catmama
New Member
Hi everyone!
I live in Nevada, and some low-life abandoned two bunnies in my yard about three months ago. It was quite a shock to see two domesticated rabbits here where we are accustomed to the occasional jackrabbit only! For a moment I thought I had lost my mind, or perhaps become Alice (There was a brief moment when I hoped that neither of them was wearing a weskit with a pocket watch. <g>)
The problem is, I have cats, mine indoors; and the neighbors' and strays outside whom I feed twice a day. I don't know much at all about rabbits. However, they seemed to stay in the yard, munch merrily on the various grasses, weeds, my roses and my newly planted trees (Dang it!) as well as the cat food in the bowls, so I figured they were ok as they were. I really can't bring them inside.
Today, however, I found the little white one sitting near the garbage bins, and not moving. I finally touched his/her ear, and he/she scooted...And I could see that she was partially paralyzed in her back legs. I looked up what it could be online, but most of the pages say "take it to a rabbit vet"...Which I can't really afford to do. I would if I could.
So, not knowing anything else to do, I put out a dish of fresh water next to it and also some chopped up carrots (defrosted) and lettuce (torn up, room temp) in a little tin foil pan. Apparently it didn't care for the pan; it knocked the food over and ate it all! Which gave me some hope for its recovery, so I went back outside later in the day and gave it another serving of the same size.
The problem is...I'm not sure I'm doing the bunny a service or a disservice. I have no idea as to how much in quantity a normal bunny eats in a day, nor how often to feed it...Or if I should feed the poor little thing at all, because I certainly don't want to prolong any pain it may be in. It scoots around well enough when it needs to, and has relocated several times to avoid the sun and stay in the shade.
Should I put some cat food out for it as well? Both bunnies seem to enjoy it, which I find kind of weird, since it does contain chicken and bunnies are herbivores...But they seem to like it well enough.
I don't know what kind of rabbits these are. They are not really big rabbits, and they don't have floppy ears; their ears stand upright and they have the little cottontails. No idea what they weight, but I'd guess maybe 5 lbs. (?) if that, and they appear to be full-grown. Obviously I don't know their sex, but I would imagine they are both of the same sex because after three months I don't have a bunch of little ones running around. For the first month or so they seemed inseparable; lately they seem to go their own way and I see one or the other but not both together normally.
I see no evidence of blood nor evidence of a physical trauma. One of the websites I read this morning said a rabbit could have a stroke from fear, maybe from being chased, and I feel that might be possible as we have some ornery (but lovable) stray tom cats around here. I don't see any weeping of the eyes or nose, so I don't think it is a cold or something like that.
I'm open to suggestions as to how I can help this rabbit survive, or at least make it more comfortable. As I said, I can't afford a vet and I can't bring it inside.
Thanks for your help!
CatMama
I live in Nevada, and some low-life abandoned two bunnies in my yard about three months ago. It was quite a shock to see two domesticated rabbits here where we are accustomed to the occasional jackrabbit only! For a moment I thought I had lost my mind, or perhaps become Alice (There was a brief moment when I hoped that neither of them was wearing a weskit with a pocket watch. <g>)
The problem is, I have cats, mine indoors; and the neighbors' and strays outside whom I feed twice a day. I don't know much at all about rabbits. However, they seemed to stay in the yard, munch merrily on the various grasses, weeds, my roses and my newly planted trees (Dang it!) as well as the cat food in the bowls, so I figured they were ok as they were. I really can't bring them inside.
Today, however, I found the little white one sitting near the garbage bins, and not moving. I finally touched his/her ear, and he/she scooted...And I could see that she was partially paralyzed in her back legs. I looked up what it could be online, but most of the pages say "take it to a rabbit vet"...Which I can't really afford to do. I would if I could.
So, not knowing anything else to do, I put out a dish of fresh water next to it and also some chopped up carrots (defrosted) and lettuce (torn up, room temp) in a little tin foil pan. Apparently it didn't care for the pan; it knocked the food over and ate it all! Which gave me some hope for its recovery, so I went back outside later in the day and gave it another serving of the same size.
The problem is...I'm not sure I'm doing the bunny a service or a disservice. I have no idea as to how much in quantity a normal bunny eats in a day, nor how often to feed it...Or if I should feed the poor little thing at all, because I certainly don't want to prolong any pain it may be in. It scoots around well enough when it needs to, and has relocated several times to avoid the sun and stay in the shade.
Should I put some cat food out for it as well? Both bunnies seem to enjoy it, which I find kind of weird, since it does contain chicken and bunnies are herbivores...But they seem to like it well enough.
I don't know what kind of rabbits these are. They are not really big rabbits, and they don't have floppy ears; their ears stand upright and they have the little cottontails. No idea what they weight, but I'd guess maybe 5 lbs. (?) if that, and they appear to be full-grown. Obviously I don't know their sex, but I would imagine they are both of the same sex because after three months I don't have a bunch of little ones running around. For the first month or so they seemed inseparable; lately they seem to go their own way and I see one or the other but not both together normally.
I see no evidence of blood nor evidence of a physical trauma. One of the websites I read this morning said a rabbit could have a stroke from fear, maybe from being chased, and I feel that might be possible as we have some ornery (but lovable) stray tom cats around here. I don't see any weeping of the eyes or nose, so I don't think it is a cold or something like that.
I'm open to suggestions as to how I can help this rabbit survive, or at least make it more comfortable. As I said, I can't afford a vet and I can't bring it inside.
Thanks for your help!
CatMama
. I would suggest trying to catch them, take them to a rescue, and then they can get a forever home with someone who will love them, which is what they need.
