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Been given a leveret - feeding

A

acceberbex

Young Bun
So I've been given a baby hare to look after (dog was chasing it and the lady doesn't know where it came from). I have no idea how old it is (it's probably a bit smaller than an adult guinea pig but I think he seems skinny) https://www.flickr.com/photos/joysmith7m... - probably a similar size to that. He weighs 370g. I WILL be releasing him assuming he makes it.

Problem is, he's not eating. I've given carrot peelings, thin slices of apple, thin slices of cucumber, curly kale, hay and sheeps parsley. I have a satchet of Recovery from the vets which I may have managed to squeeze about 1ml of very very dilute (practically water) into his mouth but he is reluctant to open his mouth for me. I've left that on a lid for him to lap if he wishes (very shallow).

What else can I/should I be doing? He was out on the grass earlier but didn't seem to eat any.

I'm trying not to handle him too much partially because he seems fearful (sits very still like my resuced wild rabbit or struggles like crazy) and because I do plan to release him (as cute as he is, he'd need much more space than I currently have set up with my exisiting rabbit). It looks like I will have him until at least Tuesday before I can release him and I want to give him the best chance until then (I will keep him as long as he needs though). I am now about to go and put a few rabbit pellets in for him
 
acceberbex said:
So I've been given a baby hare to look after (dog was chasing it and the lady doesn't know where it came from). I have no idea how old it is (it's probably a bit smaller than an adult guinea pig but I think he seems skinny) https://www.flickr.com/photos/joysmith7m... - probably a similar size to that. He weighs 370g. I WILL be releasing him assuming he makes it.

Problem is, he's not eating. I've given carrot peelings, thin slices of apple, thin slices of cucumber, curly kale, hay and sheeps parsley. I have a satchet of Recovery from the vets which I may have managed to squeeze about 1ml of very very dilute (practically water) into his mouth but he is reluctant to open his mouth for me. I've left that on a lid for him to lap if he wishes (very shallow).

What else can I/should I be doing? He was out on the grass earlier but didn't seem to eat any.

I'm trying not to handle him too much partially because he seems fearful (sits very still like my resuced wild rabbit or struggles like crazy) and because I do plan to release him (as cute as he is, he'd need much more space than I currently have set up with my exisiting rabbit). It looks like I will have him until at least Tuesday before I can release him and I want to give him the best chance until then (I will keep him as long as he needs though). I am now about to go and put a few rabbit pellets in for him
Click to expand...

Personally I would contact a Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre. What you are attempting to do needs very experienced skills. Where abouts are you located ?


In the meantime these links may be useful :

http://www.hare-preservation-trust.co.uk/rearing.php

http://bwrc.org.uk/ on this link go to this page http://bwrc.org.uk/#/find-a-rehabilitator/4550582130

http://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/re...ion/centres/-/articleName/WLD_WildlifeCentres

Good luck xx
 
acceberbex said:
So I've been given a baby hare to look after (dog was chasing it and the lady doesn't know where it came from). I have no idea how old it is (it's probably a bit smaller than an adult guinea pig but I think he seems skinny) https://www.flickr.com/photos/joysmith7m... - probably a similar size to that. He weighs 370g. I WILL be releasing him assuming he makes it.

Problem is, he's not eating. I've given carrot peelings, thin slices of apple, thin slices of cucumber, curly kale, hay and sheeps parsley. I have a satchet of Recovery from the vets which I may have managed to squeeze about 1ml of very very dilute (practically water) into his mouth but he is reluctant to open his mouth for me. I've left that on a lid for him to lap if he wishes (very shallow).

What else can I/should I be doing? He was out on the grass earlier but didn't seem to eat any.

I'm trying not to handle him too much partially because he seems fearful (sits very still like my resuced wild rabbit or struggles like crazy) and because I do plan to release him (as cute as he is, he'd need much more space than I currently have set up with my exisiting rabbit). It looks like I will have him until at least Tuesday before I can release him and I want to give him the best chance until then (I will keep him as long as he needs though). I am now about to go and put a few rabbit pellets in for him
Click to expand...

Well done you for caring :wave:

I think you should contact a Wildlife Centre, but in the meantime Parsnipbun (you can send her a PM) may be able to advise.

Good luck xx
 
Doesn't look like we have a local rehabilitation centre really (Suffolk) - I've given him fresh sheeps parsley, a handful of grass (which I will remove in about an hour as I know it ferments quickly) and some bark from ash (as rabbits like this). He's just been hiding in a box since we got him (he's in a puppy crate in a room we don't go in much and the other pets can't get into).

He's had a wee as his bed was wet but he now weights 332g so a loss since last night. May have managed to get 1ml of Recovery into him but it's so hard to feed him as he refuses to open his mouth or make any attempt so suckle at all ( I try to syringe feed just behind his teeth but across his mouth to redcue the risk of pumping it into his lungs).
 
acceberbex said:
Doesn't look like we have a local rehabilitation centre really (Suffolk) - I've given him fresh sheeps parsley, a handful of grass (which I will remove in about an hour as I know it ferments quickly) and some bark from ash (as rabbits like this). He's just been hiding in a box since we got him (he's in a puppy crate in a room we don't go in much and the other pets can't get into).

He's had a wee as his bed was wet but he now weights 332g so a loss since last night. May have managed to get 1ml of Recovery into him but it's so hard to feed him as he refuses to open his mouth or make any attempt so suckle at all ( I try to syringe feed just behind his teeth but across his mouth to redcue the risk of pumping it into his lungs).
Click to expand...

You may obtain some advice from here:

http://www.vetclick.com/find-a-vet/suffolk/ipswich/ipswich-wildlife-care-rescue-p841.php
 
acceberbex said:
Doesn't look like we have a local rehabilitation centre really (Suffolk) - I've given him fresh sheeps parsley, a handful of grass (which I will remove in about an hour as I know it ferments quickly) and some bark from ash (as rabbits like this). He's just been hiding in a box since we got him (he's in a puppy crate in a room we don't go in much and the other pets can't get into).

He's had a wee as his bed was wet but he now weights 332g so a loss since last night. May have managed to get 1ml of Recovery into him but it's so hard to feed him as he refuses to open his mouth or make any attempt so suckle at all ( I try to syringe feed just behind his teeth but across his mouth to redcue the risk of pumping it into his lungs).
Click to expand...

Try ringing the R.S.P.C.A. on 0300 1234999 for advice as to where to call.

Have you tried calling Bungay Wildlife Rescue on 01986 893675?

Hope you have some success in finding advice. If necessary, call *any* wildlife rehab and ask for advice as to what to do :)
 
HART Wildlife Rescue, here in Hampshire, are very good and may be able to give you some advice.
 
He may have now eaten some sheeps parsley on his own and I can hear him scrabbling around and he shot back inside his box when I approached the door.

I haven't contacted a wildlife centre but I have emailed someone who has a website (Moon Gazers) linked off the Hare Presevation website so I'm hoping to hear something.
 
you will need to feed specialised milk even at that weight - it is vital that you get him to someone who can feed him properly. They need a lot of milk (NOT normal cow milk or even over the counter cat milk etc). The feed via syringe takes quite a lot of doing as they are unused to syringes. In my experience they do not eat the sort of things that rabbits eat -

Moon Gazers are quite a distance from you. A 40g loss is dramatic - whereabouts are you? We have brought up two leverets - we are near Peterborough. Time is of the essence.

my email is twigsway@me.com if you would like help. I may not be on here again for a while so please use the email.
 
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`ps for some reason i cannot access the flickr to try and age him for you - however they are milk feeders for much longer than rabbits and weigh a LOT more than rabbits - so release is not an option at that weight
 
Thanks - I will also send an email incase you don't see this.

What sort of milk do they need? Most websites are more for rabbits rather than hares so it's hard to find information. I have managed to get about 2.5 mls of Recovery in this evening and he may have eaten some more sheeps parsley. But weighed him again and he's down to 327g (a further loss of 5g). A chart I found suggested that at 370g (his original weight) he should be about 30 days old and therefore having 1 milk feed (but I only have Recovery at present) and solid foods.
I would say he seems normal for a wild animal - fairly still but can dash away from me when he wants to.

I may be able to get advice from a local vet nurse but it wont be until Tuesday at the earliest so I just need to keep him going until then. The weight loss is not a good sign to me, but he has been urinating (didn't see any poo though).
 
Hi, yes. I got it first thing but can't reply due to work.
I'm going to swing by the vets surgery and see what I can get and then go back to a petshop if I need anything else.
Thanks so much. Fingers crossed for the little guy.
 
I really do feel that you need to get him ASAP to a wildlife rehabilitation centre or to someone who has experience and preferably lots of time and all the equipment.

He may need more than two feeds a day at first to catch up from what he has missed - and they must be regular.

TBH they are not easy and he needs a massive amount of feed just to catch up on the last couple of days. Turning him round now from the weight loss will be doubly difficult. He has probably missed two or three milk feeds from the time he was last fed by his mum to now and will be starting to fail - getting him into the swing of the syringe feeding will take a while as well.

I see you mentioned you have a wildie - did you hand rear that from birth? If you have that experience it will help - although hares are more difficult as they get very easily stressed and can die from stress.

By the time we hand raised a hare we had experience of hand raising two wildie baby buns and a baby vole (!) and a bat, and my partner took time off work to do it (and is the most patient and calm person ever!). You cannot leave to go to work until the hare has had the feed amount he needs for each feed and so taking time off is the only solution.

Hares are deifinitely it was the most difficult.
 
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I have to second the advice given. He needs specialist care and he really needs to go to a wildlife place. The longer you keep him the less chance he has to survive.
 
Wild was very young when we got her. Now 13! Have tried to rear a couple of others but they didn't make it sadly.
Feeding him 3-4 times a day - first thing morning, straight after work, then mid evening and possibly the early hours if I'm still up.
He did seem much more interested in the syringe this morning. Got 3 full mls in before he stopped turned away (I know that is not enough but it's an improvement on yesterday - he actually nibbled the syringe and tried to lap at it). Left Recovery in a shallow dish for him to lap (did try and get him to lap but he scooted away)

Will have a vets help as of tonight (she's been away) so that could make things easier
 
Ypu need to get 50 mls of top quality hare fat ratio milk replacement into him. Plus make up for the last 48 hours. I know i sound harsh but recovery is not what he needs and 3 mls is just not enough to stop him dying Unless you have an exotics vet they are unlikely to know much about hare feed and behaviour. Well done with wild. Do you still have the bottle heaters and other equipment from that?? He is obviously very hungry to try eating what is nit natural to him
 
Babsie said:
If you Google HART Wildlife Rescue (or find them on Facebook) you will find their phone number. They will be able to offer advice on getting the milk he needs.
Click to expand...

Its Esbilac puppy powder made up to the fat content of hare milk - which is actually just over the ratio for 'normal' in the case of Esbilac - which has quite a high fat ratio. We have used double powder ration for wildie buns but hares need less.
You can use Beophar or Royal Kanin etc puppy powder but personally I find it suspiciously sweet smelling and doesnt have the lovely smooth fatty texture of Esbilac which is widely used for wildlife . Never forget to put the made up through a plastic strainer before syringe feeding to get any lumps out which may block the smaller teats. and never use the full size teats provided for puppy use - you can get proper small animal ones.
 
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