Help with baby bunny

Hi friends,

I opened my front door today and a baby bunny fell from the rafters to the entry carpet in front of me, with one of my cats in tow shortly afterward.

I snatched it up and took it to kitchen all the while grabbing a warm soft sweater to wrap it in. Holding it close to my heart and just sending love, comfort and light it seemed to calm down instantly.

Now having seen as it tried to scurry away after the fall, I know that the cat had pulled alot of its back hind quarters fur off. Much of the fur was literally peeled off.

I attempted to then get out the emergency kit for injured and abandodned baby animals and took out some milk replacement and little baby bottles.

I thought better of it as the bunny was very fat and chunky, healthy other than the trauma it had faced. Instead decided on a little natural sea salt and sugar combo to help it out of shock and get some hydration going.

Of course it would not drink so I just gave a few drops to its little mouth area in hopes that the little bit would help.

Its now wrapped comfortably in a box on a down pillow, and the same sweater built like a cubby hole. I have placed water w/ the mix in a small lid in one corner of the box.

It seemed to like the reasurance of holding for the first hour or so, until I went to assess the damage of its hide.

It then tried to leap out of my hands. I have cared for many babies over the years from possums and coons to other baby rabbits and birds. Yet everytime I feel like it is a new bag.

Any suggestions or helpful hints? I do have some 'Fur-All" sould I use it on the open skinned areas or not? (Furall is a topical antibiotic for horses and cows, really any animal) I know it would hurt so freaking bad as it must sting. But what to do?

Help/SOS

OK not a single word of support? This my friends makes my heart sink even lower than when I watched as the baby bunny fell helplessly before me this morning.

I could go online I suppose, I just figured to share this emotional, and challenging query with fellow members.

Heart Broken

My sister once found a nest of abandoned baby rabbits. (the mother rabbit was located nearby - run over by a car) Some of them lived long enough for us to find them homes. They were very tiny, with the eyes not even open yet.

My Mom told us to handle them as little as possible. We kept them in a walk in closet without the lights on for a week or so. We had a heating pad wrapped in a blanket to keep them warm. We fed them kitten replacement milk with an eye dropper, and then gradually introduced some chopped up fresh produce for them.

I don't know what to say about the hide, as anything you put on it might get ingested by the rabbit. Can you call a vet and ask what to put on it?

Also, be careful to have anyone touching the rabbit wash their hands well, as they may carry diseases. As I recall distemper killed some of the little bunnies we found.

reply to post by Enthralled Fan


Your Mom must be a very special and intelligent person, I know from past experience raising newborn rabbits gives only a 10% or less chance of survival. Then to feed with an eye droper can drown a newborn very easily. Good job, and yes I should call the vet, but as with most changes these days, they never give out free advice over the phone. I cannot afford to take the little sweetie in. Thankyou for your kindness enthralled fan. If noone had replied I had decided to abandon the site.

I think rabbits are pretty easy to take care of. I had a pet rabbit as a kid.
I think they love eating carrots and leattice. It would be a good idea to get a cage otherwise he may start eating your furnature.
You can eventually house train him if you plan on keeping him.
However i would recommend that you get him anti rabies injections as rabbits are prone to rabies.
contrary to popular beliefs You should never lift a rabbit by the ears. A rabbit’s ears are sensitive and easily injured. To properly lift the rabbit, one hand should grasp the loose skin across the shoulders. The animal should be held with its head up and belly against your chest. One hand should support the back of the neck and the other hand should be under the rump. Failure to handle a rabbit in the proper way can cause injury or death.
here is a link so you can get more info.
taking care of rabbits
Good luck with your pet.

[edit on 19-4-2008 by raptorinvictus]

antar,

I just saw this so forgive the late reply please. I would call your area vet and ask what to do about the skinned area. The only thing I can think of is to cover the area with loose gauze and maybe a good ointment containing antibiotics. I have a good one called Healing Touch Herbal Salve made by Greencastle soaps. It's all natural and works great. You're in for a rough road. I wish you luck baby bunnies are hard to raise.

Thankyou for your replies, however the bunny died in the night.

Last thing I did was curl up with him in bed whith my big fluffy down comforter. At some point we slept together. Then once I felt him start to go and look for food or what ever I placed him back into his comfortable box which I had on my bed too, incase he needed help in the night. He did drink all of the water and eat the food, and I even used the idea posted above and grated him baby organic carrots and picked the first baby spinach out of my garden for him. Earlier yester day, he was to traumatized to suckle from the bottle, but I found fresh baby spinach leaves filled w/ a mixture of sugar, a dab of sea salt workedas I placed them up to his mouth and he was able to drink.

One thing for certain, from being terrorised by the cats to being loved and nurtured, was night and day, and at least I can know all that could be done for him was. He grew to love being held and loved and wanted to be next to my heart best. He was probably 3 weeks old going by his size so the handleing was more benificial than leaving him alone.

Strange how these special beings come to our lives and for a moment we remember the debths of our compassion and love for all sentient beings.

RIP sweet little one...

Antar, I'm so sorry. You gave him love and kindness and helped make his short time easier. I believe he crossed the Rainbow Bridge and is whole and happy now; playing in the sunshine with good things to eat with no fear or danger. "hugs to you"

reply to post by antar


I am sorry to hear the bunny passed away. You did what you could for it.

I hope you are not ok with it passing.

You gave it enough love for one lifetime, perhaps.

reply to post by Enthralled Fan


LOL you mean, to say that I took it alright, right? I did even though its hard to believe something so new and fast lived can be so dear.

Ill let this thread go now, but I really do appreciate both of you and your love and kindness in a very trying and sensitive time for me and little bunny.

U2u me "anytime' I can return the emphathy and compassion.

Sorry I'm too late antar. I've been really busy. (see RATS if you have time). It's sounds like you did all the right things. I know that desert bunnies are extremely fearful and will go into heart failure almost immediately if attacked. I seen a dog just pick up a desert cotton-tail, like a puppy. When he put it down the bunny was dead. There were no signs of external or internal injury.

Wild desert hares will come up to me and eat right out of my hands. I just let them do what they want, but never attempt to pick one up. I will miss the desert, if I have to move away from here.

I have such pictures in my mind of your special property and even thought of dropping in for a good cup of coffe some day with you. I cannot believe you have to move! U2u me and lets talk, this is really a trip, I know you have had so much history in the great wild west.

I can see you feeding the wild hares... Yes they are so precious. That they trust you speaks volumes of your inner being.

Aww, Antar, I am sorry!
You did what your were supposed to!

I remember when I was 13, outside in my backyard I saw my dog had dug his way out of his pin, and was barking at something, while digging dirt then noticed, he was digging up some sort of animal home!
I put him back in his pin and filled the spot up where he had dug his way out.

I then had a look at this animal home, and noticed a lil head peaking out of it.
I could see a bunny head!

I went inside and brought lettuce back to the bunny hole, laid in the dirt, and made a lil nibbling sound, and held the lettuce close to the hole, 4 lil cottontail baby bunny's hopped slowly out of it, and ate it right from my hand!

I continued to bring them snacks everyday for about a week, and never noticed a momma anywhere!

I fell in love with them, then oneday I came home from school and did the routine thing...went to the fridge had a snack, then would go outside to feed them.
I was devastated to see that my dog had gotten out again and their bunny home was dug up to nothing, they were gone, I cried for a while after that, and prayed I would find them somewhere...never did!

A good month later, I had seen my dog with something in his mouth gave him a small spat and he dropped it, it was a lil cottontail bunny...tiny, with a hurt leg!
It's eyes not even open yet!
I brought the bunny in and found a box for it, went back outside around where I had seen my dog carrying it, and snuggled on top of a dried up brown leaf laid another baby!

I brought it in, and was told by a vet to feed it diluted goats milk, and Karo syrup, so, I did!

I cared for them about 4 days then noticed the one with the hurt leg falling over to one side, and told my mom.
We decided to put them in a pasture behind our house, and let them go!

I was sooo sad!

sorry about the bunny. may he rest in peace

Antar, I too just saw this thread.
It probably died just from the trauma alone. You did everything you could have hon.
We have had many pet rabbits over the years, and the loss of one is hard.
You and your kindness to the little one are in my thoughts today.
AD