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wild rabbits update and perhaps advice?

Beatrix Potter

Mama Doe
hi everyone

just to update you all on the progress of the four young wild bunnies i've now had since wednesday evening.

still doing ok, am trying to increase their food now as i was giving them 2ml every 6hrs, just managed to get at least 3.5ml down each of them which was great. found holding them in a different way to which i was much better.

is this enough milk? i'm also sprinkling a touch of probiotic in with the milk. research on the net seems to suggest these bunnies should be taking in about 25-50ml per day!

i was a bit concerned about one bunny earlier as he just wouldn't accept any milk, was making a grunty sound and bouncing all over the place he/she just wouldn't calm down. the sound seemed very much like the sound my female rabbit used to make when she wasn't being friendly and used to pounce at me! i gave up with this bunny in the end as he clearly wasn't going to calm down but they all seem fine now.

i'm wondering whether because he was on his own in the bedding he was a bit distressed as all the others had been fed and in a separate box ready to go back.

the reason they were in a differnet box was because i can't tell the difference between any of them, and i can't work out whos been fed and who hasn't. vet suggested chalking them but it just comes off.

any suggestions on this one?

thanks!
suzanne
 
http://cottontails-rescue.org.uk/handrear.asp

A baby rabbit of 1 day old would consume on average 2 mls of milk daily. By 5 days the volume would increase to about 12 ml. At 10 days it would increase again to about 15 mls, by 15 days increasing to 22 mls, 20 days increasing to about 27 mls, 25 days to about 30 mls. By 30 days of age you will expect to see a decline to about 20 mls, and by 35 days a rapid decline to less than 5 mls or weaned altogether.

It wouuld best to keep them together for warmth, a blob of natural food colouring would work to tell the difference.

Are you encouraging them to toilet after feeding?
 
thanks for that. i got 5mls in all of them this morning.

yes i am encouraging them to do their 'wee's!' normally i get one or two of them to go each meal time though was took by surprise y/day when one wee'd up my arm!!
 
I know that with small mammal trapping, you clip little bits of fur off for identification...
if you have 4 rabbits, you could do L shoulder, R shoulder, L rump, R rump...
might be a better way though...
 
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