milk for orphans rabbit

Question
QUESTION: hello,
can I have milk for orphans rabbit?
where can I get it doc?
Please help me? I live in indonesia. not available here.
please tell...
thank you.
br,paty

ANSWER: Dear Patrisia,

If you can't get formula, then the best substitute is goat's milk with a bit of added cream.  You can find instructions for safe feeding here:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/orphan.html

and more details here:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/orphan.html

Be sure to disinfect your hands well before feeding or handling the babies, as a very common cause of fatal diarrhea is contamination with normal human bacteria, Escherichia coli.  Normal for you, but potentially deadly for the babies.  If you see the slightest sign of diarrhea, please refer to:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/squirts.pdf

for emergency instructions, and please read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/poop.html

I'm not sure what you have available in your area, but you might at least be able to find a rabbit vet via the international listings here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

in case you need one.

I hope this helps. Good luck with the babies!

Dana


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Dear mrs. Dana,

Thank you for your reply to me.
I understand know that I think I should consider about sterilized and clean.
Is it the orphans rabbit more delicate than human baby?
I had make mistake I think, by giving them goat milk which is liquid I bought, not evaporated or boiled it first, I only do heat it, coz the instruction for human to drink it is by ordinary or cold.
I have 4 babies. But its only 2 of them strong I think.
I gave them Lactogen as first and second day. and I gave them puppy milk the 3rd day. Is it wrong? And after I gave goat milk which is I wrote above. But, its funny coz they seems dont like it anymore in the 4th day, mrs.Dana.
The 2 big one are more clever, they put their front feed in front of their face everytime I take them to drink milk. And, I allready know, they dont like it. And, when I gave the goat milk to their father of them, he didnt like it also. How come? Its goat milk.
I only be able to get goat milk which is refrigerator from the suplier. Its fresh. It only fresh for about a week. After, we should not drink that milk. So, I tought its the best, coz its from the farm and the goat directly. But they dont like it.
When I gave them Lactogen back again, they took it. They drink it fine.
But, I still feel guilty untill today, Idont know what happend, suddenly, in the morning, the 2 small one, it got weak, and suffer.
The other one is allready die. And, the one I know early at 5am, still try to live. I take it in to my arm, and try to give milk, but it reject the milk. I dont know what to do after. It was the day 5.
The 2 big one is still sleeping. They seems ok that day.
But, in 3 hours after, the one I have in my hand, is gone also.
So, I only gave the other 2 milk, then I go to work.
Mrs. Dana, I dont know what I have done. And which is my act is make them die. But in the day 6, the same thing happend to the other big 2.
The older one is still hang on untill afternoon. But the condition is the same with the 2 first who gone.
They look like dehidrated, their skin is flack, wrinkle, if you touch it it become move slowly back like first. Its like there is no substance or meat like 2-3 hours before. It happend in at least 4 hours before die.
Can you tell me what they suffer from?
How come it happend in few hours. They dont look hurt at all.
But, I found a bit of thick red feces from one of them. What is that?
And how come?
Surely its my mistake.
But they're allready bigger and hairy, and their teeth is grow.
only in few days. The biggest one is have teeth in 2nd day. And the 2nd one after follow, so with the other 2.
But suddenly, they seems like that I never gave them food.
What happend? And If I did wrong to them, what did I do? They grow allready. They stronger more, but, after, its like unbelieveable.
Tell me? Help....
I think you're the one who be able telling me right things to do.
And I'm ready for your judgement...
Tell me what I did wrong. ...
I need to know.
And thank you so much for your reply.
Well, I live in indonesia. But my rabbit is smart. Its loop rabbit, with the ear fall down, and bigger than ordinary rabbit.
There is no such rabbit on the street here. I kept them in my place.
I have the parents from about as big as young kitty.
Would you tell me? Please?
I'm sorry if this email is too long.
br, patrisia  

Answer
Dear Patrisia,

Even with all the right resources, it is very difficult to successfully raise orphaned rabbits.  The most common causes of death are from infection due to E. coli (human bacteria) causing fatal diarrhea, and from pneumonia or other infection caused by the baby accidentally inhaling (aspirating) the milk.  Without antibiotics, veterinary care, and many resources to which you may not have access, such babies will not survive.

It sounds as if they are starving.  As I describe in the article here:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/orphan.html

the babies will likely reject the milk at first, but if you give it to them a single drop at a time until the belly is full, they will gradually learn to accept it and even like it.  But if they have been eating well, and then suddenly reject the milk, it is because they feel sick and need medical attention for infection (usually of the intestines or of the lungs).  If they do not get the emergency care they need, they will die.

Sadly, this is not uncommon, and it is really not your fault for trying so hard to save them.  You are doing the best you can, and all I can urge you to do is to re-read the article above as well as:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/orphan.html

I hope the babies will survive.  I know you are doing the best you can. But this is very, very difficult in the best of circumstances.

I'm sending many healing thoughts!

Dana