1 baby rabbit

Question
hi,
i have just gone out to see my rabbit (rosie) and there is a baby outside the sleeping area its moving but its cold and she doesn't seem to want anything to do with it! i daren't touch it because i dont want her to kill it there is just the one please help a.s.a.p
PLEASE HELP ME!
thank you

jenni

Answer
Hi Jenni,

is it her baby or is it a wild rabbit?

You can take the baby, make a nestbox out of a small cardboard box, place a soft cotton towel or tshirt in there and make a well (circular indent) in the middle with your hand.

You will need to get puppy/kitten milk replacement formula from a pet supply store, mix with regular cream instead of water.  Be very careful feeding ot let him swallow properly.

From HRS notes:

It may be easiest to start with a 3 cc/ml syringe or an eyedropper. Some use pet nurser nipples on the end of a luer lock syringe, or a teat cannula on the end of a syringe. Feed only with the bunny sitting UPRIGHT, and point syringe down towards bottom or side of mouth, so if too much comes out, the baby does not aspirate! For those who are slow to learn nursing, SC fluids may be necessary to prevent electrolyte imbalance or dehydration (check with a vet on this only!!). Domestic buns with closed eyes should be fed 2 x a day, and the number of feedings gradually decreased until they are weaned. If their eyes are still closed, you need to stimulate their bottoms with a warm moist towel after feedings to help them to pee. (Domestics are weaned about 6 weeks; wild bunnies are weaned about 3-4 weeks for cottontails and 9 weeks for jacks). Bloat is commonly associated with too frequent feedings and too much at one time.

Just to clarify, 1 ml is also 1cc, so if I switch back and forth realize they are the same thing.

If he isless than 1 week old, feed him 5 ml per day.  If he is 1 week old give about 15-20 ml per day (so split this between the 2 feedings) .  At two weeks old I'd say give maybe 10 ml in the morning, 15 ml in the evening.  Weeks 3 and 4 he can have 30 ml per day (15 morning, 15 evening).  

He needs to have a little hunger in order to start switching onto solids.  The next month he will be having both, with milk tapering off, and solid intake increasing.

You can start tapering off the milk at week 5.  Go to 12 ml, and 12 ml.  Week six, 10 ml and 10 ml.  Week 7, 5 ml and 5 ml.  Week 8, 5 ml.  Then you can quit.  In the wild they are weaned at 4 weeks.  Domestics usually by eight weeks max.  He should start at week 5 eating pellets and hay.  Change the hay every day with fresh smelling, timothy and alfalfa hay.  The timothy needs to be changed every day.  The alfalfa does not have to as it keeps its fresh smell longer.  I'd recommend Oxbow 15/23 alfalfa pellets.  Oxbow also has excellent timothy hay and alfalfa hay.  Another decent brand of hay is American Pet Diner.  Kaytee timohty/alfalfa hay is usually okay.  You can also substitute Orchard grass hay for timothy hay.  Often they eat more of this than the timothy hay.

The other thing you can do if you don't feel you can take care of the little guy is to call up any local rabbit rescue groups or your animal shelter.  Make the nest and keep him in there and get him warm and then start calling.

Here are some articles that will help if you want to take care of him:

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

http://www.rabbit.org/care/babies.html

http://www.rabbit.org/care/newborn.html

Lee