If you've found a nest of wild baby rabbits, they probably don't need your help, if even if you don't see the mother. Wild cottontails nurse only once or twice daily, and the rest of the time, the mother purposefully stays away from the babies to distract predators from her nest. If you are certain that the mother is dead or missing, contact a local wildlife rehabilitator immediately. Hand-raising baby cottontails is difficult and should not be attempted by the inexperienced.
Likewise, a domestic rabbit whose mother is alive is probably being fed, even if you don't see the nursing. Domestic rabbits nurse only once or twice daily, and ignore the babies the rest of the time. Sometimes, it is necessary to hand-feed baby rabbits if the mother is dead or unable to care for her young.
What to Feed Baby Rabbits
Rabbit milk is one of the richest in the animal kingdom. You cannot keep a baby rabbit alive on cow's milk, human infant milk replacer, or puppy or kitten milk replacer. The best formula for hand-rearing baby rabbits is to mix 75% Zoologic Milk Matrix 30-55 with 25% Zoologic Milk Matrix 42-25. Otherwise, Esbilac Goat's Milk formula for small animals is a good alternative.
Other forumlas invented by wildlife rehabilitators, veterinarians, and breeders involve mixing two parts KMR (kitten milk replacer) or Esbilac (puppy milk replacer) with one part goat's milk, heavy whipping cream, or MultiMilk. Many rehabilitators recommend adding a pinch of Lactobacillus acidophilus to help grow gut flora. Normally, baby rabbits would get this healthy gut bacteria from their mother's milk.
How to Feed Formula
Formula should be warm, but not hot. Hold the baby upright on all fours. Place a small syringe, (a 1ml insulin syringe, needle removed, works well) or eyedropper, into the side of the bunny's mouth just behind the teeth. Slowly release the formula. If the rabbit begins to choke or spit, stop and give it a moment to collect itself.
Very young, still-hairless bunnies can be fed half a milliliter of formula every two to three hours. Slightly older bunnies with their eyes still closed, ears flat to their head, fully furred, can have about 2 ml per feeding. Increase the amount as their size and weight grows. The rule of thumb is to feed until the stomach feels round and full, but not hard or tight.
Stimulating Waste
Normally, the mother would lick the baby's genital area after feeding to induce elimination. You will imitate this behavior by gently rubbing the baby's genitals with a moist Q-tip or damp cloth until elimination occurs. It is very important that you do this after every feeding.
Feeding Older Bunnies
After a rabbis about ten days old and has opened its eyes, if it is possible, you should begin feeding it cecotropes, sometimes called "night droppings," from a healthy adult rabbit. Adult rabbits eat these nutrient-rich droppings out of their own anuses, and babies eat the cecotropes of their mothers. Once the rabbit is 3 to 4 weeks old, you may begin introducing healthy foods for rabbits like alfalfa hay, redleaf or romaine lettuce, cilantro, and parsley . Gradually wean the rabbit from the bottle once it is eating plenty of solid food.
Sarah Goodwin-Nguyen - Goodwin-Nguyen is the author of Key West: A Comprehensive Guide to Florida's Southernmost City (Parkscape Press, 2008) as well as an ebook ...
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