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Two-three week old Cottontail

22 11:22:13

Question
I am a Dog/Cat Foster who recently acquired a at the time closer to, two week old cottontail rabbit by a lady whom I ran into at the vet where I was taking three little puppies that I had just found thrown from a truck.  She asked me to care for it and left.  After getting him home, I rushed to Petsmart for the heating Lamp, Tank, Timothy Hay etc, Formula.  When I arrived Home he was seizing and had stopped breathing.  I instructed my roomate to heat me up some towels and formula and I blew two short puf in his mouth and started massaging him with warm towels, I force fed him warms drops of formula, he then took some gasped of air and blinked his eyes.  I stayed up the enitre night with him, keeping warm towels at all time, feeding him every hours, stmulating him to go to the bathroom and I am happy to report that by 6:30 am the next morning he was up and eating a apple and drinking his formula from the bottle on his own.  It is a week later and he is getting bigger and strong and is eating Spinach, Timothy Hay, Apples and Using the Restroom on his own.  He is very tame now of course, even nestles in my hair and purrs after nursing. My question being what is the best habitat that I can give him...Other that what I am feeding him what is the next step?  Thanks so much..Julie
Also when should he be weaned off the Formula, I feel like that may be what saved his life so taking is away scares me.

His name is Peter....Peter Cotontail Quinn


Answer
Dear Julie,

Congratulations on saving Peter's life!  Baby cottontails are incredibly difficult to raise successfully, so you've done a wonderful job.

It's very unusual for a wild cottontail to become so tame and calm with humans that they can be held and cuddled.  I wonder if those individuals who are so calm might not do so well in the wild, as do other rehabbers, but we are not sure.  It will be up to you to see whether he remains calm, or starts to show signs of wildness that mean he needs to be free right away.  (Captive stress can come on suddenly, but it's usually seen in the very nervous individuals.)

I have appended below a long post on how to care for and release a wild cottie.  I hope it will help.

Dana

*********
Saving Wild Baby Rabbits

The best chance for survival of a wild baby rabbit is to leave it in
its nest, where the mother will return to take care of it.  If you
find a wild baby rabbit, let him be, and do not attempt to "rescue"
him.  Mother cottontails feed their babies only once or twice a day,
and then stay as far away from the nest as possible, so as to avoid
attracting predators.

Mama rabbit will be calling for the baby you think is abandoned.  No
matter how cute and helpless he looks, if he appears healthy, leave
him alone.  If you disturbed a nest, just remake it. If you touched
the baby, that doesn't matter. Put back in the general area in a safe
place. Mama comes back only at night, when you are not looking.

If, however, you find ANY injured animal, or a truly orphaned wild
baby (you can confirm that the mother was killed), contact your local
humane society/animal control.  Do not attempt to feed the babies, as
the physiology of their digestive tract is incredibly complex and
sensitive. Feeding anything can definitely do more harm than good.
  
If the baby appears injured, and it's after normal veterinary hours,
try to call an emergency vet who can administer treatment.  To find a
vet in your area who is experienced in treating rabbits, go to:

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

and/or

http://www.morfz.com/PB_vets.html(Vets Global)

Orphaned wildlife species have very specific dietary and care needs.
They need a skilled wildlife rehabilitator to help them survive.  Do
not feed formula yourself or keep the rabbit as a pet!  A baby
cottontail needs the right formula twice a day only, and is extremely
fragile.

To find a wildlife rehabilitator in your area, first call your local
Humane Society, and then check the following web sites for
vets/rehabilitators:

http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact

http://www.morfz.com/PB_vets.html(Vets Global)
 
Without a professional, wild babies mostly die.  If you have found a
true orphan, house it in a small pet carrier or sturdy cardboard box
on soft towels until you can get it to the rehabilitator or vet.  Safe
foods to include in the box are timothy hay, dandelion greens,
parsley, carrot tops, carrots, grated very small.

If you have more questions about orphaned rabbits, please go to:

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

If all else fails, here is an article on saving baby wild rabbits that
might help.  Good luck!
Dana
**********************************
The following information is from:
V. Johnson, P. Adams, P. Goodrich and R. Haas, 1991:  "Wild Animal Care and
Rehabilitation Manual", 4th Edition, Kalamazoo Nature Center, 42-45. ISBN
0-939294-16-8.

(Please use this only for the baby rabbits you have found, and do not
distribute this article without permission of the authors.  It is
fully copyrighted, and must not be reproduced without the express,
written permission of the authors.)

RABBITS IN THE WILD

Just prior to birth of a litter, the female prepares a nest which may be
underground or in a concealed, grass-lined cavity under vegetation.

She lines the den using fur plucked from her abdomen. The newborns (1 to 8)
are born with their eyes closed and their ears flat against their heads.
They are not born with fur, but within a week they have a full coat. The
eyes open 6 to 10 days after birth.

The babies are nursed about twice a day, for the first two weeks, usually
once in the morning and once in the evening.

Baby cottontails leave the nest at 2 to 3 weeks and learn to nibble tender
grass shoots. They leave the nest for good when they are about 3 to 4 weeks
old. They may remain in the nest area.

The question is often asked:  Will the mother rabbit return if the nest has
been disturbed?  We believe that there is no absolute rule followed by
mother rabbits. The maternal instinct is strong, and she probably will
return to feed 2 to 3 times within a 24-hour period if the nest has not
been drastically disturbed.

There have been recorded observations of mother rabbits returning to care
for very young rabbits when the nest was mildly disturbed, and there have
been observations of abandoned young after some mild or severe disturbance
of the nest. We urge people to stay away and leave the nest alone for 24
hours before making a decision. If young are warm and healthy at this
point, the mother has been returning. If the young feel cold and appear
thin or dehydrated, she probably has not been returning, and it is time to
take the rabbits to a rehabilitator.

WHAT TO DO FIRST

When you receive a litter of rabbits, their temperature is immediately
important. A rabbit's normal temperature is higher than yours; if the
babies do not feel warm, you should get the temperature back up to normal
as soon as possible. Raise the temperature slowly by placing the babies in
a small box lined with soft towelling and place a heating pad (set on warm)
under the box; or use a warm hot water bottle wrapped in towelling. Leave
the babies there until they feel warm to the touch.

If the rabbits' skin tents when pinched lightly and they appear weak and
listless, the babies are dehydrated. After they regain their normal body
temperature, they should be given (just a few drops if they are newborn)
hydrating solution every 15 minutes for the first hour. Commercial
hydrating solutions (e.g., Pedialyte or Gatorade) may be used, or you can
make your own solution by combining 1 teaspoon salt and 3 tablespoons sugar
in 1 quart warm water. When the babies are warm and hydrated, prepare
housing, and begin a normal feeding schedule. Always try to raise rabbits
in groups of two or more. If you have a single rabbit, you might want to
place a piece of fake fur in with the rabbit to act as a surrogate
companion. A pocket watch wrapped inside the piece of fake fur will
simulate the sound of a heartbeat. Most fake fur is machine washable, but
it should not go into the dryer.

HOUSING

If the rabbits' eyes have not yet opened, prepare housing by lining a small
box or laundry basket with newspaper and then add flannel or towelling.
Sweatshirt fleece from a fabric store is a good substitute for towelling.
It is fairly inexpensive, is quite soft, and doesn't have the loops that
terry cloth has. The sides of the box must be higher than for other
mammals, because even baby rabbits can jump very high. Place the box in an
area away from drafts and in a quiet place because rabbits are easily
frightened.

Young rabbits with their eyes not yet opened need to be supplied with
supplemental heat. This heat source may be provided by using either a
heating pad OR an ordinary 60-watt light bulb.

If a heating pad is used, place the pad outside and under 1/4 to 1/3 of the
box and up one side. This allows warmth when needed but escape if too warm.
Start the pad on low heat and use your hand to feel the warmth coming
through the bottom of the box; the box should feel warm, not hot. The
temperature for the very young should be 95F.

If a light bulb is used, hang an ordinary 60-watt bulb near the box and
position the light over one end of the box so that the temperature will
vary from one end to the other. Feel the bunnies periodically to make sure
the light bulb is keeping them warm. If not, switch to a heating pad. Cover
the babies so that the light doesnt dry out their skin.

Some rehabilitators use a heating pad at night and a light during the day
to help the animals learn about the normal day and night cycles. NEVER use
both a light and heating pad at the same time.

The heat source can be removed when the bunnies are furred and beginning to
eat on their own. Gradually eliminate the supplemental heat (e.g., several
hours a day, removing the night heat  last). After you have removed the
heat, monitor the rabbits to be sure they are maintaining their body heat.
If they aren't, reintroduce the supplemental heat.

The size and depth of the box should be adjusted as the rabbits become
larger and better jumpers. Rabbits can jump surprisingly high at a very
young age.

Place fresh, chemically free clover, dandelion greens, and Queen Anne's
Lace in the box from the  beginning so that the first sights and smells
will be natural. The box should be cleaned twice a day and all greens
removed and replaced once a day.

If the rabbits are housed in a cage when they are young and still inside,
make sure the cage is elevated off.the floor so that the urine can drain
freely.

Baby rabbits seem to like being covered with a soft piece of material until
they are eating on their own. Their natural instincts are to be under or
inside a shelter.

As the eyes open and the rabbits become more mobile, they should be housed
in a larger, portable cage. This cage should be large enough for the
rabbits to get plenty of exercise, yet small enough so that the cage can be
moved back and forth from inside to outside.

During this phase, the rabbits gradually should be getting used to being
outside for longer and longer periods of time (acclimatized). This is the
appropriate time for them to be weaned (from you and from formula
feedings); they should be handled as little as possible. Include in the
cage a wide variety of natural foods, natural features (e.g., logs,
branches, mounds of fresh soil, etc.), a source of fresh water, and a
nesting box.

When the rabbits have been acclimatized and are eating a natural diet, they
should be placed in permanent, outside-release housing as described in the
RELEASING section in this chapter.



FEEDING

Use 1 part powdered Unilact to 3 parts warm water plus 2 parts heavy cream.
Soy-based infant formula (e.g., Isomil, Nursoy, or Prosobee) mixed
according to manufacturer's directions may be used to feed rabbits. Rabbits
eat better if the formula is warmed.

Feed the babies with an eyedropper, syringe, or pet-nurser bottle,
depending on the size and age of the rabbits. Rehabilitators have had
success feeding rabbits by placing a cat replacement nipple on the end of
an eyedropper or a 1/2 cc to 3 cc syringe. The cat replacement nipples are
available from most veterinary supply companies.

There is no consensus on how often to feed baby rabbits. Some authorities
recommend not feeding them more often than every 6 hours. Animal care
rehabilitators have had success feeding baby rabbits every 2 to 3 hours
from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. when the rabbits' eyes are closed. The time between
feedings is lengthened as the rabbits eat more per feeding. We have also
had success feeding every 6 hours. A poor eater may require more feedings a
day than a vigorous eater. Some rehabilitators have worked slowly up to 6
hours between feedings with healthy vigorous rabbits. With pink, hairless
rabbits, feed about 1/2 cc of warm formula every 3 hours. Rabbits with
their eyes tightly closed and ears flat to their head will eat about 2
eyedroppersfull (approximately 2 cc) per feeding. The amount increases as
their size and weight increase. The stomach should be full and round -- not
tight. The amount also will vary depending on how often the rabbits are
fed. Feed slowly so that the formula is not aspirated into the lungs. Food
in the lungs increases susceptibility to pneumonia.

Rabbits startle very easily, so be careful when handling them. They can
injure themselves jumping suddenly from a rehabilitator's hand.

Note illustration for appropriate feeding position. Check position of
rabbits forefeet and head when held.

Do not be discouraged if rabbits do not feed well at the first or second
feeding. Rabbits have nervous systems that do not adapt easily to new
situations or to changes. That hard syringe or eyedropper in the mouth is
difficult to learn to associate with food. Being held in a human hand is
also a difficult adjustment as are unfamiliar odors and sounds. Be patient
and persistent.

Some rehabilitators use an extra box at feeding  time if they are feeding a
litter of 3 or more. They feed a rabbit, place it in the extra box (so as
to be able to tell which animals have been fed), and do the same for each
rabbit in that litter. They then feed the rabbits in reverse order from the
extra box back to the nesting box. This procedure is done to make certain
each rabbit is fed twice and gets a second chance to fill its stomach.

Some rehabilitators have reported that even rabbits with their eyes closed
will nibble on fresh clover, wild carrot greens, and dandelion greens. We
recommend adding fresh, chemically free greens to the box daily even if the
rabbits' eyes are closed. At this point, continue with regular formula
feeding until the eyes have opened.

Following each feeding, rub each rabbit's belly and genital areas with a
warm, damp cloth. This usually stimulates the baby to urinate or have a
bowel movement; don't worry if it doesn't work every time. Discontinue the
rubbing after a minute or so whether or not the rabbit has eliminated.
Rabbits over 7 days old do not need stimulation after each feeding in order
to defecate and urinate; they will eliminate on their own.

If a rabbit becomes bloated, put the lower half of its body (up to its
waist) in warm water, and gently massage its stomach for about 5 minutes.
Dry very carefully, and return the rabbit to the nesting box. Do not chill.
Within a couple of hours, the bloat should disappear. If the bloat
continues, alternate regular feedings of formula with a feeding using
hydrating solution. Contact your supervisor if the bloat continues unabated
for more than 24 hours.

The color of rabbit's urine can vary. It's not unusual for wild rabbits to
have very dark, rusty colored urine.

When the eyes are open, continue adding lots of fresh clover, slices of
apple, dandelion greens, Queen Anne's Lace, and wheat germ to the floor of
the box each day. Include the roots and the soil attached to plants you
pick. Grass, because of its low nutritional value, should constitute a
small percentage of the total vegetation. Place some formula in a shallow
jar cap with active-culture yogurt (with berries) in order to help prevent
intestinal bacterial diseases.

Gradually, over a period of several days, eliminate formula feedings as the
rabbits start eating on their own. Although rabbis get some moisture from
the greens, it is advisable to add a small jar cap of water to the box
after weaning. It's not unusual for rabbits to become disinterested in
eating when they first open their eyes. Their preoccupation with their new
surroundings should subside in about a day, and their appetite should
return to normal.

The clover, Queen Anne's Lace, and dandelion greens should be picked twice
a day, morning and evening. Be sure the vegetation is free from any toxic
sprays. Commercial rabbit chow can be added. Eliminate the formula when you
are certain the rabbits are filling up on the natural foods. You may not
actually see them eating, but indications that they are include:  seeing
pieces of grass in the corners of their mouths; noticing the difference
between how much natural food put in and how much is left; noticing bites
taken from a piece of apple; recognizing that a rabbit's tummy is rounded
when no formula has been fed for 4 or more hours; and  observing
disinterest in formula. If all the greens are consumed, you might not be
feeding enough. Provide enough greens so that there is a small amount left
between feedings.

Self-feeding rabbits often will stop eating if there is any noise in the
room or if they are being observed.


RELEASING

When the rabbits are eating a natural diet and have been acclimatized,
place them in a predator-proof, outside-release cage. Construct the release
cage with wood that hasn't been chemically treated and 1/2-inch hardware
cloth. The wire must be fairly small gauge because rabbits can squeeze
through very small openings. Wire the cage on all sides, including the top
and bottom. Cover the bottom of the cage with soil. Provide the rabbits
with natural landscaping in the cage, such as logs, rocks, branches,
shrubs, etc. Include a smaller nesting box within the larger cage.

To protect the rabbits from excessive sun, rain, and/or wind, either cover
part of the cage with a tarpaulin or construct the cage with a solid top
and two adjoining solid sides. Before releasing, the rabbits must have been
outside, day and night, rain and shine, for at least 5 days. Provide a
large amount of fresh clover, dandelion greens, and Queen Anne's Lace
daily. Be sure the water source is fresh and clean.

Rabbits are vulnerable to heat. They should never be placed in the direct
sun. If your rabbits develop symptoms of heat stroke (act lethargic, feel
hot to the touch, lie in a stretched out position, and are panting), wrap
them in a towel that has been moistened with cool (not cold) water. When
they  have recovered, place them in a cooler location. On extremely hot
days, some rehabilitators have placed  plastic milk jugs containing water
that has been  frozen in the rabbit cage to help alleviate the summer heat.
When the plastic jug is filled with water, make sure that you don't fill it
all the way to the top; the plastic will break when the water freezes if it
doesn't have room to expand. If you have trouble with the milk containers
cracking, try using a square plastic freezer container.

Release the rabbits in a location where there are plenty of grazing areas
plus wooded areas for shelter. Log piles and thick shrubby or thorny
thickets are good release areas. Release away from humans, dogs, cats,
roads, and gardens. Once a rabbit is released, it probably won't come back
to a release site. However, just to be safe, lock the cage door so that the
rabbits don't reenter the cage and become an easy, captive prey for
predators.

An appropriate release age is 3 to 5 weeks. Do not keep healthy rabbits
longer than this. Even though they are not full-grown, they are ready for
release and not do well in captivity after 5 weeks.

Check the weather forecast before releasing the rabbits, and wait for a
prediction of at least 3 days without rain or dramatic drops in temperature.