Baby bunnies adopted by cat... going on day five

[fyibyit]

Just looking for some helpful advice. I live out on a small farm. I was mowing my field when i noticed I had ran over a litter of bunnies. Only one hurt, but seems to be making it. I didn't want to leave them out in the open, their home was just a small bowl size indent in the tall grass. Their eyes were not open but they were fully furred,so I figured about eight or nine days old. I brought them all in so the cats wouldn't get them. I have a momma cat who had just had kittens a couple days before. So I put her out, put the bunnies in a pile under the kitties then let mom back in after awhile.When she came back in I covered her in thebunny fur that was in the nest with the babies(hoping she'd smell like mommy bunny).She's been nursing and cleaning them since. It's beenfive days now and she hasnt lost a single one. The bunnies have now opend their eyes and are acting pretty fiesty. They don't nurse as often as the kittens but I know that is normal for bunnies. Will cat milk be enough for bunnies? They seem healthy, active, alert, eyes are clear. When they get to the age of weaning, letting them outside doesnt really seem like a good idea since they wont be scared of cats. I'm curious how much will they take after cats being raised by one. Don't they learn just about everything from mom, what to eat, how to behave.

I can see bunnies pouncing on mice out in the field, poor littlebastards would never see it coming. :roflmao:

Anyways, any helpful advice or suggestions would be appreciated. Some idea of what I can expect from eight little bunnies in the next few weeks would be nice too.

Thanks

 

[queenadreena]

I shouldn't think they'd start behaving like cats, afterall, its not as if the the mother cat will be bringing them in birds to eat or anything. I'm really not too sure, but someone else probably will. Is there a chance you could get any pictures? I find it adorable that your cat is bringing up young bunnies.

 

[fyibyit]

Well see that's the thing. When she had her last litter, four babies, she'd bring in like six mice a day. I let her for the sole reason to teach them to behave like cats. Barn cats, the purpose of having cats at all. So she'll bring mice in for her babies when they're older, question is, will she see fit to bring enough in for the bunnies too? I guess I'll have to wait for that answer. Will be interesting to find out. I have been taking pics just the point of getting the film developed. They are really cute mixed in with the kitties. 13 babies, alot of mouths to feed, five kitties and eight bunnies.

 

[Pipp]

Fascinating!I'll be asking around about this one.

I assume they're wild cottontails?

For nowall I can suggest isjust make sure they're gotplenty of hay,grassand water.



sas and crew :bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance:

 

[fyibyit]

Oh no they're not wild rabbits. The mom is a neighboorhood escapee who's made a home out of my pastures and has managed to avoid capture for the past four months or so. I've seen her on a few rare occasions. Enough to know she's not native.

I'll put some hay and grass in their bed with 'em. Do they really need water if they're nursing. What do I do, hanga bottle on the wall for 'em? How would they be getting water if they were still outside?

 

[naturestee]

Definately need pictures!

Yeah, they should have access for water for when they start eating on their own. Make sure they can't get to the cat's food, and when they do start nibbling on hay you should probably start giving them some pellets too, to let their stomachs get used to them.

I know that orphaned rabbits are often brought up on kitten milk replacement, so I guess straight from the cat source would be okay.

 

[jojo]

Wow - how amazing! Please please post some photos...!

Baby buns dont get fed very often from their mothers, esp in the wild - so no doubt they are feeling very spoilt.

Do not allow a baby rabbit overfeed at one sitting! he can suckle so quickly that it's possible for him to ingest a volume too great for his little tummy. Although it's unlikely for the stomach to rupture, stretching it too taut can cause pain, gas, and make the baby sick. It is better to underfeed slightly than overfeed. If in doubt, let the baby rest for about a minute after feeding, then offer the nipple again. This gives time for the stretch receptors to respond and let the baby know he's really full.
The mother cat, will feed her babies more frequently and give them more milk, so just be aware that this may be too much for the bunnies - too muck milk can be dangerous
Baby rabbits need lyophilized (freeze dried) colostrum to aid the natural bacteria in their tummies as their immune system may struggle without it. I dont know loads about it, but you could research it.

Also be aware of bacteria on your hands in the early stages of the the baby bunnies lives. Even if you think your hands are clea, wash them thoughrally.

Ensure they are being stimulated to urinate etc , the mother may be doing this for them, if not, use a cottonball (or even a very clean and disinfected fingertip) moistened with warm water, and gently tap/rub the genital area until you feel the baby's abdominal muscles tense and get that rewarding stream of warm pee! Getting a urination response may take 15-20 seconds of stimulation, or even more. Many sources recommend doing this before feeding, and if it works--fine. However, sometimes the stimulus of a full stomach makes this easier. If the baby will not urinate before feeding, try again after feeding, and you will likely get a good response.
Failure to stimulate the babies to urinate/defecate can in the death of the baby (the bladder can actually rupture if it is not stimulated to empty!), so be sure you do this procedure diligently, gently, and patiently! It may take a couple of weeks before the babies are able to urinate and defecate on their own. Watch for signs of redness/irritation around the anus and uretrhal opening, which indicate you are stimulating too vigorously. Back off on the pressure, and apply a bit of soothing calendula ointment (available at health food stores) to heal the irritation.

[align=justify]If the feces come out liquid or "smeary", it's a sign of potentially serious trouble. Consulte a rabbit-experienced veterinarian at the first sign of diarrhea, as this can be fatal in only a few hours in a baby rabbit.[/align]
[align=justify]Good luck - what a handful for you![/align]
[align=justify]Please keep us posted on the great job you are doing, hope some of this helps xx[/align]

 

[BunnyLover]

How are the babies doing now? If you have any pictures I'm sure everybody would love to see them.

Lissa

 

[Spring]

That's so cute! I'd love to see what happends as they got older.. I'd laugh if they started meowing

Pictures pleaaase!