how do i know if my 5 baby cottontail rabbits are doing fine and how i can tell if they are starving.?

Question

i've been feeding them KMR.

Answer 1

Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. You can find one here: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm

These people have the training and the resources to care for sick, injured and orphaned wild animals. They would know if the rabbits were getting enough nutrition.

This is the advice from a website devoted to rabbits: "Many people mean well when they contact HRS after discovering an 'abandoned' nest of wild rabbits. Often they wish to 'rehabilitate' them with some advice from others. The reality is fewer than 10% of orphaned rabbits survive a week, and the care that people attempt to provide can be illegal, unnecessary, and potentially harmful. The best thing you can do is put the bunny right back where you found him, in the general area, as the Mom will only come back at night to call and find him. Leave the area. If injured, please contact a Wildlife Rehabilitator or rabbit vet immediately."
http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/orphan.html

In the US, it is illegal to keep most native wild species, even for a short time, unless you have the proper permits.

Answer 2

Very difficult to feed and survive in captivity. If they are full, you can see their bellies through the skin--should have a big white bulge full of milk. Feed 2-3 times a day. They will feel "heavy" and not lightweight. Best thing is to weigh them daily...they should put weight on every day. Use a kitchen gram scale. Good luck!

Answer 3

Kimbee is right. If you don't want to weigh them everyday you can just check them. If you look at their skin it should be tight and not wrinkled. Look at the bellies and they will be big. If they are not then they are not getting enough to eat. I think that most of the time if they can make it 3-4 days eating then they will survive. If they make it to when their eyes are open then they will also survive.

Answer 4

if it appears that evidently like it may nonetheless be with its mum that's going to desire milk you may get some from the vets if it appears that evidently older and its in a position to eat grass then thats all it desires supply it some vegetables that puppy rabbits eat too to grant it some greater vits attempt to no longer feed it rabbit food as they dont get that interior the wild and if it gets used to it that's going to probablly anticipate to locate it once you permit it pass, attempt to pass away it by myself aswell if it gets too related to people that's going to loose its "combat or flight" instinct and wont have its organic habbit of working away while it sees something enormous (that should eat it)