Baby bunny found this morning

[kendradfw]

Long story short, my neighbors found some baby bunnies in their backyard yesterday and are now "saving them". My fiance told them they basically destroyed the nest and the stole the babies, mom bunny picked their yard because they don't have dogs..neighbor says one got away.
This guy was in our driveway at 6am wandering around in circles.
Help.
How old is it, what do I need to do?
He's exhausted, I'm sure hungry, asleep in my bra licking me.
I'm not giving him back to the neighbors..

[cava]

Yup. Here's the formula recommended to me by a rehabber in Canada who handles bunnies a lot. The bovine colostrum adds the bacteria baby would get from cecotropes and you are also adding probiotic. She described bunnies as little fermentation factories. It has to be correct in there for them to process food correctly. You should follow directions to the letter, they are fussy critters

1/2 cup goat's milk (3 scoops powder to 6 scoops water--scoop is one tablespoon)

1/2 c KMR (kitten milk replacer) (Premixed as directed two parts water to one part powder)

3 tbsp heavy whipping cream

1/4 tsp probiotic (otc probiotic capsules opened and shaken out)

1 1/2 tbsp colostrum

Let this rest a few hours hour prior to feeding.

10% of their body weight in grams is what they should receive twice a day. Stimulate to potty after each feeding. Once eyes open other food is introduced.

Here's a copy and paste from my bunny thread about what to feed eyes open. I am running late for work so I'm squeezing a bunch in, sorry: For cottontails it is 10% of hydrated body weight. They eat a lot!
I usually weigh every other day and increase amounts as needed.
Here we feed 2x a day...6am and 6pm.
Once their eyes open they are provided timothy hay.
Stimulate to pee eyes closed babies.
We introduce greens once they have been eating hay reliably for a week while still taking formula. We start with dandelion...the dize of a dime...wsit to see if poops soften. If not double the amount everyday.
When on full grerns we provide 1/2 cup greens per bunny 2x a day and a low protein comercial rabbit pellet or rolled oats.
Water can be introduced when their eyes open or provided with their greens since most of their hydration will come from their greens in the wild.
Greens for bunnies:
Parsley
Romaine
Arugula
Dill
Watercress
Dandelions

They need dim and quiet the rest of the day. The less handling and stress the better they do. Momma only checks in with them a few times a day to avoid attracting predators to them. They know to hunker down and rest in between feedings. And a heating pad set on low under the container you have them in. The squirrel bin is fine and I made mine a blanket cave, a cube would work, and they knew to stay in it until I came a callin'.

Breathe, and good luck! And here's a link to my bunny thread when I found myself in the same boat with bunnies and no clue!

​https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?57512-OMG-I-have-teeny-tiny-bunnies&highlight=teeny

[kendradfw]

Yup. Here's the formula recommended to me by a rehabber in Canada who handles bunnies a lot. The bovine colostrum adds the bacteria baby would get from cecotropes and you are also adding probiotic. She described bunnies as little fermentation factories. It has to be correct in there for them to process food correctly. You should follow directions to the letter, they are fussy critters

1/2 cup goat's milk (3 scoops powder to 6 scoops water--scoop is one tablespoon)

1/2 c KMR (kitten milk replacer) (Premixed as directed two parts water to one part powder)

3 tbsp heavy whipping cream

1/4 tsp probiotic (otc probiotic capsules opened and shaken out)

1 1/2 tbsp colostrum

Let this rest a few hours hour prior to feeding.

10% of their body weight in grams is what they should receive twice a day. Stimulate to potty after each feeding. Once eyes open other food is introduced.

Here's a copy and paste from my bunny thread about what to feed eyes open. I am running late for work so I'm squeezing a bunch in, sorry: For cottontails it is 10% of hydrated body weight. They eat a lot!
I usually weigh every other day and increase amounts as needed.
Here we feed 2x a day...6am and 6pm.
Once their eyes open they are provided timothy hay.
Stimulate to pee eyes closed babies.
We introduce greens once they have been eating hay reliably for a week while still taking formula. We start with dandelion...the dize of a dime...wsit to see if poops soften. If not double the amount everyday.
When on full grerns we provide 1/2 cup greens per bunny 2x a day and a low protein comercial rabbit pellet or rolled oats.
Water can be introduced when their eyes open or provided with their greens since most of their hydration will come from their greens in the wild.
Greens for bunnies:
Parsley
Romaine
Arugula
Dill
Watercress
Dandelions

They need dim and quiet the rest of the day. The less handling and stress the better they do. Momma only checks in with them a few times a day to avoid attracting predators to them. They know to hunker down and rest in between feedings. And a heating pad set on low under the container you have them in. The squirrel bin is fine and I made mine a blanket cave, a cube would work, and they knew to stay in it until I came a callin'.

Breathe, and good luck! And here's a link to my bunny thread when I found myself in the same boat with bunnies and no clue!

​https://thesquirrelboard.com/forums/showthread.php?57512-OMG-I-have-teeny-tiny-bunnies&highlight=teeny

Where in the WORLD am I going to get bovine colostrum?
I honestly have no idea.

[Jen413]

Try a feed or health food store.

[Milo's Mom]

That baby looks old enough for greens and hay. What is the weight? And since he's that big and been outside taking it back to formula might crash his gut. I would try hay and greens and monitor weight, pees and poops for 24-48 hours. If maintaining or gaining, no formula needed.

[stepnstone]

Long story short, my neighbors found some baby bunnies in their backyard yesterday and are now "saving them". My fiance told them they basically destroyed the nest and the stole the babies,
Your fiance is correct, that's exactly what they did! Momma don't stay with the babies, she only comes to the nest to nurse/feed.
They nest in an open area because predators search in the bushes and under brush, she don't stay with babies so as not to draw
the attention of predators.
They are not "saving them" and most likely will wind up killing them, these people need to educate themselves! http://www.sherv.net/cm/emoticons/fighting/beating-head-against-the-wall.gif

[kendradfw]

That baby looks old enough for greens and hay. What is the weight? And since he's that big and been outside taking it back to formula might crash his gut. I would try hay and greens and monitor weight, pees and poops for 24-48 hours. If maintaining or gaining, no formula needed.

77g

[cava]

I just got some advice for a 74 g baby bun on the thread you commented on. Take a look, it may help.

[kendradfw]

Baby bun doing well, he ate the arugula I left for him overnight, just about every bite. So I left some more when I left for work. He has food, hay and greens.
I see lots of baby bunny poops. Hes not as slow it seems, now that hes had time to sleep, he scampers from me and hides. Lol
Ill get a weight again when I get home.

[kendradfw]

Bun gained 5g in 24 hours. He loves his food. He knows when I come in and I say buuunnnyyyyy, to be ready. I can physically see that hes getting bigger.

At what weight should I release him, and what protocol should I follow? I live in a neighborhood, but I see mom every once in a while, we dont have much wildlife due to new neighborhoods going up around us, but I would consider myself to live out more in the country.

[kendradfw]

The bunny has taken a turn for the worse..today he seems to have had what all I can describe is a stroke. He seems to have limited to no movement on his left side and walks in circles and his head just falls to the side. He has been eating wonderfully, drinking, peeing and pooping. And he STILL wants to eat. When I check on him he always has hay sticking out of his mouth. He is still very fiesty and trys to run away but obviously he doesn't get far. He's not gained as much weight as he did the first couple of days but he's still slowly gaining.
I don't know what happened. I have him in my top in a blanket because I'm terrified the next time I check on him, he won't be there anymore. He's constantly scratching himself and readjusting his position.

[cava]

Gosh it's crashing bunny day today. My guy is having diarrhea but yours sounds like he's having different issues altogether.

I'm sorry, when I hear walking in circles, I think inner ear, but I just don't have enough experience with baby bunnies to have ever seen what you're describing.

What exactly are you feeding him, where are you keeping him, is he on heat or does he have access to it? Did you introduce new greens/sticks/plants in the past 24 hours?

I have to go babysit but I'll take my computer and will check in on you throughout the day. Hopefully more experienced bun folks can chime in!

[kendradfw]

Gosh it's crashing bunny day today. My guy is having diarrhea but yours sounds like he's having different issues altogether.

I'm sorry, when I hear walking in circles, I think inner ear, but I just don't have enough experience with baby bunnies to have ever seen what you're describing.

What exactly are you feeding him, where are you keeping him, is he on heat or does he have access to it? Did you introduce new greens/sticks/plants in the past 24 hours?

I have to go babysit but I'll take my computer and will check in on you throughout the day. Hopefully more experienced bun folks can chime in!
I introduced some pellets yesterday, He's been on rolled oats. I know he drinks water, I've seen him and he peed LOTS ON ME earlier. He kinda holds his head like it's a inner ear thing. But he just bumbles around when he walks, he acts like someone is forcing his head to turn left. My heart is breaking..he's so sweet.
I keep him in the bedroom where it's dark, covered, half low heat constantly.

[cava]

What type of pellets did you give him? I was told to only use good quality and timothy hay based. Cheaper ones have too much protein. I use oxbow essentials and was able to find it at the pet store.

[kendradfw]

What type of pellets did you give him? I was told to only use good quality and timothy hay based. Cheaper ones have too much protein. I use oxbow essentials and was able to find it at the pet store.

I honestly don't know, I was sick and asked my fiance to grab some while he was out, I opened it, put it in a ziplock bag and threw away the bag. I'll take out any that's left and go back to oats and try and flush his system and see if that helps. Can I give him Pedialyte or Gatorade?

[cava]

Honestly, I just got advice about hydration and was told water and the pellets and nothing else. I'm not sure how the fermentation factory of a baby bunny's gut would handle all the junk in those drinks. I wouldn't chance it. You said he's eating still, stick to what you were doing yesterday, stop all the other things and see if this helps. Make sure he is drinking plenty of water by syringe if he can't manage on his own.

I don't know what else to tell you because I don't know what's wrong with him.

[kendradfw]

Honestly, I just got advice about hydration and was told water and the pellets and nothing else. I'm not sure how the fermentation factory of a baby bunny's gut would handle all the junk in those drinks. I wouldn't chance it. You said he's eating still, stick to what you were doing yesterday, stop all the other things and see if this helps. Make sure he is drinking plenty of water by syringe if he can't manage on his own.

I don't know what else to tell you because I don't know what's wrong with him.

Okay, he drinks from a water bottle as well but I'll make sure he's drinking. I have noticed that his pee is very orange now. He still have a very vigorous appetite. He acts like nothing is wrong with him. I'm completely baffled.

[cava]

Bun pee can be pretty funky but if you're seeing a change in his personal pee--getting darker, smelling stronger--then up the water intake for sure.