wild baby bunnies

Question
I have recently been chosen as the new mom to 5 wild baby bunnies. Mom was hit by a car. I have done this years ago when I was a little girl with only 3 at that time. I have been feeding them baby rice cereal with a little sweetened condense milk mixed up of course and they have been loving it. I have also given them clover and grass as well as twigs off of one of my arborvity pines that they bed in. Can these little guys catch mange? Four of them have developed a oily looking spot like under their mouths. It looks like wet after they clean themselves but for some reason is not drying up. At first I thought it might be the milk/cereal because they have started eating it out of a dish now and it was getting on them more maybe. If not mange, can you tell me what it might be. They have also been drinking water as well. Thank you for your help.

Answer
Dear Heather,

I'm glad the babies are doing well, but be very careful about giving them sweetened, condensed milk, which can cause intestinal problems.  For information on how to care for wild baby cottontails, please see:

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

Yes, they can get mange.  The only safe remedy for this is Revolution (selamectin), but what they have doesn't sound like mange.  I noticed this on our cotties, too, and once they grew up I realized that the crusty wetness on the chin is the *scent gland!*  :)  If this is the *only* location you see the crust/wetness, then that's what I think you must be seeing, too.  Both my cotties are males, so this might be more pronounced in the males.

For information on a good, balanced diet for them, please see:

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

Good luck with the babies!

Dana