Wild baby bunny help needed...

[pamela lee]

Just picked-up a baby bunny it weights 103 grams and seems very healthy. I haven't tried feeding her and I'm not sure what to feed. I have Esbilac and KMR stage 2. My book says Esbilac with multi-milk, I don't have the multi-milk. What can I feed till I get what I need? The people that saved it has been feeding 2% cows milk, do I need to flush her system with LRS or pedialyte? She was found with 3 dead siblings. A dog had attacked and killed all but her, so no reunion with mom can be tried.

[Anne]

Pamela Lee, she looks almost old enough to be on her own. Bunnies mature so fast.
See if there is help for you here.
http://www.squirrelworld.com/RabRehab.html

[Buddy'sMom]

PL, you should contact Squirrelsruleandbunniestoo.

I have this info that was posted previously -- I highlighted the part about WHAT formula -- but I can't tell exactly where the info was taken from (:shakehead ), though i think it was digiandchipper posting info from The House Rabbit Society's website. Maybe you can tell the age from pics on one of SR&BT's threads.



The following is a guideline for the daily amount to feed a TRULY orphaned bunny (mother was killed, etc.) that will be about 5 lbs as an adult.

GENERAL FEEDING OF ORPHANS Age + Amount (This WILL vary depending on type of rabbit.) Use KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer) for domestics and Meyenberg Goat Milk, regular not low fat for wild ones,or KMR. Add a pinch of acidophilus (AKA Probiotic capsules) to all formula to promote healthy gut flora. Other formulas vary depending on the region of the country. Avoid using Esbilac or any puppy formulas or cow's milk. Do not add Karo syrup. FEED TWICE A DAY ONLY.

Newborn to One Week: 2 - 2+1/2 cc/ml each feeding (two feedings).
1-2 weeks: 5-7 cc/ml each feeding (two feedings).
(depending on bunny..may be much LESS if smaller rabbit).
2-3 weeks: 7-13 cc/ml each feeding (two feedings). Bunnies whose eyes are still CLOSED need to be stimulated to urinate and defecate before or after each feeding. Again, seek a professional on this. Domestic eyes open at about 10 days of age. Then start introducing them to timothy and oat hay, pellets and water (always add fresh greens for wild ones--dandelion greens, parsley, carrot tops, grated carrots, all fresh, watered down). See below for detail.
3-6 weeks: 13-15 cc/ml each feeding (two feedings--again, may be LESS depending on size of rabbit! A cottontail will take so much LESS--about half of this!.)

[philomycus]

I have no idea, but bless you for helping this poor little bun... :grouphug

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Sorry I didn't get on til now (been one of those kinda days :shakehead but all is good with the creatures :D). Anyways, about the bunny. He looks like he could be a sibling to the group of 3 I have from the fire pit. They are HUGE! but they still are nest bunnies. They don't walk around just all sit huddled together and it looks like they just opened their eyes, they are just BIG! Your little tyke is "big enough" to be on his own by most standards, but I do NOT think he would survive if released somewhere. If you put clover and dandelions in and he eats them all tonight, then I am wrong and he can go free, but my guess is he won't touch them because in the wild he would still be sitting in his nest waiting for mom to come feed him.

This is what a typical 100 or so gram bunny looks like:

http://i692.photobucket.com/albums/vv282/2009wildlife/100_2839.jpg

Yours is not as furry yet, he looks like he just opened his eyes.

I would give as much greens and timothy hay as he wants and then also give formula 2-3 times a day. Give 3 ccs per feeding if you can get it into him. Without tubing it can take a long time, although it gets MUCH MUCH easier after they open their eyes so you may be in luck and he may take right to the hand feeding. I would use the KMR. I use Zoologic 33/40 mixed with Multimilk, but since you don't have that, the KMR will be the closest match. Bunnies need more fat than squirrels, so straight Esbilac won't work.

Good luck with the little tyke, he looks happy and healthy.

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Oh, and I always give 2 feedings of Lactated ringers to start my bunnies off. It flushes their system and rehydrates if they are dehydrated. I try not to use Pedialyte, but if that is all you have it will work. I give the 2 feedings 3 hours apart so it is pretty much given in the time between feedings. Ex. I usually feed bunnies at 5 AM, 3 PM, and 9 PM. If I get a new guy in at 4, I will give fluids at 4 and 8 or 9 and then start him on formula at 5AM, so only one regular feeding time is fluids and he starts on formula at the next feeding with the others.

Also, the bunny does not need heat, but should have a little hiding spot (baby blankets rolled into a little dome he can go under will work) and should have something over his cage so he can't see out (bunnies freak out if they can see out but can't go there and realize they are trapped, I have MUCH better success now that I use sheets over their aquariums). I use blue sheets and green sheets, like the grass or the sky, sounds crazy but it works well and I think they like it :tilt.

[pamela lee]

Thanks for all the info ya'll. I gave LRS until 9:00 and then I fed KMR with Acidophilus. I was wondering why you feed KMR if they need more fat. The esbilac has twice the fat content as the KMR and the KMR has twice the Protein content as the Esbilac. I have a house bunny and was told to never give Alfalfa hay cause it's too high in protein.
Now for the Multi-milk, where do I find it? Is it only sold on-line or can I maybe find it in a store?

[Anne]

I have only seen Multi-milk on line. I know Chris' Squirrels and more carries it.
Good luck with the little fellow. :grouphug :grouphug

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Thanks for all the info ya'll. I gave LRS until 9:00 and then I fed KMR with Acidophilus. I was wondering why you feed KMR if they need more fat. The esbilac has twice the fat content as the KMR and the KMR has twice the Protein content as the Esbilac. I have a house bunny and was told to never give Alfalfa hay cause it's too high in protein.
Now for the Multi-milk, where do I find it? Is it only sold on-line or can I maybe find it in a store?

I have never used KMR, just heard that it is better than Esbilac for bunnies. I just checked the nutrition on it though :sanp3, you are right it only has 27% fat. What is up with that? The formula I mix up is about 47% fat (equal amounts of Zoologic 33/40 and Multimilk, whihch is the same as Zoologic 30/55. I know that Gabe always uses KMR and her bunnies do OK.

You can order Multimilk online at Chris's, that's where I always order from. I don't think you can get it at a store, but I could be wrong. You can order it, but your bunny is probably only going to be on formula for a week maybe 2 at the most, so I wouldn't worry about it. I would continue feeding what you are already using and offer greens and Timothy hay.

Did the bunny eat any of his greens? Oh, and you do not have to add the bacteria because he already has it since he is an eyes open bunny. I usually do still add it, but it isn't essential. I use LA 200 from Fox Valley because Bene-bac usually gives my bunnies slimy poop and they don't look as healthy it seems. They survive, but look so much better when I use the LA 200. For your guy, by the time you got it he would be off milk though :crazy.

About the alfalfa... I have always read that baby bunnies can have some alfalfa and their foods are usually alfalfa based, but adults shouldn't have much because of the protein. Their foods are Timothy based (at least they should be).

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

I talked to Gabe and I think I understand why KMR is used, although I am really thinking it isn't best. It is indeed 40/27 milk, meaning it is too high in protein and too low in fat. To correct that, Gabe adds Ultra-boost to the formula (I believe from Fox valley, but not sure she didn't say but that is the only place I know of that has ultra-boost), which increases the fat content. The protein content would still be too high though, unless Ultra-boost is low in protein so the mixture is therefore lower :thinking.

Gabe's reasoning for using KMR is that bunnies like the taste better than Esbilac.

So, in my opinion, the best formula (of course :D) would be the Zoologic 33/40 mixed equally with Multi-milk giving them a low protein high fat formula that helps them grow up to be big healthy bunnies. That is, if you can get them to drink it :tilt. That isn't a problem for me because I tube it to them so they never taste it. I have tried feeding the regular way and it is nearly impossible and takes FOREVER! So, if you do not tube feed, which most finders do not... then KMR is the way to go because even though it isn't the best nutritionally, it is better to get that into them than nothing at all. The addition of the ultra-boost helps correct the nutrition so rehabbers that feed the regular way tend to prefer that I think.

Gabe recommended not giving formula at all and leaving the little guy with LOTs of greens and timothy hay and a little oats (quaker oats the quick-1 minute kind) for 24 hours and he should start eating on his own. He is big and healthy so he can definetely survive without food for that long, but will hopefully get hungry enough to eat the regular food. That is what works for Gabe. I personally, feed my little ones formula and give them time to learn to eat the food when they want. As long as you are just giving 3 ccs 2-3 times a day, it won't hurt them any and he should be eating regular food in a few days. You just have to be VERY VERY careful not to aspirate him because if you do his chances are slim to none of making it because they get respiratory infections so easilly.

Hopefully that helps clear up the formula issue.

[pamela lee]

She seems to be doing fine but has lost 5 grams just over night which has me worried. She hasn't touched her hay or greens yet. She investigates them just hasn't tried them. I am still able to force her to take some formula, this morning I only got 2cc's in. Can I add yogurt to her formula? Maybe she'll like it better. Thank you soooo much for all the info. I really really hope little Flash (the people I got her from named her) makes it. I see why you LOVE bunnies so much, they are just the CUTEST little fuzzers.

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

Aww, Flash is a cutie.

Yogurt is a debated thing among cottontail rehabbers. I absolutely will NOT give mine any yogurt because I used it as a probiotic once and all of the bunnies got diarrhea and died 3 days later (they survived with the diarrhea for 3 days but got in about 5 hours after the first time giving yogurt and they had been healthy before). That is the one and only time I will ever use it. Other rehabbers, though, give their bunnies little lids of yogurt and say they like it and it doesn't hurt them. Maybe there is a certain kind they can have :dono. I personally will never try it again though.

I wouldn't worry too much about a 5 gram weight loss the first day. He is a BIG boy and will be OK. I would just keep trying with the formula and hopefully later today or tomorrow he will decide to suck it down like a good boy. They are very foreceful when they do start nursing like they should. They will kick their legs out, grab the nipple and yank as hard as they can :sanp3. Let's just say I wouldn't want to be a mommy cottontail.

[squirrelsrule&bunniestoo]

How is the little tyke today? Is he eating anything on his own yet? Is he taking to the formula better? Bunnies are so fussy, but oh so cute that they know they can get away with it. I hope he is doing well.

[pamela lee]

I moved Flash to her own thread.http://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?t=18519