Raising Rabbit

If you found a baby rabbit, raising Rabbit can actually be unnecessary and harmful, because in captivity wild caught rabbits survive about a week only. The right thing to do when finding an “abandoned” rabbit nest with babies is to leave it alone. The mother will come back at night to feed her babies. Mothers feed their young for about 5-10 minutes a day. Their milk is very rich in fats and the babies should not be fed frequently. During the daytime, adult rabbits try to avoid humans and predators and cannot stay in the nest for a long time. Rabbit nests are usually placed in the brush or in the long grass where dogs and other predators can find them.

Raising Rabbit babies that have been found in the wild is reasonable only when they are injured and cannot survive in the wild. When bunnies are crying, it means they are orphaned and were not fed for much time. Well fed bunnies are normally quiet in the nest. If the bunnies in the nest are cold, thin, and dehydrated, you may take them with you and get them to a vet or a professional at a “Wildlife Rehabilitator.” Don’t take care of little bunnies yourself, as they need special food, especially if they are very young, with eyes closed. Older bunnies found outside of the nest are normally able to survive on their own and don’t need any assistance.

Both wild and domestic Cottontail Rabbit females seem not to care of their young, but it’s not actually so. They feed their bunnies once or twice in the night and it’s enough for them. If your female rabbit doesn’t feed her bunnies, it doesn’t mean that she is a bad mother and you are responsible for raising Rabbit bunnies. If the babies are warm and quiet, they are well cared for by their mother. If the mother is sick and really refuses to feed the babies, the owner has to feed them quality goat milk or commercial food for kittens.

Older bunnies should be fed oat hay, timothy, and alfalfa with small amounts of carrot tops and parsley. After 7 to 9 weeks of age, wild caught rabbits should not be handled, as they are easily stressed. Taming wild caught bunnies is very difficult. Raising Rabbit babies can be done only by a skillful wildlife rehabber.