What do you feed baby bunnies?

[smudgeoffudge]

Sometimes when you are driving beside a highway, you see lots of grass planted. I think grass and clover or anything growing too near a highway could have absorbed fumes, gas, oil or other harmful things. So if you get anything I think it is better if you find it in a field.

[Bangel]

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.

I just find it wrong to take an animal used to having open reign and have the ability to go wherever they please and stuff it in a cage. A born domesticated rabbit never sees that freedom, therefore they don't know what they're missing. With rabbits born wild, they're used to freedom- it can get depressing for them when they're stuffed in a box with the length only a few feet long, while they're used to having no limits whatsoever.

Trust me, I've observed it.

[smudgeoffudge]

Yes, if it is possible they should be allowed as much space as you can give them. If they seem to be eating on their own, they I would keep them maybe for a few days of fun and observation, but after that I would return them to the wild. Because if you keep them too long they may not learn to fear hawks or snakes, never having seen one. And they'll think humans are friendly, which isn't always true.

[Crescendo]

Ha! That's so weird! My brother found a burrow of baby bunnies the other week...here's what helped me:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/orphan.html

[Jill]

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.

I just find it wrong to take an animal used to having open reign and have the ability to go wherever they please and stuff it in a cage. A born domesticated rabbit never sees that freedom, therefore they don't know what they're missing. With rabbits born wild, they're used to freedom- it can get depressing for them when they're stuffed in a box with the length only a few feet long, while they're used to having no limits whatsoever.

Trust me, I've observed it.

Maybe their mother died and without help they would've died in the wild also? I think Medli is doing the right thing by taking care of them. I'm sure there's a wildlife reserve near here where the rabbits can live when they get older so they'll be safe from harm.

[Kitten Medli]

They were right out in the open,thats why. And they were near a parking lot. One went under his car tire,and if wouldnt have been looking it would have been killed. Believe me,Dawn,if we wanted a bunny bad enough,we'd go buy one,not take them for the wild for no reason.

Plus it was roasting today. I am sure they would have gotten very hot. We do not know how long we will keep them. We are taking it day by day.

But I have been thinking the same thing. I am worried the mother may still be alive (although we think it may be dead. dont quote me on it though) so that is why we take it day by day.

Anyway,thanks again for all the help and such.

[Drake Redcrest]

Medli, something else you can do is if you'd like to let them romp around outside, get some chicken wire fencing (it's pretty inexpensive, at least where I am) and build a run in your back yard for them. Though, if you have a cat (which I'm not sure if you do) then you may want to put a top on it for when they're in there.

[Lillie]

I think you should call a vet and ask for some advice. It's pretty easy to kill a rabbit. *makes a face*

My rabbits weren't babies when I got them. But even now the vet doesn't like us giving them sopping wet things to eat as it might give them a stomach-ache and then they produce wet poo. We give them rabbit pellets and dry grass, as well as some leafy green vegetables for lunch and dinner. No fruit, no carrots, etc, and very careful about what kind of leafy green veggies are given. Too much Vitamin A is bad for them. I have no idea why. We were told to give them as much as they want because they know when they're full and they'll stop eating. I don't know if that applies to baby bunnies though.

There should probably be a lot of other stuff, so calling a professional might be the best thing you could do.

I hope you have good luck with them and they are okay.

(Wild bunnies live 2 years. Domesticated live 8 years. I think.)

[Kitten Medli]

Yeah,I thought about a runway..

Anyway..





....



We lost one. I feel sick. I have snot in my throat from crying and I feel like its my fault.

Mom and I could tell she was the weakest of the bunch. I am not surprised she was the one,but..it was just so horrible seeing her die.

In the end,just like my dog,(well,mom told our dog) I told her to let go. A minute later,she shut her eyes and she was gone..right in my arms..We tried giving her some milk,taking her wheres its cool, and (somewhat) mouth to mouth. None worked. She was gasping for air in the end. She was like this when we got home. We left them for too long. And now shes dead.

But,now I know she is with Jesus. I know he will take care of her. And she has a perfect name: Halo. I miss her already,and I cant wait untill I see her again..or him.

On the bright side,her siblings are okay..but one keeps jumping out of my hands and stuff. I bet I'll kill him too before its all over.

Mom phoned the vets first thing she knew and all she said was,"Take them back." But on the other hand,shes the assistant and she thinks shes hot stuff.

I am going to wallow in pity now. Maybe they do need to go back. I dont know. All I know it Jesus will help me do the right thing. And I believe that she might have died anyway,so atleast she had a happy ending..but I feel horrible anyway.

Oh,I think she died because of her leg..it was real limp.

EDIT: Oh,Drama Queen,thanks for the link..but oddly enough,thats the first site I went to for info. Great minds think alike I guess...

[Articfox]

Yeah,I thought about a runway..

Anyway..





....



We lost one. I feel sick. I have snot in my throat from crying and I feel like its my fault.

Mom and I could tell she was the weakest of the bunch. I am not surprised she was the one,but..it was just so horrible seeing her die.

In the end,just like my dog,(well,mom told our dog) I told her to let go. A minute later,she shut her eyes and she was gone..right in my arms..We tried giving her some milk,taking her wheres its cool, and (somewhat) mouth to mouth. None worked. She was gasping for air in the end. She was like this when we got home. We left them for too long. And now shes dead.

But,now I know she is with Jesus. I know he will take care of her. And she has a perfect name: Halo. I miss her already,and I cant wait untill I see her again..or him.

On the bright side,her siblings are okay..but one keeps jumping out of my hands and stuff. I bet I'll kill him too before its all over.

Mom phoned the vets first thing she knew and all she said was,"Take them back." But on the other hand,shes the assistant and she thinks shes hot stuff.

I am going to wallow in pity now. Maybe they do need to go back. I dont know. All I know it Jesus will help me do the right thing. And I believe that she might have died anyway,so atleast she had a happy ending..but I feel horrible anyway.

Oh,I think she died because of her leg..it was real limp.

Theres no guarantee with wild animals, I can't recall how many baby birds have died in my care. You shouldn't get too upset over it, and I don't believe animals have any kind of heavenly hope, once there gone, there, well gone. But hopefully some of the others will pull through and survive...

[smudgeoffudge]

I'm so sorry to hear one of them died. Hopefully the rest will make it. Rabbits have very weak hearts and sometimes a sudden shock can kill them. Once I had a babysitter with a pet rabbit and a dog was outside the cage barking at it. I am not sure the dog ever got to the rabbit but I think it died anyway because of the shock. Maybe all the change was just to much for one that was already weakened.

I believe animals have a soul as much as people do. Whatever energy was in that bunny left it's body when it died. That energy had to go some place. If love is a language that needs no words to understand and all creatures and humans can understand it, then I know that bunny knew you loved it and was trying to help it.

[Sapphire Faerie]

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.

Carrots (and even lettuce to some extent) are like the chocolate cake of foods for rabbits, it's good for a treat, but you can't live off of it, and too much will make you sick.
The number one food for wild rabbits is simple... grass.

[Christopher]

You know what, I just had a sudden flashback of kindergarten and the rabbit.

Rabbits love Fennel, feed them fennel, fennel is good.

http://www.herbisland.com/herb-g/h-gallery/image/0207/11-fennel.jpg

Mmmm...fennel.

[Kitten Medli]

We lost another. He/she is the strongest fighter I've ever seen. She tried to breathe for so so long. (As in gasping for air) We even thought she died for a few seconds,then all of a sudden we saw her breathe again..

I am very upset and mad at the same time. We named her Princess.

The last one left is named Brown Star. I hope and pray she makes it. I am so scared she will die because she is acting very weak. We are trying so hard to feed her but she wont eat..*sigh* I have a feeling this is our fault..I know God understands we tried,though..

[Bangel]

We lost another. He/she is the strongest fighter I've ever seen. She tried to breathe for so so long. (As in gasping for air) We even thought she died for a few seconds,then all of a sudden we saw her breathe again..

I am very upset and mad at the same time. We named her Princess.

The last one left is named Brown Star. I hope and pray she makes it. I am so scared she will die because she is acting very weak. We are trying so hard to feed her but she wont eat..*sigh* I have a feeling this is our fault..I know God understands we tried,though..

Reading some more of your posts makes me change what I have to say.

You and I both know that the one left is probably going to die. We don't want it to seem true, but the truth hurts sometimes. So I think you should give the rabbit left a good time for the rest of the time it's on Earth. Give it a carrot or something (as Chass said, carrots are fine and rabbits do like them- they just can't have them all the time) and just treat it very special. Let it know that somebody out there loves it.

And if it does make it through, don't bring it back. It's just a baby, and most likely cannot care for itself. And I'm pretty sure that if the mother is alive, she will have left the area by now. And besides, the baby left is probably used to humans by now. It might think that all humans are friendly, which is not true. Thinking that could put a rabbit in harm.

I'm so sorry for your losses, and hopefully you won't lose the last one. But if you do- I have no doubt in my mind that God knows that you tried, and that's all you could do for the rabbits.