Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 5: Preparing a place for the rabbits
• Part 2 of 5: Feeding the rabbits
• Part 3 of 5: Feeding a newborn bunny
• Part 4 of 5: Give rabbits time outside
• Part 5 of 5: The transition to the outside
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

The wild rabbit population is on the rise, making it more likely than ever that you will discover a nest of young rabbits. Litters that seem abandoned are often not. Baby rabbits that are taken from a nest by a human often do not survive without the help of a veterinarian or experienced wildlife keeper. You are not allowed to take rabbits out of the wild and take care of them.

To step

Part 1 of 5: Preparing a place for the rabbits

1. First, make sure the rabbits actually need grooming. A mother rabbit can be very mysterious; she leaves the nest during the day to keep predators away. So she has not left her babies. If you find a nest of little bunnies, leave them alone. If it is obvious that they need help (eg if the mother is dead on the road), you should take them to a veterinarian or wildlife keeper.
   • A wild cottontail rabbit that is not yet old enough to be weaned may have a white spot on its forehead. However, some babies are born without this stain and some rabbits keep it blaze all their lives while others lose it as they get older. The presence of a blaze does not say anything about the age of the rabbit and whether it needs care.
   • In the case of a baby rabbit removed from a dangerous situation (such as a predator), see this as a temporary measure.Keep the baby in a safe, quiet place until danger has passed, then return it to the area where it was found. A mother rabbit will not shed her babies if they have a human scent on them. Bringing back is the best chance of survival for the baby. However, if the baby has been attacked by a cat, then it will each wound infected by a claw or tooth can be fatal. The rabbit should then be taken to a vet or groomer to be given antibiotics that are safe for rabbits.
2. Prepare an area for the rabbits to stay in until you can help them. A box of wood or plastic with high walls is ideal. Line the box with chemical-free soil and place a layer of hay on top (no wet grass).
   • Make a round nest in the hay for the babies to lie in. If possible, line with fur from the original litter or with fur from a domestic rabbit. Do not use fur from another animal, especially a predator.
   • If you don't have rabbit fur at your disposal, use a thick layer of tissues or a soft cloth.
   • Place one side of the box on a heating plate or incubator to keep it warm. Place only one side on the heater so that the babies can move if they get too hot.
3. Place the rabbits gently in the nest. You can use gloves to handle the rabbits. They can carry disease and bite you until you bleed. Most adult rabbits are infected with fleas, but most babies do not have them. They may have a tick or two that needs to be removed. If you have trouble removing ticks, ask someone with experience. Be very careful with ticks, as they CAN carry diseases that can be passed on to humans (and other animals). It's no problem if the babies get used to human scent, they will regain their natural instincts as they grow.
   • Hold the babies as little as possible. They can get stressed if you handle them too often and die from that.
   • Gently place a tuft of fur, tissue, layer of plush fabric and a washcloth on top of the babies for warmth and a sense of security.
   • Be aware that wild rabbits can transmit disease to domestic rabbits. Use careful decontamination procedures after handling a wild rabbit or its feces, especially if you have rabbits of your own.
4. Place a screen on top of the box of bunnies. If the rabbits can walk, you will need to cover the box to keep them from jumping out. They can jump very well at just a few weeks old! Make sure that the lid is shielded from light.
5. Let the rabbits sleep in the box for 3 days. Then you can move them to a small cage.

Part 2 of 5: Feeding the rabbits

1. If the bunny has closed eyes, it will need powdered milk. If the rabbit is jumping around, a steady supply of fresh vegetables, hay, and water may be enough. You can also offer older rabbits powdered milk in a shallow dish. Once the rabbit eats vegetables well (without pesticides), and hops and runs around, it is ready to be released. Preferably in an area that offers sufficient shelter for this small prey animal.
   • Any wild rabbit should have constant access to hay, water and fresh leaves as it would eat in the wild. Even very young rabbits will nibble on leafy greens and hay.
   • In the beginning, abandoned baby rabbits are likely to be dehydrated. Give them Gatorade Lite instead of Pedialyte for the first few feeds. Pedialyte is fine for most animal species, but has too many carbohydrates for rabbits.
2. If the rabbit needs powdered milk, feed it a mixture of goat's milk powder. Mother rabbits feed at sunset and sunrise, and only for about 5 minutes. Baby rabbits (depending on size and age) may therefore only need to be fed twice a day, however, powdered milk is not as nutritious as mother's milk, so it is often necessary to feed several times. Small, drinking rabbits should have a small round belly (not swollen) after a feed. When the tummy no longer seems round, it is time for the next feeding.
   • Most caretakers carry a combination of KMR (kitten milk replacer) and Multi-Milk, both available at most pet care stores. If available, probiotics should be added to the mixture. The mixture should be as thick as the breast milk, the rabbit's milk is thicker than the breast milk of most small mammals. Typically you mix 3 parts of the solid (by volume) with 4 parts distilled water.
   • Do not heat the mixture directly, but heat it au bain marie. Use a pipette or syringe with a mini teat to feed. Use a 2.5 cc syringe on small babies and switch to a 5 cc syringe as the bunny's capacity increases. Hold the rabbit in a sitting position so that it does not take in any air! Have tissues handy to quickly blot out any milk that appears in the nostrils!
   • Never give a baby rabbit cow's milk, which is intended for calves, not rabbits.
3. Never overeat a rabbit. Bloating and diarrhea from overeating is a common cause of death in wild rabbits. The maximum amount of food per feed depends on the age of the rabbit. Be aware that cottontail rabbits are smaller and should be fed less than the recommended amounts. General guidelines for power supplies:
   • Newborn to 1 week old: 2-2.5 cc / ml per feeding, twice a day.
   • 1-2 weeks old: 5-7 cc / ml per feed, twice a day (less if the rabbit is very small).
   • 2-3 weeks old: 7-13 cc / ml per feed, twice a day (less if the rabbit is very small).
   • At 2-3 years old, start offering the rabbit also hay, pellets and water (for wild rabbits, add fresh leafy green).
   • 3-6 weeks old: 13-15 cc / ml per feed, twice a day (less if the rabbit is very small).
4. Stop feeding powdered milk at the right time. Cottontail rabbits are usually weaned at 3-4 weeks, so don't give them powdered milk for longer than 6 weeks. Real hares are weaned after 9 weeks, you can slowly replace the powdered milk with them after 9 weeks with a bowl of chopped bananas and pieces of apple.

Part 3 of 5: Feeding a newborn bunny

1. Be very careful and proceed slowly. Let the bunny eat at its own pace and hold it very gently. If you try to get the bunny to drink too quickly, it can choke and die.
2. Protect newborns who don't have their eyes fully open yet. If the bunnies are so young that their eyes are still partially closed, it may help to wrap them in a warm cloth and cover their eyes and ears so they don't get scared.
3. Place the teat of the bottle in the mouth of the rabbit. Very gently place the teat in the rabbit's mouth to feed it.
   • Tilt the rabbit back slightly and continue by placing the teat between the side teeth. Please note, it is not possible to place the teat directly between the front teeth.
   • Once the teat is between the side teeth, you can slide it to the front.
   • Gently squeeze the bottle to get a small amount of milk out.
   • The baby rabbit should then start suckling within minutes.
   • Feed the rabbit with the powdered milk for 3-4 days, twice a day and with the last feed around sunset, as the mother would do.
4. Stimulate the intestines of the newborn bunny. Newborn cottontails should be encouraged to urinate and defecate after feeding. This is done by gently stroking the bunny's genital area and anal area with a damp cotton swab or cotton ball to mimic the mother's licking.

Part 4 of 5: Give rabbits time outside

1. Also, allow rabbits to spend time outside eating grass. Once the baby rabbits can walk, they should spend several hours a day outside on a lawn.
   • Keep them in a run for their protection. It's good to keep an eye on them to keep them safe from predators and other dangers.
2. Start by letting the bunnies eat and drink unaided. When the bunnies are 4 days or older, place a small, flat container of water and a shallow container of powdered milk in their cage.
   • Keep a close eye on the babies to see how they are doing. They should start drinking the water and milk unaided.
   • Check the cage for moisture. Try to replace spilled powdered milk so that they get the right amount.
   • Top up the milk and water in the morning and in the evening. Make sure not to overfeed the rabbits with powdered milk.
   • Do not put a deep bowl of water in the cage. The rabbits can drown in it.
3. Introduce new foods after 4 days. After the bunnies can drink the powdered milk and water themselves, you can start putting other treats in their cage. You can try the following:
   • Freshly picked grass
   • Dried, hay-like grass
   • Small pieces of bread
   • Clover
   • Hay
   • Pieces of apple
   • Oats
4. Always provide fresh water. Rabbits need constant access to clean, fresh water. This aids their digestion and keeps them hydrated and healthy.

Part 5 of 5: The transition to the outside

1. Wean the rabbits off the milk. When the rabbits are somewhat self-sufficient, wean them off and let them eat grass and other vegetation on their own. Just make sure the rabbits are the correct weaning age (3-5 weeks for cotton tails and 9+ weeks for true hares).
2. Stop handling the rabbits. The rabbits must prepare to be released into the wild, so it is good to stop touching them if possible. They will then become less dependent on you and more self-sufficient.
3. Move the rabbits outside permanently. Put them outdoors in a run with a roof. Make sure the bottom of the run is also wire mesh so they can graze, and check that the holes are small enough so they can't escape through.
   • Move the cage to different locations in your yard so that the rabbits get new vegetation on a regular basis.
   • Continue to provide additional vegetation, in addition to the grass.
4. Place the rabbits in a larger pen as they grow. Give them a larger pen, out on the grass, and keep feeding them extra green twice a day. The hutch should have an open or mesh bottom and be sturdy to protect the rabbits from predators.
5. Release the rabbits. When the rabbits are approximately 20-23 cm long, in a sitting position, they are large enough to be released in a safe location.
   • If they are not self-sufficient, keep them a little longer. Don't let them mature in captivity, though.
6. Contact the animal ambulance for assistance. If a rabbit big enough for release is still unable to fend for itself, call an expert. He will know what to do in your specific situation.

Tips

• Always feed the babies in the same place. They will then associate that place with their feeding, making each feeding a bit easier than the previous one.
• If it is difficult to keep track of which rabbits you fed with the bottle, put a dot of colored nail polish on one ear of the affected rabbits. Then always enter them in a certain order (for example, the order of the colors of the rainbow).
• Use a screen to cover the top of the cage. The weight and ease of use makes it easy to install and remove, but the rabbits can't push it off.
• Make sure the rabbits can breathe. If you put them in a box with the lid closed, poke some holes in the box.
• Keep the rabbits' environment quiet and free from human interaction as much as possible.
• Recognize that naming your rabbits is dangerous as this will get you attached to the animals and may want to keep them.
• Rabbit orphans in human care have a 90% chance of death. Don't get too attached and take care of them very carefully.
• Be quiet when you are close to the rabbits. They can easily become frightened by loud noises.
• Keep your rabbit safe by keeping other animals away.

Warnings

• Do not overheat the powdered milk when you start feeding the rabbits. They will not drink hot or sour milk.
• Do not feed rabbits spinach, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, or similar foods. These foods can give rabbits diarrhea and painful indigestion. Remember, rabbits cannot fart, so this type of food will cause their stomachs to expand!
• Be very careful, as with any wild animal. They can carry many diseases.
• Make sure the heat source you are using as an incubator is not too hot and cannot set the box on fire.
• Do not keep any wild animal in captivity for longer than necessary.
• Never give carrots to rabbits. They do not eat them in the wild, so it is not safe to feed them in captivity.

Necessities

• Wooden or plastic box with walls
• Clean, soft soil
• Clean hay
• Disinfected animal fur (or tissues)
• Incubator, heat plate or other heat source
• Leather gloves
• Glass jars
• Bottle for milk
• Small plastic teat
• Homogenized milk
• Baby cereals
• Towel
• Screen
• Wire mesh cage (with mesh roof and bottom)
• Clover hay (or just hay)
• Cereals
• Bread
• Water bowl