Orphaned Wild rabbit concerns - need help

[Kaiju]

Hi

I have 4 baby rabbits. (Eastern Cotton Tail's) I've had them for a week. Their eyes are open, ears are up and approx 14-15 days old. I still have them on KMR/whipping cream/ and ordered some Bene-bac to help their guts transition to solid food. They are eating between 10 -14ml/day of this formula at the moment, usually split into 3 feedings about 5-8 hours apart.

Unfortunately, the Bene-bac I received is Bene-bac Plus bird and reptile.

I want to start them on timothy hay and dandelion leaves asap, but I am concerned that this is the wrong kind of Bene-bac. I do not have access to cecotropes and wouldnt know how to get any.

Can I use this Bene-bac? (ordering more would take a couple days if I paid extra and had it rushed)

Also what is the best way to introduce Bene-bac and solids foods.

Thanks

 

[ts786]

If the specific microorganism species are identical, then you should be OK (even though it still may not work well.) If the reptile product has different strains of bacteria in it, I would not personally use it out of fear of causing a bad bacterial bloom. I've used VSL #3 with great success, but I have only used it with domesticated adult European rabbits to manage several types of GI problems. But for your needs, my experience may not apply since I have not used it with younger rabbits as a means to provide beneficial bacteria when cecetropes are unavailable...so using it that way could mean an entirely different outcome.

Unfortunately, none of the above are going to be anywhere near as effective as cecetropes. To my understanding, cottontail rabbits (even moreso than European rabbits) need to consume an adult rabbit's cecetropes to "seed" the gut in order to acquire beneficial microorganisms that they are born without and may not be able to produce on their own without consuming it.

It is also likely that there are some considerable differences between the gut flora of European rabbits and the gut flora of cottontail rabbits given considerable differences in behavior and diet. Most products have been tested using only European rabbits given cottontail rabbits are not widely domesticated and rarely kept for companionship. So products tested on European rabbits may affect cottontail rabbits in a very different manner. This could include Bene-bac.

Hay-wise, be sure to feed at least some alfalfa hay. It's beneficial to growing rabbits (and not beneficial and occasionally harmful to adult rabbits)

 

[Jeannie66]

I too am in almost the same boat. I have a litter of 5 that im trying to care for. I could inly find acidophilus at a health food store. I am hoping this will help when introducing them to greens. Is there a specific amount i should be adding to their feeding. I was told a "pinch"

 

[majorv]

Lactobacillus acidophilus is the ingredient you need. We used it when our doe stopped nursing her kits after only 1 1/2 weeks. We bought the tablets from a health food store, crushed 1/4 tablet up and mixed it with the formula we were using. We never tried using benebac for that purpose, nor do I know how well it will work on cottontails.

 

[Jeannie66]

So approx. 1/4 tablet per feeding..mine are capsules so I've been breaking them and adding the powder to individual feedings

 

[Akzholedent]

If you are not a wildlife rehab specialist, get those babies to a real one. Not only are you endangering them by taking care of them yourself, what you are doing is HIGHLY ILLEGAL.

 

[majorv]

I found the instructions we used...1/4 tablet crushed per 2 1/2cc of formula.

 

[Jeannie66]

If you are not a wildlife rehab specialist, get those babies to a real one. Not only are you endangering them by taking care of them yourself, what you are doing is HIGHLY ILLEGAL.

All the rehab i have contacted are at capacity and would not take them in. I scouted within a 2 hour drive for one to take them. I would prefer that but i am out of luck...yes i realize it is illegal.. id rather be a criminal that leave them out to die. If anyone has any info on a rehab that would take them, that is within 1.5 hour drive of hamilton Ontario please so let me know

 

[Jeannie66]

I did finally find some probiotics for small animals.i waited 7 days in total since giving probiotics, and then I introduced bunnies to hay, dandelion leaves and some clover. Its been 4 days that they have had these greens.. if they were to have an adverse reaction would it show by now? I dont want to feed them too much real foods too quickly if they are not in the clear regarding their g.i. tract