baby bunny

[anneke]

Hi guys!!!! I'm baaaaacckk:)

So, I let my dogs out back and after they did their business they found the nest made by the (they don't call them dumb bunnies for nothing- she makes her first nest where the dogs can reach it every year...grrrrrrrrrrrr).

They ate one and killed another before I could stop them (repeat after me: I don't hate my dogs, I don't hate my dogs, I don't hate my dogs...).

But I found the last little muffin and scooped her out of the bottom of the nest with as much of mamma's fur and nest as I could manage, and rushed it into the house where I have it now in a small container nestled in nesting and sitting on a heating pad.

I checked out the deceased bunny (a little boy) and he was about 3" long, Eyes closed, ears lying fully back and closed, bald, bald, bald.

I still have the esbilac from Lilly...and I know the odds of survival for it are likely pretty low.

What next guys???????????

anneke

[Abacat]

:wave123 Girl, nice to see you again! :grouphug
SR&B2 does bunnies, (I'm pretty clueless.) Sounds like the baby is around 3 days old...:dono
Is Momma still alive? Could you reunite with Mom, keeping doggies inside?
Any wounds?

[anneke]

No wounds on this one- he or she was safely buried at the bottom of the nest.

In terms of reuniting.....this is the yearly problem. The backyard is fenced and mama bunny always makes her first nest of the season *inside* the fence. My dogs are about 25lbs and I have no idea what would allow mama in and keep the eskies out.

[squirrel princess]

What is right on the other side of the fence:thinking is it a possibility to put the nest over there. They do seem to build their nests right out in the open I don't understand why she had to know you had dogs. Poor babies my cat used to bring me one every spring and I would get so upset with her:shakehead

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

The bunny has probably built his nest in the dogs yard because although it seems stupid to us, it is actually the safest spot. On the other side there are probably cats that roam, coons, you name it. Inside the fence there are just the dogs who are probably inside most of the day. Overall it is safer.

I sent you a PM. I will be back online in an hour and a half or so if you need more help.

[thundersquirrel]

anneke!!! welcome back! :D :D :D

i can't really help you either- i'm squirrels, not bunnies. thank goodness for the few of us who do bunnies! :bowdown i really hope this little girl makes it. you've had luck with miracles before, though. ;) :Love_Icon

[anneke]

Okay <phew>. You all know thta most civilians dont' know where they can get esbilac or KMR right off the top of their heads....most civilians don't know what those things are.....And that is why you are all so special and extraordinary :)

So, I am back with KMR and whole new set of nursing nipples. The baby weighs in at 42 grams.

Next question(s), how much, how often and at what temperature?

tia,

Anneke

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

42 grams, that is the same weight as Spot, my bunny I got from the wildlife center! Here is his picture, is this what your guy looks like?

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r299/4bunnies/Wild%20Little%20Tykes/000_6461.jpg

http://i147.photobucket.com/albums/r299/4bunnies/Wild%20Little%20Tykes/000_6458.jpg

You want to start with pedialyte for the first 2 feedings. I guess I should have told you that when I told you to get the KMR :sanp3 . You can make the home made pedialyte if you don't have a drugstore nearby.

So, he can have 4 ccs 3 times a day. If you can't get 4 ccs into him (they are VERY hard to feed the regular way), then you will have to feed him 4-5 times a day to get the amount he needs into him.

Good luck with the little tyke!

[anneke]

my baby is still hairless- guess it has the potential to be big.

So what's the homemade pedialyte formula. I did check the pharmacy around the corner on my way back from the pet store, but they didn't have any.

And how warm should the pedialyte be please.

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Here's the recipe:

--1 teaspoon salt
--3 teaspoons sugar
--1 quart warm water
Mix all ingredients in warm water. Store in refrigerator.


The pedialyte should be warm, but not super hot, like a baby's formula.

[anneke]

So baby bunny is active when I take him/her (I forgot to check:sanp3 ) Seems to want to snuggle in and find something resembling a nipple on my hands. I am not so equipped, sadly.

I offered the homemade pedialyte and later some KMR. It is difficult to get these little guys to understand the process.

I was reading another thread and see that Island Rehabber knows someone the next county over from me and I will call that rehabber tomorrow (assuming bunny is still hanging in there) and see if there is an experienced person available.

If not, it seems that I have to find someone with a bunny who will collect and share their bunnies overnight droppings- now there's a new way to meet people.

I tried to snap a picture- didn't turn out very well.....

[Abacat]

:morning!
How's the :bunny this morning?
Is that the picture of the baby? What a sweet pea! :Love_Icon
I was thinking he was hairless, but that lil guy/girl has hair. :)

Best of luck with the Baby.:grouphug

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Your little tyke is about 3 days old. He probably looks like the little guy in my picture today. They grow up sooooooooooooooo fast!

His belly looks a little swollen in the picture. Did the dog have him in his mouth? The other possibility and more likely case is he is still full of milk from when his mom fed him last. Have you pittled him? He will need to be stimulated to go to the bathroom after every feeding.

I hope you find a rehabber to take the little sweetie.

Oh, and you can't tell a boy bunny from a girl bunny until they are much older.

[anneke]

You can all start giggling now...I have baby bunny packed up to sneak into work complete with heating pad, kmr...He/she made it through the night and is still at 40 grams. :thumbsup

I can't tell how much liquid I am getting into it. He (in the absence of definitive information) seems most able to take somthing when he is snuggled in my hand and sometimes he pushes with his feet against me fingers like a kitten does to its mother when nursing? He doesn't seem to be getting in his nose and it's not an all out fight, so I hope I'm not doing anything horrible.

So, today I am in search of a rehabber or a poop donor to regulate it's GI intestinal flora.

the things I learn here :)

[anneke]

Meant to add....the dogs didn't get to him at all. And, I haven't been able to get him/her to pee. What's the secret to success?

tia,

Anneke



Your little tyke is about 3 days old. He probably looks like the little guy in my picture today. They grow up sooooooooooooooo fast!

His belly looks a little swollen in the picture. Did the dog have him in his mouth? The other possibility and more likely case is he is still full of milk from when his mom fed him last. Have you pittled him? He will need to be stimulated to go to the bathroom after every feeding.

I hope you find a rehabber to take the little sweetie.

Oh, and you can't tell a boy bunny from a girl bunny until they are much older.

[Abacat]

:alright.gif anneke! Hope you don't get busted with the "goods" at work.
I copied this info about pottying:

After each feeding it is important to make the bunny defecate and urinate to keep the intestinal tract and urinary system running smoothly. Use a soft cloth or a cotton ball moistened with warm water and gently stroke from between the bunny's front legs all the way down over the anal area until the bunny starts producing stool and urine, and keep stroking until the bunny stops. You are replicating the behavior of the mother rabbit who would lick her young to stimulate them to go to the bathroom (as well as to keep the nest clean). The stool will be soft and may be varying shades of green and yellow. Be sure to clean baby's mouth with a damp cloth or paper towel, so that no milk dries in the hair.
taken from: http://www.mybunny.org/info/newborn.htm

:bow You really are a CMfairy to this little bunny. :grouphug :Love_Icon :grouphug

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

I use a tissue to pittle my little tykes. Just hold him like I am holding my little guy in the second picture and rub him down there quickly but gently and he should go (watch out because they tend to like to make fountains!).

[FallensMommie]

Does mommie bunny make nest in same spot each year? Maybe you can put a wire mesh fencing up where she nest so no dogs can get to her next time.
Just a idea! :)

[anneke]

Well, I have good news and other news....The good news is that I talked with a rehabber who will take on the little bunny and I will bring him/her over this evening. She says that will babies this small she tube feeds them- sounds like what we do with newborn puppies who are underweight.

The other news is that I have had no luck with feeding or piddling, so really the only outside chance the bunny has is with someone experienced.

So......it's rather a relief to know that my remaining responsibility is to keep it warm enough to survive till then and after that, the collective we have done all possible.

And maybe, just maybe if there's an opportunity, I might get to volunteer with the rehabber and learn a whole lot more!

[Abacat]

:alright.gif You're awesome! Good luck lil bunny...:Love_Icon
Anneke, good luck with the volunteering, let us know how it works out. :thumbsup

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

:wahoo Glad you found a rehabber to take the little tyke. Let us know how the volunteering goes.

[anneke]

Bunny is safely transferred to the capable care of rehabber. By mid afternoon, it had a large purplish bruise on its tummy. The rehabber wondered if one of the dogs had injured it. Could well be.

While the weight was maintained, she wasn't optimistic- I feel I have done the best I could to give it a fighting chance.

And (this is much happier news for me), I will be volunteering there regularly. She is a nurse and a licensed rehabber and deals with just about everything from birds to squirrels to rabies vector critter (I think I will be steering clear of them~lol). So, I get to give back and learn lots. Should be interesting and fun.

Thanks to all for your readiness to jump right in and help another wild thing (woudl that be me or the bunny:crazy )

Anneke

[thundersquirrel]

ahh, so happy to hear that a rehabber has the bunny! i only rescued a baby bunny once, and i was TERRIFIED of hurting it. we got it to a proper rehabber right away....they're so fragile! i hope yours makes it.

that's awesome about the volunteering! you'll make a great helper. you've already got two wildlife stories under your belt. more will come! :thumbsup

[anneke]

I wanted to add postscript to my bunny thread...There is a rehabber in my state who Island Rehabber raved about in another thread (I think it was about a bunny, but don't quote me on that). She contacted me offlist to offer to help with the bunny.

What a wonderful, caring group everyone is here and how incredible that a rehabber, who has to be swimming in babies about now, is taking the time to track me down to help.

Amazing, simply amazing :grouphug