If you come across a nest of bunnies in the wild and the mother is no where to be seen, please DO NOT disturb them...this is normal. By removing them from the nest you are greatly reducing their chances of survival.

In the rare situation that you have an orphaned bunny, such as when a mother rabbit is killed by another animal or in the road, or when a domestic rabbit refuses to care for her young, you may try feeding with Kitten Milk Replacer (KMR) with a pinch of whipped cream, but they need a professional reahabber--do not feed at home).

Remember though, that both wild/domestic bunny moms only feed in the middle of the night, so don't assume she is not caring for them! For true orphans, remember to feed ONLY TWICE A DAY.

Overfeeding is a leading cause of death in these youngsters which results in fatal intestinal disease. Provide a soft nest area in a box with clean towels, and cover the babies (if eyes are closed) so it is dark.

DO NOT provide extra heat if the room temperature is at least 65 to 70F because excessive heat can be fatal. If the room is much cooler, then you may place a heating pad on a low setting under no more than HALF of the nest so the bunny can move to a cooler area if it gets too warm.

For a wild rabbit, you need to get him to a wildlife rehabilitator if he is TRULY orphaned (mom was killed).

Remember with wild rabbits, the mom ONLY comes back at night to call and feed him; please put him back for her if just found and healthy. With domestic bunnies, the mom only feeds once or twice a day for only 5 minutes . Leave babies with the mom.

For wild orphaned rabbits, first check with your humane society and these contacts below to find a rehabber as it is illegal in most states to keep a wild animal, and they really need a professional as this is critical. Local rabbit vets or humane societies may also know of a rehab facility.

The following is a guideline for the daily amount to feed a TRULY orphaned bunny (mother was killed, etc.) that will be about 5 lbs as an adult.

GENERAL FEEDING OF ORPHANS Age + Amount (This WILL vary depending on type of rabbit.) Use KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer) for domestics and Meyenberg Goat Milk, regular not low fat for wild ones,or KMR. Add a pinch of acidophilus (AKA Probiotic capsules) to all formula to promote healthy gut flora. Other formulas vary depending on the region of the country. Avoid using Esbilac or any puppy formulas or cow's milk. Do not add Karo syrup. FEED TWICE A DAY ONLY.

• Newborn to One Week: 2 - 2+1/2 cc/ml each feeding (two feedings).
• 1-2 weeks: 5-7 cc/ml each feeding (two feedings).
  (depending on bunny..may be much LESS if smaller rabbit).
• 2-3 weeks: 7-13 cc/ml each feeding (two feedings). Bunnies whose eyes are still CLOSED need to be stimulated to urinate and defecate before or after each feeding. Again, seek a professional on this. Domestic eyes open at about 10 days of age. Then start introducing them to timothy and oat hay, pellets and water (always add fresh greens for wild ones--dandelion greens, parsley, carrot tops, grated carrots, all fresh, watered down). See below for detail.
• 3-6 weeks: 13-15 cc/ml each feeding (two feedings--again, may be LESS depending on size of rabbit! A cottontail will take so much LESS--about half of this! .)

Domestics are weaned about 6 weeks.

Cottontails wean and release about 3-4 weeks and jackrabbits much later (9+ weeks).

Feed only twice a day up to these TOTAL amounts. You may find an eyedropper or syringe easiest to use. Feed them upright, and go slowly watching them lick and swallow so they do not aspirate.

For domestic rabbits, if you have a healthy adult rabbit at home and you can collect cecotropes (the soft chain-like droppings that the rabbit usually eats) then these can be mixed with the KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer), to give the baby bunny normal bacteria for its intestinal tract. Only one cecotrope per day for 4-5 days is needed.

This is particularly important for rabbits under one week of age. Acidophilus capsules for humans, opened and sprinkled some in milk, works well too.

After each feeding it is important to make the bunny defecate and urinate (until their eyes are open) to keep the intestinal tract and urinary system running smoothly. Use a cotton ball moistened with warm water and gently stroke the anal area until the bunny starts producing stool and urine and keep stroking until the bunny stops.

You are reproducing the behavior of the mother rabbit who would lick her young to stimulate them to go to the bathroom and to keep the nest clean. No need to do this for jackrabbits.

As soon as their eyes are open, you may introduce the bunnies to hay, such as oat and timothy hay, some alfalfa, and pellets, and for wild ones, add dark leafy veggies such as dandelion greens, carrot tops, parsley, grated carrots, etc. Keep the greens fresh, moist, and stand them up in a heavy mug of water.

Change greens often. If this is a wild rabbit, you do not need to introduce pellets. If this is a domestic rabbit baby, then you may introduce plain alfalfa pellets at 2 weeks of age (please refer to the handout Care of Rabbits for more information on diet).

Wild rabbits should be released as soon as they are eating hay and greens and are approximately 5 inches in body length (for cottontails) and are afraid of you (about 3-4 weeks).

Jackrabbits are released much later (9 weeks up). They will be small, but the longer you keep them, the more agitated and difficult to handle they will become, and the less likely their chances for survival in the wild. They may be easily injured in your care as they attempt to get free.