foods to feed them.
 
The best thing to do would have been to put then right back in the nest, rabbits populate so quickly because they are an important part of the food chain. Since their eyes are open they can survive of their own. I would put them back out there and leave them alone. (Unless they are injured) Just the stress of being in a cage is enough to kill them. I used to run wild bunnies to the rehabber everyday I have also syringe fed them and they can be nasty! The gal I was bringing them to became impossible to deal with so I decided to let nature take its course. There certainly is no shortage of a wild bunny colony around here because of it.

Edited to add: wild bunnies eat at dusk and at dawn, they certainly won't eat if you are periodically looking in at them. It is best to cover the container they are in and just listen for chewing. The buns I would keep overnight rarely ate during the day but I would hear them grazing late at night when it was quiet.
 
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Unfortunately many people think they're rescuing wild bunnies when really they're doing quite the opposite. I've rehabbed several wild bunny litters with some success, but it's very hard to do. A 6 week old wild bun is very well able to take care of itself, so sticking it in the nest would be the best thing you can do (or letting it go if it was running around).
 
Most hand-raised bunnies, even those taken care of by vets with special experience in wildlife care, do not make it. I would stay away from oats as they are high in carbs which are bad for bunnies' GI tracts. A milk replacement at this time is probably appropriate, along with "spring mix" greens and fresh grass.
 
I took a baby jackrabbit from some kids when I was a kid I put it in a cage it could see out of. It stayed very quiet while I was up and about but as soon as he lights turned off and it was quiet that poor little hare killed itself trying to get out of the cage. I can't help but wonder if it might have eventually gotten away from those other kids.

I have to disagree with tonyshuman if their eyes are open please do not try feeding them a milk replacer, if they do not have any white stripes/ marks on the top of their head they are fully weaned. If their eyes are open and there is some white best bet for them is to put the babies back just before dusk and see if the mom comes back. She wont care that they have been handled. Wild bunnies are different than domestics once wild bunnies eyes are open they can take care of themselves. Please do what's best for them and put them back or take them to someone that is experienced in wild bunnies, you really are not doing them any favors.
 
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