Help - Cottontails doing poorly

[2ndHandRanchRescue]

Hey guys. Help. I've had 3 cottontails (and I've done quite a few) for a week- got with just the velvet on. I've been feeding FV day one for birth cottontails but they are looking so poorly. They pee and walk around shaky. They are skinny but I feed like regular round belly. I've done about 30 cottontails and this is a 1st. I usually feed my Esbilac (hush you anti Esbilac folks) They look like they aren't getting enough fat. I've looked at all my resources and I've never had the babies look like this. I am freaked. I started making the formula 1-1 to make it richer - its like they aren't getting enough fat? Can I change to Goats milk or a homemade goats milk? These guys have survived against all odds. Mother killed - nest mates killed and dog chewing on all 3. The have GREAT appetites. I tried to PM S&BR but my damn new wifi is so slow and my PMing is buggering up. Thanks guys - did I tell you how good it is to have a connection to critter folks. I tried searching but I go to time out with my wifi so if someone could help with a rich yummy formula I'll run to Walmart.

[Milo's Mom]

I believe that SR&BT ended up switching to a half and half formula mixture. Zoologic and FV. I will try to find the thread where she said what she was doing. I know she is having problems with bunnies this year too though.

[rozdow]

Here's what a rehabber friend of mine does...



"Last year I had great success with 1 KMR, 1UB (ultra boost by FV) and 2 water. Additives were scant amounts of benebac, coconut oil, Prozyme, powdered colostrum from health food store and l-glutamine"

* due to Pet Ag issues, I believe that she has switched to Fox Valley
* Critical Care sprinkled on the fresh veggies.

[Milo's Mom]

From what I could find she is using FV mixed with homemade formula.

The homemade formula recipe is:

To make 100 g of liquid formula....

The dry mix would be:
8 g whey protein isolate
6 g goat milk powder
3 g dried egg yolk
1.25 g Henry Healthy Vita-Mins

Reconstituted with:
54 g water
28 g heavy whipping cream

I have the mix for making 5 lbs downstairs, keep forgetting to bring it up, but that's basically the recipe and then you multiply up by however much you want to make in powder. I keep the powder in the freezer and then mix it up at 2 parts water to one part powder and one part heavy whipping cream for squirrels and instead of using heavy cream with bunnies, I mix in lard to the powder mix (I added about 2 cups of lard to the 5 lb. tub).

I will send her a PM for you and see if she can jump online and help you out.

[2ndHandRanchRescue]

Thanks guys. But none of that stuff is available out here in rural Illinois - any suggestion with making homemade formula with a rural Walmart as my ONLY store.

[lilidukes]

Thanks guys. But none of that stuff is available out here in rural Illinois - any suggestion with making homemade formula with a rural Walmart as my ONLY store.

Using the goats milk recipe we have had much better success than the FV. And not sure why but when using the goats milk they transitioned better over onto baby food then solids too.

We lost quite a few with fv so went back to the old school recipe and things improved.

[2ndHandRanchRescue]

Okee Dokee - where do I find that recipe or is it the one below ? I printed the emergency one but can't find. thanks so much

[lilidukes]

1 cup goats milk
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/3 cup dannon all natural vanilla yogurt.

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

I am not sure if the homemade liquid formula would be good for bunnies. I worry with so much milk in there. I will NOT give my bunnies yogurt at all anymore, had a whole group die on me after getting yogurt!