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Old April 8th, 2005, 08:49 PM
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Baby Rabbits! What do I do???

My dad was driving through our back alley today and he saw a little fluff ball just frozen with fear, so he got out and found out it was a rabbit (he wasn't surprised, this guy lets them run free then butchers them for their meat). He was looking around to see where it might lives, when he found another one baby by a shed and one that had died (the cats probably got to it). Well we picked the two up and now they're here. I have rabbit food, but I think they're too young to eat it so I'm planning on feeding them milk through an eye dropper. My mom just called a rescue worker we know and she can get a foster home set up for them, but she's about 45 minutes away so we'll have to keep them for at least a day. I will not take them to the SPCA as it's a kill shelter and I have heard that they'll actually give the rabbits to the zoo as bait, so they're not going there. What do I do??? My mom's still on the phone so I'll see what the rescuer says, she seems to be giving her a ton of information on how to care for them and I'll post a picture of them ASAP, they're absolutely adorable. Should we maybe try to catch the mom as well? She's pretty big and I don't know how she'll act, I've tried to catch rabbits before and I've only been successful a few times, but I don't know if it's better for the babies.
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Old April 8th, 2005, 09:06 PM
Karin Karin is offline
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I hate to say this but your dad most likely interrupted nature. If the rabbit's have fur, mom was moving them from the burrow. The "frozen from fear" you describe is mom's way of *parking* them...same as deer and most other wildlife, they are taught to freeze when danger is near. Most moms park their young while they go for food too. Adult rabbit's are high strung, I would not attempt to catch her too. If you can reunite the family, that would be best, if not, talk to the rescuer, my guess is these tiny logomorphs are weanlings and should be eating solid food. (Out of the den, find your own food) Cheerios, corn flakes, oat meal...etc...(southern bunny comfort food)

Good luck.....I have eaten rabbit myself to be honest. Taste like chicken. I dont care for chicken either.
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Old April 8th, 2005, 09:09 PM
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Froglegs and Rattlesnake tastes like chicken too. I'd rather have the chicken!
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Old April 8th, 2005, 09:19 PM
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My mom got off the phone and she gave us a recipe on what to feed them every 2-3 hours and a bunch of instructions of what to do. Their eyes aren't open yet, so it's not likely that they're very old (maybe a few days?) and she doesn't think that the mother would have taken them out like that and left them in the middle of the alley alone unless she was moving them, and they've been living under that shed for years so I doubt she was moving them. She thinks somebody tried moving them and they're not being cared for now. She said to keep them warm, they need to burrow, and to rub on their stomach and behind since they don't know how to urinate or deficate yet. We have a bunhc of blankets out and we're going to put a heating pad under the blankets every little while. My dad's running out to get them everything they need. I read that the survival rate of baby bunnies is very low in captivity so I'll go and see if I can find the mom, we talked to a guy around there who says he hasn't seen her recently and the rabbits are not warm. I tried to do a dehydration test, however, but pinching the skin and I couldn't get any skin to pinch. They're not moving but they're alive, probably just scared to death. Should I keep the dogs well away from them in case they have any diseases? They haven't been able to go near them, but I don't think having them in the same room will be dangerous? Anything else I should do? Here are the babies (I'll have to do post the pictures in multiple posts since I don't know how to post them together, sorry):
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Old April 8th, 2005, 09:23 PM
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I'm just worried that these rabbits do not have a future ahead of them. They're at the mercy of cats and dogs around the neighbourhood, as well as humans without hearts. I read that the mother will usually come back to feed them around midnight, so I'm planning on going outside today and keeping watch. If the mother comes back, I'll definitely put them back, but I'm a bit hesitant to put them back without knowing they'll be cared for, especially since there was a dead baby rabbit there. Would it be better to just put them back though? I don't know much, the lady who runs the rescue said she'd take care of them if we could get them to her tomorrow, but I admit they will be better off with the mother. We've caught a few other rabbits to rehome, but they were older and weren't so delicate. Anyways, more pictures:
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Old April 8th, 2005, 09:24 PM
Karin Karin is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by glasslass
Froglegs and Rattlesnake tastes like chicken too. I'd rather have the chicken!
Yummmm! Frog legs! Love 'em, and gator tail too. They do not taste like chicken though. I'll leave the rattlesnake for the Texans. Tried that when I was married to one. (A Texan and a snake, happily divorced now)

*I have a good quick recipe for gator tail & frog legs, may need to post this*

With Hushpuppies, the bestest recipe ever.
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Old April 8th, 2005, 09:24 PM
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And here's the last one:
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Old April 8th, 2005, 09:31 PM
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I just fed them, they're starving! The rescuer told me to give them 6 cc. of the food, so I just gave them 3 and I'll give them another 3 in a few minutes. Their eyes opened a little while they were eating and they would lick all of the food off of my fingers, they're little angels. They're in a heap of blankets now with a heating pad over top, and they didn't pee or anything, so I'll try again next time I feed them.
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Old April 8th, 2005, 09:34 PM
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Oh my GOD!! Tell me you guys are kidding! I had much beloved pet rabbit for a very long time and after a looong day, thought I'd check into here for some r&R. I don't mean to be rude or anything but again, OH MY GOD!! Eating rabbit and how it tastes! This makes me so ill - and can you imagine how upsettingf it is for someone who still morns her bunny! How thoughtless can you all be?

I realize you are not that uncaring - it is just OHHHH GAWWWWD!! I can't believe this is what I read first when I am trying to wind down. I am in TEARS!! Yes, I do understand people eat rabbit but this is a pet web site NOT one geared to hunting!

Maybe we should have a sticky about how people should not post insensitive remarks about the eating of pets - like cats, dogs, rabbits, etc. I know I am tired but my nunny meant the world to me. I think of him often!! His penchant for Lucky Charms, his love of the chase around the house, even his chewing my cell phone charger (Not to worry, it was not plugged in so no chance of electrocution).

There are mega resources at http://www.rabbit.org about orphan bunnies. I have much info about it but honestly do not have the heart to write it here.

I can't get over the way this thread went! Please take care of these bunnies!! Gwt them to a shelter with the resources and knowledge to care for babu bunnies - if they are truly orphaned. I also have lots of wild bunnies on my woodlot - they are a joy to behold. (It is where my little guy is lived to be a geriatric bun) is buried because he did not like to be alone. I know the wild ones do not survive as long as domestic bunnies and have very different needs than domesticly raised rabbits but that does not mean we have to eat them, ewwwwwwwwwwww!!!

Karin, when that moose hit me and nearly killed me, you felt sorry for the moose. So did I tho I also was glad to be alive. (I certainly did NOT want moose meat nor would I eat it - and I am not radical vegan or anything of the sort). I felt your comment at the time helped remind us that an animal had also died. How can you talk about eating bunnies in a thread about baby bunnies that need help.

I do not mean to over react but you have to know how much I still mourn my little guy. EWvery rabbit I see brings his wonderful life back to me!

Anyway --- I think I better go to bed. It was not the best idea to peek in here tonite, sigh!!
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Old April 8th, 2005, 10:22 PM
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They ate, one of them peed, and they're doing well, they're just sleeping right now. Their eyes actually are open, so they're older than I thought (I think between two to three weeks), and they're moving around quite a bit when handled. I don't know what to do with them, the thing is that these rabbits aren't wild. They're domesticated rabbits; this guy bought a few, let them run loose, and now he catches whichever ones he can to butcher them. Other people have started catching them to butcher them too since they're everywhere. My mom has contacted the SPCA, AC, the city, everyone imaginable but they won't do anything. They say there's no law against letting rabbits run around on other people's property and they can't prove that he butchers them, even though everybody around here knows that he does. I'm worried that if they go back, they won't have a very good life, if they even have one. The rabbits always get hit by cars, killed by cats or dogs, freeze to death, caught and butchered, anything. There are about two that hang around every block, and every year they disappear and another two take their place. It's sick! I mean if I give them back to the mother they'll be harder to catch later and they'll die off too soon just like the other ones.
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Old April 8th, 2005, 10:58 PM
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awww look at those cuties! fluff balls. I've never owned a rabbit, but i believe that animals choose their owners, so perhaps those rabbits chose you.

maybe soon they'll think of you as their mommy
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Old April 9th, 2005, 12:38 AM
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I'm really sorry! I didn't mean to be offensive or insensitive. I was just trying to say the idea was repulsive to me.
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Old April 9th, 2005, 07:25 PM
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Thx Glassglass! I hope choccoffee that you will be able to round them up (can you get help) and maybe get them to a rabbit rescue if you cannot care for them yourself? How horrible that he butchers them. That is just sick!!
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