Buzz
Essential Tips for Nurturing and Protecting a Newborn Wild Rabbit
While out for a stroll, you stumble upon a wild rabbit’s nest. Intrigued, you peek closer and spot tiny baby bunnies wriggling about. Their mother is nowhere in sight—what action should you take? In such situations, it’s advisable to leave the bunnies undisturbed as their mother is likely to return. However, if you find a bunny orphaned for more than 24 hours or injured, it’s time to intervene. Reach out to a local animal clinic or wildlife rehabilitator, and then refer to our guide on caring for a baby wild rabbit.
If you're interested in caring for a domestic baby bunny, refer to our comprehensive guide here.
Key Points to Consider
- Create a temporary shelter and secure environment for an orphaned bunny using a wooden or plastic box and hay.
- Provide baby rabbit formula during the initial 6 weeks of their life before transitioning to grass, vegetables, and fruits.
- Reintroduce a rabbit into the wild between 6 to 8 weeks of age, ensuring they're robust, healthy, and capable of self-care.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Creating a Secure Environment
Set up a cozy nest using a wooden or plastic box for baby bunnies. If you've come across an injured or orphaned bunny, provide them with a warm and secure place to stay. Line the box with non-toxic soil and a layer of dry hay. Form a circular or nest-like structure in the middle of the box for the bunny to snuggle into.
- If soil or hay isn't available, soft towels, tissues, or thread-free blankets will suffice.
Position the box atop a heating pad or in proximity to a heat lamp. Newborn baby rabbits require an environment maintained at 100 °F (38 °C) for their first 2 weeks of life. To ensure they remain warm and comfortable, place their nest on a regulated heating pad or beneath a heat lamp. Attach a thermometer to the box to monitor the temperature closely.
- Ensure part of the nest remains unheated, allowing the bunnies to move to a cooler area if necessary.
- Gradually decrease the temperature by 3 to 5 degrees each day as the bunnies mature, until it reaches room temperature.
Gently place the newborn bunnies into the nest. Handle the tiny rabbits delicately while wearing gloves (to safeguard both you and them from potential germs). Carefully lay each bunny into the prepared nest.
- If you've rescued a lone bunny, ensure they're surrounded by ample tissues, hay, or blankets for warmth.
- Minimize handling to help the bunnies adjust to their new environment and remain calm.
Secure the box with a screen to protect the bunnies. If the bunnies are mobile, a screen prevents them from escaping the box. In households with other pets, the screen serves as a barrier against inquisitive dogs or cats. Utilize a window screen, chicken wire, or a plastic lid with small ventilation holes.
Introduce engaging toys and objects into the enclosure if the rabbit is fully grown. Adult rabbits are curious and active creatures. Adding items they can chew on can help keep them entertained. Consider placing an empty toilet paper roll, extra hay, or some carrot chunks inside.
- If you already have pet rabbits, offer the wild rabbit a new toy or treat that your other rabbits haven't explored yet.
Feeding a Neonatal Bunny
Provide baby rabbits with goat milk formula
for the first 6 weeks. Mother rabbits usually nurse their babies at dawn and dusk for approximately 5 minutes each time. Adjust feeding frequency based on the bunny's age and size. Use a 2.5 cc syringe filled with lukewarm formula and follow the feeding guidelines.
- Mix the formula with 3 parts formula and 4 parts distilled water to match the consistency of mother's milk.
- Although formula is not as nutritionally complete as mother's milk, it serves as a suitable substitute for orphaned rabbits. Consult a vet if you're concerned about the bunny's nutritional intake.
- Kitten Milk Replacer is another excellent option if goat milk formula is unavailable.
- Avoid using cow's milk or human milk replacers, as they may upset the bunny's digestive system.
Wrap the bunny in a soft cloth and hold them in an upright position. Carefully swaddle the bunny in a washcloth or blanket, ensuring their tiny head is visible. Cradle them in your hand securely.
- Consistently feed the bunny in the same spot to establish a feeding routine.
Guide the syringe close to their mouth. Teaching a bunny to feed from a dropper or syringe requires patience. Keep the syringe near their lips until they open their mouth.
- Consider dabbing a small amount of formula on their lips to indicate that food is nearby.
Administer the formula slowly into their mouth. Gently insert the syringe under their upper lip and into their mouth. Dispense the formula one drop at a time to the newborn bunny. If they reject the formula, you might be feeding them too quickly.
- Observe to ensure the bunny swallows after each drop.
Massage the bunny's abdomen to encourage bowel movements. In nature, a mother rabbit licks her young to aid in defecation. Mimic this action by softly rubbing the bunny's lower region with a cotton swab or moistened paper towel after each feeding.
Stick to a feeding regimen to prevent overfeeding a juvenile rabbit. Excessive feeding can lead to bloating and diarrhea, potentially resulting in the rabbit's demise. The quantity and frequency of feeding a wild rabbit vary based on its age. Refer to the following schedule:
- Neonates to 1 week (eyes closed and measuring 2 to 3 inches (5.1 to 7.6 cm) in length): 2 to 2.5 cc/mL
- 1 to 2 weeks (eyes open and beginning to stand): 5 to 7 cc/mL
- 2 to 3 weeks (becoming fluffy and measuring 4 to 5 inches (10 to 13 cm) in length): 7 to 13 cc/mL
- 3 to 6 weeks (alert eyes and ears, capable of walking): 13 to 15 cc/mL
- By 3 weeks old, young rabbits can start consuming grasses, fruits, and vegetables.
- A well-fed baby bunny's abdomen should appear small and round after feeding, signaling the need for another feeding when it's no longer rounded.
Providing Nourishment to a Rabbit
Present adult rabbits with a medley of vegetables and fruits. Once weaned off formula, wild rabbits can transition to consuming solid foods. Broadening their diet enriches their nutrient intake and prepares them for life in their natural habitat. Offer the rabbit a selection of rabbit-friendly foods, including:
- Spinach
- Mustard greens
- Parsley
- Carrots
- Squash
- Potatoes
- Bananas
- Berries
- Apples
Offer an abundance of grass and hay for the rabbit to munch on. Leafy greens are essential for a wild rabbit's diet! Foraging for lettuce can be challenging in the wild, so wild rabbits often graze on various grasses. Explore your backyard and look for vegetation such as:
- Timothy grass
- Orchard grass
- Meadow fescue
- Marigold flowers
- Clover
- Fireweed
Provide a rabbit with a bowl filled with fresh water. Ensure that the wild rabbit always has access to clean water. Fill a shallow dish with fresh water and monitor it throughout the day, refilling it whenever necessary.
- Rabbits typically consume about 2 to 3 times more water than food per day.
Releasing a Rabbit Back into the Wild
Transition the rabbit from formula to solid foods. Before releasing the rabbit into its natural habitat, it should be capable of feeding itself independently. Generally, rabbits can be reintroduced to the wild as early as 3 weeks old, provided they are consuming full meals consisting of whole foods (grass, veggies, fruits, etc.).
- If the rabbit still relies on formula, gradually introduce more solid foods, ensuring they are at least 3 weeks old.
- Offer additional grass from outdoors for the rabbit to graze on—just ensure the area is free from pesticides.
Minimize contact with the rabbit. Facilitate the rabbit's transition back to the wild by minimizing human interaction. This allows them to readjust to self-grooming and foraging, reducing dependency on human care.
Transition the rabbit to outdoor living. If you've cared for an orphaned bunny indoors, relocate their enclosure outside once they reach 6 weeks of age. At this point, they are fully mature, capable of consuming solid foods, and exploring their surroundings. Provide them with a wire hutch equipped with grazing space to help them adapt to their natural environment.
- Construct your own rabbit hutch or purchase a pre-made one from a local pet or farm supply store.
- Continue providing ample food, water, and enrichment toys for the rabbit.
- Consider upgrading to a larger hutch or expanding their outdoor grazing area as they grow.
Set the rabbit free into its natural habitat at 6 to 8 weeks old. By this age, the rabbit is fully developed and prepared to thrive in the wild. Choose a location abundant with grass, shelter, and water sources for their release. Opt for late afternoon release near foliage, allowing them ample time to establish a new territory before nightfall.
Helpful Tips
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Create a tic-tac-toe pattern above a bunny nest using yarn if you discover one without the mother present. Check after 24 hours to see if the pattern has been disturbed. If so, leave the nest untouched; if not, seek assistance from a wildlife rehabilitator.
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Always reach out to a local animal clinic or wildlife conservation office when caring for an orphaned or injured rabbit. They can provide guidance on proper care and additional support.
Important Warnings
- Wild rabbits may carry diseases that pose risks to both you and your domestic animals, so always wash your hands after handling a wild bunny or adult rabbit.
- Ensure that intervention is necessary before assisting a bunny or rabbit. If you encounter an injured rabbit on its own, your aid may be beneficial. However, if you come across a nest of baby bunnies, it's best to leave them undisturbed, as mother rabbits frequently leave their offspring unattended for extended periods.
