Tonight about 9:30ish my cat brought a live baby bunny in the house. It doesn't appear to be injured and I'm guessing its about 2-3 weeks old based on its size. I don't know where the nest is so I'm leary to just put it back outside, especially right now as its dark and the predators come out. So how do I care for it?
Wild Baby Bunny- HELP!!
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Are its eyes open?
If they are put it back outside tomorrow un a well bushed area.
If the animal is uninjured there is zero need to do anything and it should really go back outside tonight.
If they are put it back outside tomorrow un a well bushed area.
If the animal is uninjured there is zero need to do anything and it should really go back outside tonight.
BlazeBunnies
Well-Known Member
Can you send a photo please so we can see it. If it is in injured just go outside and put it off your property. Or take it to your local pound or shealter. If you want to look after it you will need kit milk replacer or kitten milk replacer, you will need a syringe or eye dropper and will need to feed them at dawn/morning and dusk/night. I have done it but it is a little bit hard when you have other commitments. Take it to the vet to make sure it is perfectly healthy, if it hasn't opened its eyes yet you will need to make a nest out of hay and hair. And make sure it is in a dry and safe place. After each feeding heat up a heat pack and put the kit on it. Also rub the belly with a cotton bud (with warm water on it) until it pees. Once it pees put it back into the warm place it is calling home. If eyes are open treat it like a normal bunny yet still fees it until it is 6 weeks old. And slowly wean off the milk into pellets, hay and water. Once done you can either keep it or sell it at 8 weeks 
help this helped
help this helped
Oh my aboslutely not!
You are more likely to kill a wild rabbit by keeping it then actually help it.
It is 100% against the law to keep it and even more so to sell it!!!!
Wild rabbits are not like domestic rabbits.
If its eyes are open put it back outside and leave it alone! It can look after itself.
Under no circumstance should you ever keep or sell it!!!
Wildlife rehabbers should be given the rabbit if its eyes are not open or it is injured. Otherwise put it outside.
You are more likely to kill a wild rabbit by keeping it then actually help it.
It is 100% against the law to keep it and even more so to sell it!!!!
Wild rabbits are not like domestic rabbits.
If its eyes are open put it back outside and leave it alone! It can look after itself.
Under no circumstance should you ever keep or sell it!!!
Wildlife rehabbers should be given the rabbit if its eyes are not open or it is injured. Otherwise put it outside.
Devi
Well-Known Member
Can you send a photo please so we can see it. If it is in injured just go outside and put it off your property. Or take it to your local pound or shealter. If you want to look after it you will need kit milk replacer or kitten milk replacer, you will need a syringe or eye dropper and will need to feed them at dawn/morning and dusk/night. I have done it but it is a little bit hard when you have other commitments. Take it to the vet to make sure it is perfectly healthy, if it hasn't opened its eyes yet you will need to make a nest out of hay and hair. And make sure it is in a dry and safe place. After each feeding heat up a heat pack and put the kit on it. Also rub the belly with a cotton bud (with warm water on it) until it pees. Once it pees put it back into the warm place it is calling home. If eyes are open treat it like a normal bunny yet still fees it until it is 6 weeks old. And slowly wean off the milk into pellets, hay and water. Once done you can either keep it or sell it at 8 weeks
NO NO NO NO NO!
As watermelons said if the wild rabbit is hurt or the eyes are not open find a wildlife rehab to turn it over to. It's fine and eyes open return it to the outside cause there is a high chance it's already weaned and on it's own. and ABSOLUTELY DO NOT KEEP OR SELL IT! Depending where you are this will result in fines up to 100,000$ And jail time.
Devi
Well-Known Member
If the wild rabbit is injured or eyes closed this site is wildlife resources commission for north Carolina
http://www.ncwildlife.org/injuredwildlife.aspx#5535106-contact-a-wildlife-rehabilitator
http://www.ncwildlife.org/injuredwildlife.aspx#5535106-contact-a-wildlife-rehabilitator
BlazeBunnies
Well-Known Member
Devi, if you read my post carefully I said that if its eyes are open let it go but if they are not they should feed it until they can get it to a rehab, and I thought they were in Australia which it is not illegal to keep wild rabbits. So please do not judge i get that I should have asked where they were.
Devi
Well-Known Member
I fail to see where I am judging. I noted she is tagged to be from North Carolina and gave her advice based on Law in the US. So if you can point out where I was judging would be great.
BlazeBunnies
Well-Known Member
You were saying NO NO NO, and going against everything I said. You should have read my list carefully instead of just saying I was wrong
MiniLopMad
Well-Known Member
I believe that wild rabbits are illegal as pets in Australia due to the fact that they are a pest and very destructive to the native environment. Rabbits - including domestic rabbits are illegal to be kept as pets in Queensland and I could not imagine the government allowing people to keep wild rabbits as pets when they are trying very hard to get rid of them all. I could be wrong, but this is what I read off this website, http://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/__data/as...meat-rabbits-in-NSW---Primefact-104-final.pdf :
It is an offence to keep wild rabbits,or hybrids of a wild rabbit, without Rural Lands Protection Board (RLPB) approval. Also, if any domestic rabbits escape they are regarded as pest animals and there is an obligation for capture and control.
MiniLopMad
Well-Known Member
I'm glad that all turned out well with the little bunny
Last edited:
MiniLopMad
Well-Known Member
Im glad that all turned out well with the little bunny
Don't know why that posted twice, sorry
Don't know why that posted twice, sorry
Devi
Well-Known Member
I'm allowed to disagree with your advise. And this is the last time I will talk about it on the forums cause I do not wish to break the forum rules by fighting on them. Also the laws about rabbits vary depending where you are in Australia also it is completely illegal to own a rabbit in Queensland. Western Australia it's illegal to keep a wild rabbit, New south Wales it's also illegal to keep a wild rabbit. to name a few parts of Australia with anti rabbit laws.
It is morally and legally (in most places) wrong to keep a native wild animal as a pet.
The OP has dealt with the issue
For future readers if one finds a baby wild rabbit with eyes open and it is uninjured LEAVE IT ALONE.
If you know 100% the mother was killed and the babys eyes are NOT open, BRING TO WILDLIFE REHAB.
If the animal is injured regardless of age, BRING TO WILDLIFE REHAB.
Topic closed.
The OP has dealt with the issue
For future readers if one finds a baby wild rabbit with eyes open and it is uninjured LEAVE IT ALONE.
If you know 100% the mother was killed and the babys eyes are NOT open, BRING TO WILDLIFE REHAB.
If the animal is injured regardless of age, BRING TO WILDLIFE REHAB.
Topic closed.
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