What do you feed baby bunnies?
Mon Jul 26, 2004 6:18 pm
My dad found baby bunnies and he came home with them. We MIGHT keep them and we need to know what to feed them..any help is good. They have their eyes open and have hair,if that makes a difference in diet. Thanks!
Mon Jul 26, 2004 6:24 pm
Wild rabbits, I'm taking there cotton tails don't do good in a home enviorment. But you could always let them loose when they get a little older, they probably drink milk at this current moment, or soft fresh grass, lettuce mite do, but just give them warm milk if there not into solid foods yet.
Mon Jul 26, 2004 6:41 pm
Yes,I know they dont do good in homes..thus I said we MIGHT keep them. I dont know. I feel theres a reason we found them,but I dont wanna kill them or anything..either way I lose though,I know I have to release them sooner or later..
Anyway,thank you. I have also found some other information in the 'net. So I guess I can feed 'em..
Anyway,thank you. I have also found some other information in the 'net. So I guess I can feed 'em..
Mon Jul 26, 2004 6:49 pm
If you can, get to the pet store and buy them rabbit pellets. Even though they're wild, they'll probably still like them. Also, get a small bag of seeds and mix it in with pellets. Feed them grass and leaves, but don't give them a whole bunch of lettuce at one time because it might make them sick.
Mon Jul 26, 2004 7:30 pm
You might also run by your neighborhood pet store. If it's big enough, they'll have food and additives for rabbits of many age groups.
Mon Jul 26, 2004 7:34 pm
From the way you worded it, I can say that you feed Baby Bunnies to snakes XD.
Since you found them, use food from their enviroment.
Since you found them, use food from their enviroment.
Mon Jul 26, 2004 8:09 pm
It mite not be an entirely good idea feeding them rabbit pellets, if they start eating domestic rabbit food finding food in the wild mite become more challenging to them, it mite not pose a problem but I'm just saying.
Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:05 pm
Don't over feed them... I had 2 rabbits, and when they were babies one died 
I'm guessing it was because of the food.
I know that rabbits love this dry-ish plant, but I have not idea what its called...
As for now just make sure it has water...
I'm guessing it was because of the food.
I know that rabbits love this dry-ish plant, but I have not idea what its called...
As for now just make sure it has water...
Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:10 pm
Contrary to popular belief, carrots aren't the best food for rabbits/bunnies XD. Dunno who started that stupid thing. Made my rabbit really sick. Actually, lettuce is better, but don't give them what you would normally give to a rabbit. Milk is good, as long as it isn't condensed or powdered.
Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:22 pm
As I understand, there can be problems with unformulated milk.
Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:24 pm
There is a special recipe for baby rabbit milk out there. Han on a sec.
Got it:
Substitute Milk recipe:
1 cup whole milk, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp. of SULFERED molasses (NEVER use HONEY) and a couple drops of liquid vitamins. The hardest part is getting it into them the first few days without choking or drowning them. Use a q-tip & replenish with an eyedropper. The q-tip dispenses the milk in a seeping sort of pattern much more like the nipple of the doe normally would. Allow them to drink until they are full and have stopped nursing. After hand feeding be sure to rub the urethra till the bunny urinates (the mother licks them while they are nursing). Bunnies need to be fed this substitute every 4-8 hours.
Ta-da. Rabbits over 6-8 weeks of age should be weened by then, so this is a moot point if they're already eating solid food.
Got it:
Substitute Milk recipe:
1 cup whole milk, 1 egg yolk, 1 tsp. of SULFERED molasses (NEVER use HONEY) and a couple drops of liquid vitamins. The hardest part is getting it into them the first few days without choking or drowning them. Use a q-tip & replenish with an eyedropper. The q-tip dispenses the milk in a seeping sort of pattern much more like the nipple of the doe normally would. Allow them to drink until they are full and have stopped nursing. After hand feeding be sure to rub the urethra till the bunny urinates (the mother licks them while they are nursing). Bunnies need to be fed this substitute every 4-8 hours.
Ta-da. Rabbits over 6-8 weeks of age should be weened by then, so this is a moot point if they're already eating solid food.
Mon Jul 26, 2004 9:27 pm
Awesome. Thanks,Shapu! And everyone else. 
They ate some clovers,so far. We will be going to the local pet store in a moment. For now they are huddled in the corner with their clovers.
They ate some clovers,so far. We will be going to the local pet store in a moment. For now they are huddled in the corner with their clovers.
Mon Jul 26, 2004 10:08 pm
Why did your dad take the rabbits in the first place? Imagine if you were a mother, and some giant came and took your babies away! Their mother must be incredibly agiatated right now. Baby rabbits and their parents are very close animals.
Wild animals do not belong inside homes. I would suggest giving them to a wildlife reserve, so they can be returned to the wild, where they belong, in the future. I'm not trying to be rude, but rabbits you find in the wild belong in the wild.
And on that note, also do not release them to the wild yourself. They are babies, which means they can probably not take care of themselves. And if you keep them too long, they will get used to human help and won't be able to take care of themselves in the wild. The best thing to do, as I said before, is to give them to a wild life reserve very, very soon before they get too used to you and your family.
Off topic: 1,000th post. Yay.
Wild animals do not belong inside homes. I would suggest giving them to a wildlife reserve, so they can be returned to the wild, where they belong, in the future. I'm not trying to be rude, but rabbits you find in the wild belong in the wild.
And on that note, also do not release them to the wild yourself. They are babies, which means they can probably not take care of themselves. And if you keep them too long, they will get used to human help and won't be able to take care of themselves in the wild. The best thing to do, as I said before, is to give them to a wild life reserve very, very soon before they get too used to you and your family.
Off topic: 1,000th post. Yay.
Last edited by Bangel on Mon Jul 26, 2004 10:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Mon Jul 26, 2004 10:15 pm
Baby rabbits are fed by their mother once a day and she leaves them alone the rest of the time. I remember seeing this on a nature show. The baby rabbits have just a few minutes a day to drink milk and I guess they gorge theirselves when they have a chance. I could be wrong about this though, because some animals feed their babies ever two hours. I know cats do, and I tried to raise a baby oppossum but it died because I couldn't feed it often enough.
Which is why you see them in a nest and sometimes the mother isn't around. If you want to make sure they are not abandoned then the best thing to do is watch the nest. The mother should return sooner or later. It might take all day to make sure, and if she sees you around, she may not return while you are watching. I don't think an animal or bird will really abandon their young if they smell a human scent on it. I think they just wait until you aren't there.
Baby animals need to be kept warm. Even if it feels warm to you, it could be cold to the baby. If you pick up a baby animal, it sometimes feels a little cold. Most baby animals feel a little cold when you touch them, but if they appear to be shivering or huddling more than usual, then they are too cold. Also, any small animal with claws can get their claws stuck in a towel or whatever bedding you are using. Make sure that whatever you are using to keep them warm has no small loops because if they get their claws stuck they will pull and pull and maybe pull their whole toe off in the process.
If you have noticed the rabbits eatting things, you can try lots of leafy greens. A bag of mixed greens from the grocery store would probably be the best, as it contains prewashed greens and shouldn't have pesticides and things on them. Plus you get spinach, different kinds of lettuces and things. Variety is good. I think rabbits like dandelion leaves too, which should be plentiful if you know where to look. Rabbits brouse when they eat, which means they eat a variety of things.You could try other veggies too. Whatever they seem to like to eat, buy more of.
Rabbits like to chew, which means that they need something hard to
chew. I heard that rabbits actually need a lot of fiberous things. So I think you might need to feed them some hay or alfalfa too. This is good for their teeth, which need something to keep them wearing down, because they keep growing.
Wild rabbits don't make good pets I think. Maybe you can tame them, but I don't know. As soon as they seem read to release I think it would be best to do so. I would release them in an area with a stream, and plenty of bushes. Someplace not so near a major highway. If you notice other rabbits in the area that is a good sign that it is a good place. If you see a hawk around that probably means there are rabbits around too. But try not to let the hawk see you hehe.
Which is why you see them in a nest and sometimes the mother isn't around. If you want to make sure they are not abandoned then the best thing to do is watch the nest. The mother should return sooner or later. It might take all day to make sure, and if she sees you around, she may not return while you are watching. I don't think an animal or bird will really abandon their young if they smell a human scent on it. I think they just wait until you aren't there.
Baby animals need to be kept warm. Even if it feels warm to you, it could be cold to the baby. If you pick up a baby animal, it sometimes feels a little cold. Most baby animals feel a little cold when you touch them, but if they appear to be shivering or huddling more than usual, then they are too cold. Also, any small animal with claws can get their claws stuck in a towel or whatever bedding you are using. Make sure that whatever you are using to keep them warm has no small loops because if they get their claws stuck they will pull and pull and maybe pull their whole toe off in the process.
If you have noticed the rabbits eatting things, you can try lots of leafy greens. A bag of mixed greens from the grocery store would probably be the best, as it contains prewashed greens and shouldn't have pesticides and things on them. Plus you get spinach, different kinds of lettuces and things. Variety is good. I think rabbits like dandelion leaves too, which should be plentiful if you know where to look. Rabbits brouse when they eat, which means they eat a variety of things.You could try other veggies too. Whatever they seem to like to eat, buy more of.
Rabbits like to chew, which means that they need something hard to
chew. I heard that rabbits actually need a lot of fiberous things. So I think you might need to feed them some hay or alfalfa too. This is good for their teeth, which need something to keep them wearing down, because they keep growing.
Wild rabbits don't make good pets I think. Maybe you can tame them, but I don't know. As soon as they seem read to release I think it would be best to do so. I would release them in an area with a stream, and plenty of bushes. Someplace not so near a major highway. If you notice other rabbits in the area that is a good sign that it is a good place. If you see a hawk around that probably means there are rabbits around too. But try not to let the hawk see you hehe.
Last edited by smudgeoffudge on Mon Jul 26, 2004 10:22 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Mon Jul 26, 2004 10:17 pm
Dawn2 wrote:Why did your dad take the rabbits in the first place? Imagine if you were a mother, and some giant came and took your babies away! Their mother must be incredibly agiatated right now. Baby rabbits and their parents are very close animals.
Wild animals do not belong inside homes. I would suggest giving them to a wildlife reserve, so they can be returned to the wild, where they belong, in the future. I'm not trying to be rude, but rabbits you find in the wild belong in the wild.
As far as I know, for rabbits, the only significant difference between wild and domesticated, unless they are being kept with other animals, is that it can be dangerous to pick up rabbits captured in the wild.
But of course, there could well be another problem that I have not heard of. For example, I would not be surprised if rabbits captured in the wild would be more likely to attack eachother, even if they are siblings.