Happy Easter from Wild Things!
A young Eastern Cottontail about to be released after a long recovery
Happy Easter Wild Things! Spring is here and that means Wild Things Sanctuary is getting ready for it's hundreds of baby patients that arrive for help every year.
Baby bunnies are among some of the most numerous patients at Wild Things. Sometimes their mothers disappear and they are left as orphans, but often their nests are disturbed by cats, dogs and even lawnmowers. If the babies are injured or have been in the mouths of pets, then they usually need to go to a wildlife rehabilitator: pet's mouths carry deadly germs. However, in many cases, even if a nest has been destroyed, babies can be returned to their mothers. Baby bunnies may be the most difficult babies to be kept alive in rehabilitation. Babies rely on nutrients from their mother to set up their digestive systems to process nutrients. Baby bunnies can also be difficult eaters and it can be hard to get enough calories into their tiny bodies. For these reasons, keeping babies with their bunny mothers is always the best option if possible.
A 2-day old baby bunny
But how do you know if their mother is still around to care for them? Even if the mother is present you may not see her. Baby bunnies are left in their nests for most of the day while their mother is out eating.
If a bunny nest has been disturbed, do not take the baby bunnies, but put them back into their nest or reconstruct the nest in the same place where the original nest was found and replace the babies in this nest. Watch for 24 hours to see if the mother returns. …But you still may not see the elusive mom! Mama bunnies usually feed their babies after dark, between midnight and 5am, and are secretive so that no predators (including humans) learn where their vulnerable babies are hidden. Put a string or ribbon over the nest in the evening, and if by the next morning that has been moved, this is good evidence that the mother has returned to look after her babies (TIP: place the strings in a crisscross pattern across the nest). If you want definite proof that the babies are being cared for, check them early each morning. They should be warm and round-bellied. You may even see milk in the lower part of their tummy if the fur is still thin (it looks white under the skin). The best way to know for sure is to weigh them on a small postage scale or kitchen scale. Write down a description and the weight. If they're gaining weight (1/4 oz./4-6g or so), they are being fed. A mother may also move her babies to a safer location once the nest has been disturbed.
Baby bunnies, about 3 weeks old
Be a guardian angel to these tiny babies if a nest is on your property. Ironically, bunnies often chose to nest near people as that keeps native predators less likely from coming near their precious babies. Keep your pets away from the nest while the babies are still present. Though some people find this an inconvenience, you don't have to do it for long, just a few weeks can mean life and death to these babies. Baby bunnies set out on their own when they are only 3-4 weeks and still very small.
This also means that if you find a small baby, it may already be independent. Youngsters leave their mothers when they are about the size of a tennis ball and are often mistaken for orphans. In most cases they may have already left the nest and it is best to leave them alone. Rehabilitators like to use the idea: "If it can flee, let it be!"
Release time!
One of the most important things to keep in mind is: DON'T TRY TO RAISE THE BABY ON YOUR OWN!! As stated above, bunnies may be the most difficult babies to raise. The little Cottontail in the picture at the top of this page was the only survivor of a litter that a good-intentioned member of the public tried to raise. Unfortunately, she did not know about the right formula or feeding amounts/schedules. The babies came to Wild Things weighing about a third of their appropriate weight and a few of them were blind from being malnourished. This little one made it, but at 3-4 weeks it's bones started to bend and break: it was suffering from metabolic bone disease brought on by lack of nutrition and an improper balance of nutrients. He had to be kept in a small cage for weeks to limit movement and was given special supplements. At 2 1/2 months he was all better and ready to go: a happy ending despite hard-time set-backs.
This bunny's spine did not develop correctly due to metabolic bone disease
The "bunny table": everything that is needed to feed and treat baby bunnies with digestive upset. You can see that it takes a lot!
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