# Baby rabbit question



## Fiona74 (Nov 20, 2008)

A friend of mine has just found 2 baby rabbits in/around her yard, not sure if wild or not, she says they are a brown/black colour. They are small enough to fit in palm of her hand and eyes are open but she said they seem scared stiff. She wants to know is there anything she can do for them? At what point can young rabbits eat 'solids'? Any ideas from rabbit experts appreciated.
She doesn't own snakes so she doesn't see the food opportunity that alot of you would


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## mysnakesau (Nov 20, 2008)

If the eyes are open they can start having soft foods now, but still need to have a milk supplement. I have successfully raised young bunnies on divetelact. Getting them started can be difficult but once they get use to the bottle there will be no stopping them. If they seem to dislike the milk, add some glucose to it to sweeten it for them. Try them on horse grain, rolled oats, little bit grass, grated carrots, apples, anything hard grate it fine for them. Wild rabbits are very hardy.


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## Fiona74 (Nov 20, 2008)

she can't get any supplement until tomorrow arvo, would there be any point or would it be harmful to give them cows milk (her suggestion)? If cows milk will harm them then she might as well leave it and hope they can survive until she gets the supplement.


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## mysnakesau (Nov 20, 2008)

A lactose free one should be ok for them, or just for one feed I don't believe the cow's milk should hurt them. Its better than nothing at all. So yeah, let them have that, they probably won't take it anyway but no harm in trying. Little bunnies LOVE rolled oats so they would even have a nibble on some oats and stuff as well.


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## ryanharvey1993 (Nov 20, 2008)

yer we have the same problem with bunnys running around our yard, I sold my bow aswell  my sister caught one as a pet but her other rabbit scratched one of its eyes out so it is dead now. probably isnt a good idea keeping them they probably have diseases and stuff, also they are a big pest


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## mysnakesau (Nov 20, 2008)

There's not too many hidden diseases rabbits carry, and none that I know of that they can pass on to other animals, except they are often crawling with fleas. Regardless of the fact you see rabbits in colonies they are very territorial and often will show aggression towards others that go near them. Male or female, they don't mix very well unless they have been brought up together. I rared 2 wild rabbits when I was your age Ryan. They never ever lose that wild, want to escape instinct but they can be quiet and easy to handle.


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## ryanharvey1993 (Nov 20, 2008)

mysnakesau said:


> There's not too many hidden diseases rabbits carry, and none that I know of that they can pass on to other animals, except they are often crawling with fleas. Regardless of the fact you see rabbits in colonies they are very territorial and often will show aggression towards others that go near them. Male or female, they don't mix very well unless they have been brought up together.


 
so would that be why my sisters bigger one killed the baby one? the baby ones are cute I have to admit so little and fluffy. we have had another time when we used to have heaps of bunnys, a female had a litter and my male one killed all of them


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## Fiona74 (Nov 20, 2008)

thanks mysnakesau I will let my friend know.


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## mysnakesau (Nov 20, 2008)

Yes Ryan that is it. Males will always kill babies, and 2 adults of same sex almost always fight.


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## pythonmum (Nov 20, 2008)

I've raised baby cottontail rabbits and jackrabbits (hares) in the USA. I fed them replacement milk formulated for puppies. Sometimes this is available at supermarkets which have late hours. I wouldn't recommend cows milk. Some water for now is better. A bit of sugar in the water may help. I found a plastic doll bottle with a hard plastic tip to be better than a latex teat, because they would chew it. Offer solids, but keep up with the milk. They should also have free access to water. If they get milk in their fur when drinking the bottle, wash it off after feeds. Otherwise it gets stiff and falls out - they end up with bald bib patches!


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