# Baby rabbits found but have questions



## Danil54 (May 8, 2017)

I was in the backyard when my dogs found a couple baby rabbits from I am not sure where. . . maybe under the shed or under the gazebo. Since I had to rescue before dogs ate, I did have to touch them so no returning to nest even if I knew where it was. I put them in a basket with towels & made up a kitten formula of evaporated milk, corn syrup, 1 egg yolk & a couple tablespoons of real mayo which I did get one of them to take some down when it seemed Hungary. The other I actually got away from a dogs mouth & just not to sure if it may have been injured. It doesn't have any bite marks per say, but it keeps rolling over until I pick it up & hold it close to me. Maybe a brain trauma? They are not very old. Eyes still closed and one of them still has its ears close to its head and not standing out like the other one. I have raised and bottle fed calves pigs goats and kittens so that is not the new part for me. Is this a treat like a kitten on formula or do rabbits have a different type? And how old are they when they start eating greens?


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## Danil54 (May 8, 2017)

This is a pic of them if it help. . . and don't laugh at the zebra printed towel. It was left at our rent house by previous tenants. Not my style so use it as a rag.


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## hashbrown (Sep 2, 2013)

Ive always had a hard time raising wild rabbits but on a couple of occasions Ive been successful.


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## hiwall (Jun 15, 2012)

They have to be kept warm and feeding them is an issue. So far at the age of these we had very poor luck keeping them alive.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Momma won't care if you touch them. In the future put them back where you think they go. Baby rabbits always act hungry and eat on their back and the easiest way I've found to feed them is by using a Q tip. Dip it in the liquid and let the baby suck it off. A bottle or syringe can cause them to aspirate the liquid. Are their eyes open? If their eyes are open they are ready to start on solid foods.

Baby rabbits burrow into a nest made from mommas hair. They won't burrow into a towel to stay warm. A nest of shredded toilet paper and hay would be better.


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

Sorry, I missed the part about the eyes and ears. The one with the ears close to his head can't hear yet. The other is just starting to hear. Probably about a week old. They will start nibbling on solids around 2 weeks when their eyes are open. Kits are usually fed once, maybe twice a day for a minute or so and wild rabbits are on their own at 4 weeks old or so. Do the best you can, there isn't a known substitute for rabbits milk. It's really rich.


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## hashbrown (Sep 2, 2013)

terri9630 said:


> Sorry, I missed the part about the eyes and ears. The one with the ears close to his head can't hear yet. The other is just starting to hear. Probably about a week old. They will start nibbling on solids around 2 weeks when their eyes are open. Kits are usually fed once, maybe twice a day for a minute or so and wild rabbits are on their own at 4 weeks old or so. Do the best you can, there isn't a known substitute for rabbits milk. It's really rich.


I got one to live 4 years ago, I got some sort of canned cat milk substitute at the feed store.


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## bbqjoe (Feb 10, 2017)

My wife tried saving some of those once.
They went stiff as a board in a matter of hours.


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## hashbrown (Sep 2, 2013)

bbqjoe said:


> My wife tried saving some of those once.
> They went stiff as a board in a matter of hours.


It can be done but it's not easy.


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## Danil54 (May 8, 2017)

Since one was in a dogs mouth, yes unfortunately I don't d have to touch. . . now that I know we have rabbits in the backyard & it is fenced in, the dogs are not allowed back there for now. I read that mommas only feed a couple times a day, once at night and then again in the morning. And they do not stay with the babes, but are off only company ng back at feeding time. So with that in mind, I placed them where I thought the nest should be in hopes mom would come back. I checked on them this morning & bellies appear full so hopeful. I know survival rate is not go without mom. I will listen for them when in the back and check up on them but for the most part I will let them be for now.


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## Danil54 (May 8, 2017)

And update on the one that kept rolling yesterday. . .it is not today so maybe better


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## terri9630 (Jun 2, 2016)

If the bellies are round and firm Momma is feeding them. When you touch a rabbit that young they will automatically flip over because they are expecting it to be momma with breakfast and are looking for a teat.


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