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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum DIET & CARE Proper Care/Feeding of 3wk old Eastern Cottontail

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    • Ginny's Mama
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        My boyfriend found an orphaned cottontail rabbit behind his barn the other day. The hunting dogs got to its mom. 

        Should I still be bottle-feeding him? He eats the stuff out of the bowl, but I’m not sure he’s getting enough nutrition. 

        One place told me to give him kitten formula. He’s been eating that, drinking small amounts of water, and some hay. 


      • Sarita
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        18851 posts Send Private Message

          I would not give him kitten formula – they have very delicate stomachs and need a very high protein milk – like goats milk. If he’s eating on his own,that is a good sign though.

          That being said if you can find a wildlife rehabber in your area that would be the best thing to do for this little one.


        • LBJ10
          Moderator
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            Poor little thing. I agree, a wildlife rehab place/person would be the best bet for him. They would likely have better resources for caring for a tiny wild baby. I know domestic rabbits need to eat their mother’s cecals, so I imagine it would be the same for cottontails.


          • Linette
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              It’s probably already eaten it’s mom’s cecals and as long as it keeps getting grass and hay, that will keep it’s gut flora working.

              It probably won’t need milk past 4 weeks.

              Their instincts are good, If you release it soon it should have as good as chance as it would have when leaving it’s mom. Cottontails are not like European rabbits, they don’t live in groups. It won’t have bonded to you any more than they do to their mothers, so I wouldn’t hesitate to release it. Their mothers don’t teach them behavior, so it won’t be missing anything. Mothers actually spend very little time with the bunnies. One day they all hop out of the nests and are on their own.


            • LopNessMonster
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                We rehabbed a cottontail when I was a kid. If you have an actual wildlife rehaber, that’s going to be a better option but if you don’t have anywhere to take it, this website looks pretty legit: http://borntobewild-wildliferescue.blogspot.com/2010/03/orphaned-cottontail-care.html
                We fed ours the same as baby domesticated rabbits. Once they are old enough to run around they are probably ok to be in the wild (though you might try to find somewhere the dogs won’t get at it). Ours could jump three feet and run faster than anyone in the family and it was still so small it fit in my hand.


              • Sarita
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                  If you do release it, I know that rehabbers have specific protocols for releasing cottontails – I wish I knew exactly what they were, but I don’t. I did help a rescue once that the lady did do cottontail rehab but I never wanted to do cottontails but I knew they had protocols…like specific places, time of day, etc…so the rabbit would have the best chance of survival.

                  In fact, there is the link to an that may help – you can always email them too to find out the protocol to release:

                  http://www.wildrescuetexas.org/wildrabbit.html

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              Forum DIET & CARE Proper Care/Feeding of 3wk old Eastern Cottontail