I just found a baby bunny. What do i do?

Question

A cat had a baby bunny. It isn't wounded but it is really scared. we put it in a really big dog cage for the night and i gave it 2% milk and smoe grass and really small bits of carrot (like four bits about the size of a BB or pellet (like for a gun) And some grass. should i take that out NOW?? i want to call a animal person tomarrow but will it be ok through the night?

thanks to you all i put in some resh water and took out the milk!!! I also put in this thing= you know a snow boot? how sometimes on the inside there is a like some padding? well i put that in as a place for it? It is is the porch now (screened in but it can still hear things.) should i bring it in?

Answer 1

I've said this many times lately in answers to similar questions here about baby bunnies and what to feed them.

PLEASE, PLEASE do NOT give ANY BABY ANIMAL COW'S MILK!!!! Cow's milk does not have the same properties as the baby animals mother's own milk because it's been pasteurized so that us humans can drink. The Only animals milk that is closest to a baby animals mothers milk is Goat's milk and I'm talking fresh out of the Goat Milk too.
Give the bunny Fresh clean water in a small dish ( one that it can't get into easily so as to prevent possible drowning. Leave the fresh grass ( I would wash it though just in case it's been treated with any form of pesticide or even growth formulas for grass these can make the bunny real sick and die. The carrot will be OK, they like that but really like fresh greens better. If you have dandelions around the house that haven't been sprayed down with a weed be gone type product get some of those both the flower and the leaves too. Sounds to me like this is a wild bunny and more than likely mom got scared away by the cat, it's old enough to be on it's own or momma bunny is dead. About how big is the bunny? If it's about the size of a softball, has it's eyes open and moving about with ease then it's at least 3 weeks old or better. Wild bunnies mature faster than domestic bunnies because Mom kicks them out the moment their eyes are open. Oh she keeps an eye on them but she stops feeding them milk as often weening them and encourages them to explore more and more. Where as a domestic bunny will feed their young sometimes anywhere up to 6wks to as long as even 8wks of age depending on the momma bunny.
I have yet to find pellet food for baby bunnies that says to give to them at anything Younger than 8wks of age. Although with good care many babies do start eating fresh hay, grass, greens, carrots, the occasional apple slice or orange slice ( seedless orange mind you with the Rind still on it. Great source of Vit.C for them) sometimes as early as 2 1/2 weeks of age. However in my experience with both domestic and now wild I have found that many times the domestic will develop intestinal gripe (diarrhea) and if not treated quickly and properly die from the dehydration caused by it. It's usually because they eat solids to soon for their little bodies to be able to handle properly.

So please take out the milk ( hopefully the baby is still to scared to have ventured to even taste it yet ), put in fresh water, maybe a towel it can curl up on, cover the carrier with a large towel so no one and nothing can scare it even more over night, place the carrier in a safe quiet place ( maybe the tub just in case the bunny is small enough to slip through the spaces in the door.. yes.. they can do this seeing as how slinky they are when they are babies) and leave it alone until tomorrow morning when you can get a hold of your vet. He or She will be able to point you in the right direction on who to contact to take care of the bunny or they will take care of it if they have experience with exotic animals until they can contact a licensed or experienced rehabber for you.

Oh, Don't panic OK, if the baby only got a little of the 2% milk in it; it's OK just make sure it doesn't have anymore. Just that fresh water and the grass and carrot pieces Oh an a nice quiet dark place too. Wild rabbits tend to have weaker hearts than domestic too, a sudden fright can easily cause their heart to stop, it's lucky to still be alive considering Cat's are a bunnies worst enemy. Dog's were only introduced later into the factor as an enemy but are not a natural enemy like the cat is.
NOTE ADDITIONAL INFO:
(Just got your E-mail: Yes I would go ahead and bring the carrier in, even though it's on a screened in porch with the baby stressed it really does need complete quiet. If you have a guest bathroom or even bedroom not in use I would put it in there, cover the carrier with a towel or throw or what ever to give it the darkness, turn off the light and close the door till you can get it to a rehabber or your vet in the am. I gave you my direct e-mail addy in my reply to you btw. Love the BOOT idea too makes a Great Den for the baby to hide in!!)
*HUGS*

Answer 2

Don't feed it fresh veges cus it's digestive system may not be able to handle them depending how young it is. And definitely NOT lettuce, Lettuce is bad for bunnies no matter what age. Always have hay available to it if you have any, if it is very young it may not be weined and will need milk, not cows' milk though, get the pet milk like you would feed kittens (which may be available in pet section at supermarket), and feed drops with a syringe, try and get at least 2 mL into it, 5 mL ideally. But do take it to either a vet or a wild animal/rescue centre they should be able to tell you how old it is and what to do with it. Give it a quiet place to sleep so it doesn't get stressed, a box with an old blanket would do in the short term. addition: try to feed at least twice a day, and if that goes well then it may want a feed in the middle as well. But ask the vet, they'll know.

Answer 3

How big is it? If it's palm sized don't give it milk. A little grass, plenty of water. If you have it in a dog cage cover the cage with a blanket (make it a "den"). The grass should be fine. a little treat won't hurt it. Your best bet - give it a quiet place to be for the night; in the morning call the wildlife/game department and see who they have for rehab of bunnies. Tell them what you found - size, etc. They may give you advice or come get it. DON'T handle it. Let it remain wary of people - that will save its life.
If it's little bitty do the same and try to find a breeder or someone with a new litter to foster it. Much better than trying to feed it.

Answer 4

if it's a jack rabbit baby, they do require special liquid formula - it's either kitten or puppy milk. Not cow's milk !!! A small bottle about 1 inch diameter with a tiny nipple worked for ours.Got it at the feed store. Put a little milk in your hand & get her to drink from your hand as you hold her . Keep her safe & make her feel secure in your arms. Keep her warm & give her a place to hide. Keep the house quiet & keep the animals outta there ! Fresh dandylion greens are good , but make sure they are not from a lawn that has chemicals on it. Any rabbit breeder can help you , but a wildlife rehabber can be better for jackrabbits babies. They are cute. Release her to a safe area where there are other rabbits when she is bigger & eating food.

Answer 5

if you have left it ouside in the dogcage for the night....no, it will not be okay. Bunnies can die easily of fright, and they need to burrow and hide at night to feel safe....and there are PLENTY of things that will scare them to bits during the night, not to mention predators trying to get at them. If you insist on interferring with nature (although i understand you were trying to do a good thing) then keep the bunny Inside for the night and release it first thing in the morning. The immediate threat of the cat is gone, the bunn will find its way back home in the morning and beware of the cat forever more. Some people think that catching somthing free in the wild is saving it.....but do you really think that taking it and caging it for a lifetime, would be its choice??

Answer 6

The bunny is in shock. Being attacked by a cat isnt much fun. I would suggest you put it in a smaller container. Try and keep it warm. Give it some grass and water. Do not give it milk. That will cause diahorrea. Tempt it with small bits of carrot. Mainly it needs quiet and warmth. Good luck.

Answer 7

yeah but it would be better in the house in the cage its harm and not to hot or to cold in the house and that would make sure no other animals get it fox or wolfs will go crazy to eat it like hardcore..so if u do that its better then just leaving it out side bring it in it should do fine;)...u may went to keep it if the animale people u call say u can and help it and tame it i use to have one its nice to have a pet rabbit then u can give to a lil girl or boy when it teme and not scared of humans its a good idea i know thats off the topics lol

Answer 8

This happened to me. My cat caught a baby bunny and brought it home as a "gift". It wasn't hurt and lived through the night so I called animal control and they told me the bunny would probably die because even if it wasn't injured, they can die from fright. That and that it was too small to be separated from the mother. You might try taking it to a zoo if there's one in your area. Don't get your hopes up.

Answer 9

If it has been weaned from it's mother then it should be able to eat like a grown bunny. If not then you will need to feed it with an eye dropper about every 4 hours or so.

Answer 10

Take it to the vet. Babby rabbits actualy have to eat their mama's poop for a certain type of bacteria. They will die with out it. I have attempted several time to "rescue" baby rabbits and wasnt very successful because of that.