Injured wild rabbit.

Hi,

I came across a young wild rabbit in the road. It didnt move and was hunched in a ball. I stopped and brought it home. Don't know why I did this and I've been having a moral debate with myself about intervention with nature.... I would normally continue on my journey and leave such for a meal for roadkill prey, or wring it's neck if it wasn't able to make it off the road on it's own.

I don't know if it was clipped by a car or has been victim to a predator.

The rabbit has a wound the size of a 5p piece on it's left shoulder, behind ear. Looked worse earlier as it was bleeding (probs only lost half a tea spoon, but a lot for wee thing) doesn't look deep, but could hide untold damage internally.

Limps on front left paw, but seems to be using it. Back legs seem ok but rear left again seems a bit limpy. Rabbit can hop quite high but falls over when trying to stand high on hind legs.

When I approached it in the road it began squeeking, with terror no doubt, and tried to escape but was just hopping erratically about.

So. I dunno. Rabbit could end up lame and a meal for a predator in any event. Or it might get better given time.

Then there's the question of it surviving on it's own if it does recover in time, now that I have interveened and have made contact with it.

Hell, I dunno. It may end up in a hutch. Or perhaps I should just take it back tomorow in the afternoon if it's not raining.

In the meantime - I've put it in a dog crate with some bedding, vegetation from the paddock (grass - mint - dandelion leaves) and a bit of banana as my Sister in law said she gives her rabbit banana when it's ill :?

Pleae offer me a bit of advice as to what can be done, likely outcomes and diet.

I am willing to keep the rabbit as a pet if it's lame rather than see it destroyed, but would prefer to return it to the wild if it recovers.

Thanks

Karl

It's unlikely an adult wild rabbit would settle down as a pet. If you kept it then it would need a large enclosure - a hutch just wouldn't be anywhere near big enough.

If it's injured enough you could pick it up then it's not going survive in the wild at this point.

I'd suggest getting in touch with a wildlife rescue - they've have experienced vets and facilities to either patch it up and release it (usually in a secure area e.g. someone with an enclosed garden) otherwise they'll arrange for it to be humanly euthanased.

The RWA holds a list of wildlife rescues, tel: 0870 046 5249

In the mean time, put it in an box and provide hay & water. A small dog crate would be okay but cover it with a sheet/blanket and put a small box inside. Rabbits feel less stress when they've got a small place to hide in.

Tam

I know the wild bunnies can be great pets if started with humans young. Take him to the vets and get him fixed up and enjoy him. Fixing him up is the right thing to do.

Thanks for the replies.

I did put a smaller box inside as a nesting box last night.

The rabbit isn't adult, not much bigger than my fist but looks big enough to be out of the nest and off the teat.

The rabbit made it through the night and ate some of the dandelion leaves. So I guess that's a good sign.

I'll get some more fresh greens now to keep it interested in food.

Any idea which other natural vegetation will keep it strong?

Just feed it grass etc that it would fine in the fields. It won't be used to eating anything else. Like tamsin I think you should contact a wildlife centre and take advice, they can check if it has any broken bones. Shock is more likely to kill it than anything else! poor wee soul, it is lucky to have survived, I hope things work out well for it. Try to let it free asap

Be careful introducing fruit and veg as it's extremely unlikely it'll have come across things like banana in the wild and young rabbits, especially wild ones, have very sensitive tummies. I'd stick to hay, grass and weeds that grow in your area to be honest

If you take it to a vet or wildlife centre they treat wildlife for free.

Hi and thanks

I called a local wildlife centre and they said to take it to a vet If I was concerned about broken bones.

Concern was about the wound as it could be an open fracture which broke the skin. Very hard to tell when the rabbit is so small - there's so many small bones in the shoulder area and any fracture is pretty much untreatable anyway.

The vet wanted £20 for a consultation.

I let the rabbit jump around in the kitchen and it seemed to have made lots of progress. Doesn't seem to have any major breaks at all. Any small fratcures will right themselves in time, perhaps leaving the rabbit with a wee disadvantage. It has a very slight lack of coordination or strength to one side - as much as I would if I had a great bruise and a wound on my leg I guess.

So looks like the rabbit will be set free in the next couple of days and nature will take it's course.

Thats very strange. My dad's vet told him veterinary treatment for wild animals is free (everywhere) :?

Fairy13 said:

Thats very strange. My dad's vet told him veterinary treatment for wild animals is free (everywhere) :?

Click to expand...

It is I think Someone at work found an injured wild rabbit and the vets didnt charge them for any treatment. And I know people that have taken injured birds to the vets and not had to pay

once dried the wound isnt as bad as I thought, a small laceration which continues up the rear of the ear slightly.

Hopping around quite fine now and looking rather spritely.

Awwww what a sweetie!

Fairy13 said:

If you take it to a vet or wildlife centre they treat wildlife for free.

Click to expand...

That is true, so why a vet would try and charge £20 for a consultation, I dont know!

Hello,

I think a stoat may of had a go at it by the sounds of it. They tend to grab baby rabbits by the head or neck area. The ones that do get away commonly suffer with some neurological or nerve damage, sometimes it is just temporary though. Ideally it needs to see a vet, just to check it over for any signs of damage. Also a antibiotic injection wouldn't go a miss in case of infection. Try ringing another vet as I think most do treat wildlife for free.
If you can't get it to a vet and you are 100% that it is using all its legs properly now and its balance is ok etc, and the wound is completely dry with no risk of flystrike, then I would release it back where you found it.
Wild animals on the whole do not do well in captivity.

Awww, bless well done for savign it! I have no advice, but I think if I had saved it, I wou d have real trouble letting it go again seeing that pic!

Do you have any other bunnies?

-

Hi

I think if the baby bunny has hardly any cordination and is not right in it's self. i think If I were you in this situation. I would keep it as a pet. being as it would fall pray to a fox back out in the wild when you have let it go.
and then nature would have it's revenge on it by being dead out their.

as I have siad befor on here it's a meal on legs for a fox .

I think sending the poor baby bunny back out their when it's not at it's best is a bad thing to do in my opinion .
you may as well of ran over it's body with your car at the time you saw :? it.
the poor bunny only wanted you to help it and make it well again and instead your throwing it's life to the foxes out their or another car could hit it and that would be it for the poor bunny.

if this was me I would personaly would not do this. send it back out their defenceless and limping with wounds and injery to it's body how crewl .

if you still want to help it I sergest you take it to an RSPCA and let them decide weather it's life is worth saving or not .

also I thought vets could fix a fractured bone in a rabbit. by placing splints around the broken or fractured leg. and placing pins inserted into the bone to hold it all back together again.:?

I bet they could do this as they do it to dogs,cats ect I have seen .

any way good luck with the bunny and i hope you can keep it as a pet rather than sending it back into the wild like that .

Hi

update.

Rabbit is doing really well. Has eaten lots and passed lots of poops. Wound is healing rapidly. Coordination is very good and it's on all fours very well. Left it very much alone. It's now been well over 72 hours. I don't think it will survive if i take it back. It's family or clan, whatever they're called probably wont take it back now that it smells so different - they're very territorial I've been told - that's if it can remember where to go.

My wifes friend was here earlier. She has a 4 year old son. They had a rabbit at home, very much had the run of the garden on a farm estate, only got locked up at night. One night a few weeks ago the farmers sheepdog ripped into the hutch and ate it - it was seen in the act under the halogen security light by the neighbour, but too late to stop it.

They would like to care for it long term. I'm happy that they will provide for it as she has had lots of rabbits during her years from early childhood. I'm going to have it stay with me for another week or so to build up it's strength with a bit of peace and quiet.

Thanks all for the help and support and best of luck with your bunnies

:wave:

She's a sweetie! Good job at taking care of her and finding a home!:wave:

Aww shes just a wee babe.

I believe they will treat an animal for free if it is handed into their care....if you keep it you are then responsible for all fee's.

:thumb: Well done for taking care of it! It's only a baby, and it seems to be thriving!

All vets should treat all wildlife free of charge. That is the law! I work next to a vet, and surrounded by fields. When I found a rabbit sat outside with Myxi, I took the poor thing immediately to this vet, who refused to see it.

I stood there until the vet did treat the poor bun, albeit, to put it to sleep, because that was the kindest thing to do! I told the vet that it was law, and also his duty to treat the poor rabbit! I also told him, that I would report him, if he didn't!

Good luck to this little bun, I hope he/she has a wonderful life ahead of them! :wave:


xxx