HELP! (wild baby rabbit)

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Molly&CharliesMum

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Christchurch, , New Zealand
Last night my cats brought in a wild baby rabbit, the only advice i could find was 'put it back'. Well thats no good for me, we live on a farm so firstly i dont know WHERE to put it and where this 'back' is! Secondly, we've 5 cats. This thing isn't going to stand a chance out there.

Since I'm already the owner of 2 big bunnies (and their litters - that've now been passed on to new owners) I decided to attempt to look after this wee thing, expecting within the week it will proberbly die.

I live in Newzealand so theres not alot of germs this little thing could have, but I left him in my room (caged obviously) over night, making sure he/shes warm and all that.
Its poring down today so i had to bring in my other rabbits too, and thought what a perfect time to see if Molly would take to this wee guy or gal.

Well! Shes usually so lovely, licks you to death and all that - shes lunged at him! Bit him, and Charlie (who shes usually also licking to death) and Charlie (whos the biter may i add) has taken to looking after the bunny!!

Hes lying down with it, licking it and snuggling in with the wee guy.
Its started grinding its teeth, and i assume that means its in pain?! but it isn't constantly, only every so often.. (not when snuggling with Charlie, it comes up to charlie when its grinding and snuggles in)

My female Molly is still going nuts, shes bitten me (first time since i got her!) and throwing the mother of all sulks. (obviously I've removed her from the other 2 till she settles down)

It still wont eat, and is seaching charlie's tummy. It looks old enough to been already weened.

Im so confussed, What should i do with this rabbit?? And WHY is my bitter Charlie all loved up with it??
Help!
 
Wild rabbits can transmit disease to your domestic pets, so I don't recommend exposing your rabbits to the bunny.

If the bunny's eyes are open, he was most likely out of the nest and able to fend for himself (until the cats got to him).

It's possible that he's suffered internal injury or severe stress from the attack.
 
Here's some information from our Library.

Wild Rabbit Rescue


ETA: More questions:

Did the rabbit bite break skin? Where was the bite?

What have you tried to feed it? I'd really recommend not trying anything but grass from the same area (same type) it came from.

Can you get a photo?


sas :clover:
 
Nothing that i can see, only marks molly made when she lunged at it - which is a bit of fur pulled out. The cats are kittens and quite.. idiotic so they wouldn't hurt the rabbit. They would've just wanted to play with it.
 
The cats don't have to want to hurt the rabbit, but they carry a type of bacteria that is deadly to rabbits, so even the smallest puncture wound (or even cat's saliva) would be of huge concern. The bunny will need immediate antibiotics.

The grinding teeth is a sign of pain, which obviously isn't good.

Has it pooped and peed? Will it nibble on grass? I also wonder about the age. Its still trying to nurse. I don't know what wild bunnies in NZ look like or what their habits are, they're not the same as our cottontails.

Really crucial not to try and feed it anything but what it was probably eating in the wild. Definitely no milk. It will take a special formula.

PS: Is it drinking? They won't eat unless they drink.

sas :clover:
 
its pee'd and pooped, yes. I've given it standard hay out of our field (which it would've been eating if it was out there) and i've just gone and grabbed grass.
and im unable to take a picture :/


Edit: ITS EATING THE GRASS! thankyou!!
 
Also, its stopped grinding its teeth since eating, looks alot more alert and is walking around more.
Charlies circling the wee guy aswell. So sweet to watch :).

Thankyou so much for your help Pipp
 
Molly&CharliesMum wrote:
NZ doesn't have many diseases, so im not particularly to worried about that.
Thankyou all for your help.
Click to expand...
Parasites, viruses, and bacterias are just as common in NZ as anywhere.
 
In fact I would worry more about diseases in NZ because of myxi and VHD carried by wild rabbits there.

Are there wildlife rehab facilities there? Usually if someone in the US finds a wild animal, we recommend them to take it to a licensed wildlife rehabber for their expertise and because it's usually illegal to keep wildlife without a license.

I agree that you should give only hay and grass. It can be very hard to take care of wild bunnies at that age, and it can be heartbreaking even for people with lots of experience.

You may want to try to find a probiotic (not milk based) for the bun. That can help with any GI issues. For pain, you can give ibuprofen but be careful that she is hydrated, has food in her belly, and isn't bleeding.
 
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