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RAISING ORPHANED COTTONTAIL RABBITS
 (Sylvilagus floridanus)

By Mary Stockard
(Revised 2005)

Initial Stabilization Care for Baby Mammals

1.      Check for injuries.  Seriously injured babies should be taken to a veterinarian that day.

2.      Warm the baby quickly if it feels cold.  Methods for warming include:

  1. Quick method: Place the baby wrapped in a wash cloth inside a plastic Zip-loc bag. DON’T seal the bag. Dip the bag in a bowl of warm (not hot) water. Gently swirl it around for about 5 minutes. This is not recommended for older, active young.
  2. Heating pad: Set temperature on low. Place the heating pad half under a closed box the baby has been placed inside of along with ravel-free cloths to snuggle with.
  3. Disposable plastic bottle: Use a plastic soft drink bottle or other plastic bottle. Fill it with hot water. Wrap it with a towel or other cloth. Place it inside a box with the baby. Make sure that it will not roll around possibly hurting the baby.
  4. Rice sock: Fill a sock 2/3 full of rice. Microwave it on high for 2 to 2 ˝ minutes. Place it in the bedding in the box with the baby.

3.   Treat dehydration.  Give fluids by mouth using a 1 cc syringe, eye-dropper, or pet nurser. Offer the fluids at room temperature hourly for up to 6 hours. Do not exceed 12 hours. Any of the following fluids may be used and can be purchased at the grocery or drug store :         

·        Gatorade ( regular or clear flavors)

·        Pedialyte (clear)

·        Sugar/salt water: 3 teaspoons Sugar, 1 teaspoon salt dissolved in 1 quart very warm water.  Cool the water to room temperature before offering it to the baby.

4.      Give it a warm box or pet carrier.   Eyes closed infants and eyes open young that are in shock should be placed in a cardboard box or small/medium pet carrier with ravel-free bedding such as a few tee-shirts. Provide consistent source of warmth such as a heating pad on a low temperature setting. Place it half under the box or pet carrier. 

5.      Begin offering dilute formula. Make sure the baby is re-hydrated before beginning formula introduction.  Make the formula as indicated in the diet section. Offer diluted formula every 2 hours using a 1 cc syringe, eye-dropper, or pet nurser. Syringes are better because there is less chance of aspiration. Give two feedings of 1 part formula / 2 parts water, then two feedings of 1 part formula/ 1 part water. Then give two feedings of 2 parts formula/ 1part water.  If the baby does not develop diarrhea or bloat offer full strength formula at the recommended amounts and frequency for the age. If problems develop contact a veterinarian or the Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

6.      Provide food and housing as described in the age and development chart.  Contact the Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitation Center if there are questions about the care instructions provided.

Formula for baby rabbits:

(Please check developmental care chart before attempting to feed)

Volunteers who do not have access to Zoologic supplement can use the Home Formula.

Wildlife Center Formula:
1 part Esbilac powder
˝  part Zoologic Milk Matrix 30-55
1 1/2 parts Water

Home Formula:
1 part Esbilac powder
1/4 part Heavy Whipping Cream,
1part Water

 *This is a very thick formula. To make feeding easier, fill all the syringes you will need for one day with the formula. When warming the formula to feed simply place the syringe in a bag if it doesn’t have a cap and drop it into warm water**.

Formula Break-In Chart

Always introduce the baby to formula by starting with dilute formula and building up to full strength formula.

Feedings #1, 2 = 1 part full strength formula + 2 parts water

every 2 hours for 4 hours.

Feedings #3, 4 = 1 part full strength formula + 1 part water

every 2 hours for 4 hours.

Feedings #5, 6 = 2 parts full strength formula + 1 part water

every 2 hours for 4 hours.
If at any time the infant develops diarrhea or bloating, cut back on the concentration of formula until the situation clears up.  If such problems persist for more than 36 hours, seek medical advice.

 

 

How to feed: Use a 1 cc syringe to feed formula. Wrap the baby in a cloth to keep it warm and secure and hold it in a sitting-up position. Rabbits are difficult to hand feed. Rabbits are not good nursers and will only lick from the syringe. The syringe will have to be placed in the mouth if the babies still have their eyes closed. Eventually they will begin drinking the formula. They WILL test your patience!

Stimulating urine and feces: This should be done for babies whose eyes are closed or just opening. Use a slightly damp cotton ball or tissue to gently stroke the genital area. The baby should urine within a few seconds. Babies may not urinate and produce feces every time.

Self-feeding diet: This diet should be given to rabbits as soon as the eyes have opened. Formula will still be offered as directed in the developmental care chart until the rabbit is completely weaned. Also offer a shallow dish of water.

75% of diet:      Rabbit Chow

15% of diet Clover, wild grasses blackberry, dandelions (flower and leaves)

  Note:  make sure they have not been sprayed with pesticide.

5% of diet:        Dime to nickel size slices of the following fruits/vegetables: Greens such as romaine, kale, spinach.

 Do not use lettuce.  Also sweet potatoes, carrots, squash, broccoli,

Warning:  Do not use compacted alfalfa blocks. These can expand in the stomach and cause it to rupture.

Keeping Babies Wild So They Can Go Back To The Wild

A great many baby rabbits are orphaned every year, usually by a dog or cat digging up their nest.  Baby rabbits are very cute and it is natural to want to handle them.  However, they are very easily stressed by handling and noise. Any undue stress can cause them to have heart failure. They are wild animals. Individuals raising orphaned babies must not treat them as pets. A baby rabbit should be raised with at least one other rabbit. You must obtain permission from your county game warden to legally possess any wild animal even for a short period of time.

Use good hygiene. Wash your hands after handling the babies and cleaning the cage. Wash bedding and dishes separate from your own. Disinfect bedding and dishes using 1 part bleach to 30 parts water. Allow bedding and dishes to soak for at least 15 minutes then rinse. The information in this paper is brief and intended for raising healthy orphans. If problems develop or you have questions, please contact the Alabama Wildlife Rehabilitation Center.

Natural History Information

The Eastern cottontail rabbit is the most widely distributed species of the 8 species of North American rabbits.  Its range extends from Canada to Central America.  As a result, cottontails are found in many diverse habitats.  These include woodlands, fields, swamps, farmlands, hedge rows, prairies, etc. (1).

Activity

A cottontail home is called a “form”.  It is a depression the rabbit has made by stomping down grass in a small spot.  Mother rabbits will pluck their fur to line the form for their babies.  Cottontails are nocturnal.  During the day cottontails rest and hide in their form (2).  Cottontails feed twice a day at approximately 3-4 hours after sunrise and from sunset to an hour after dark (1).

Food

Cottontails are herbivores (plant eaters).  They eat grasses, sedges, leaves, flowers, herbs, stems, buds, berries, and bark. In winter, stems of goldenrod and dogwood, berries, and bark are staples (2,5). Cottontails practice coprophagy.  Coprophagy is the practice of eating their feces. Rabbits in general produce 2 types of pellets. One is a normal dark fecal pellet. The other is called a cecotrope. The cecotropes are lighter, soft, nutrient-rich clusters, which are re-ingested by the rabbit.

Home Range

Cottontails do not maintain territories, so home ranges may overlap. The range of an adult male can be 2 to 3 acres while that of an adult female is only approximately 1 acre (1). This difference is most likely due to the fact that during 9 months of the year the female is raising babies (2).

Breeding/Maternal Behavior: The cottontail rabbit breeding season in Alabama begins the first week of January and may last for 9 months depending on food supply and weather (1).  The female comes into heat in 7 day intervals until bred or pregnant (2).  Once pregnant, she gives birth in approximately 28-29 days.  A cottontail can have 3 to 4 litters a year with litter sizes ranging from 3 to 6 babies (1).  The mother rabbit will spend most of her time away from the form, but is usually not very far away so that she can defend her form if necessary.  When the mother returns to the nest to nurse her babies, she lays her body over the form as if relaxing.  The babies will rise up to nurse when they feel the pressure of her body.  The mother rabbit will return to the form to nurse only 2-4 times during the night (2).

Development of Young

At about 5-7 days of age the baby cottontail's eyes open.  At 14 days of age cottontails begin exploring outside of the form and begin nibbling on grasses.  By 16-21 days of age the young are independent of their mother (2).  At 16-21 days old cottontails are only 5-6 inches long. Many people find these cottontails and take them into their homes or to wildlife care facilities thinking that they are orphans in need of help.  If babies of this age are found, put them in a safe hiding place and leave them alone.

Releasing hand-raised cottontail rabbits

     Extensive release preparation is not required for cottontail rabbits. The rabbit(s) should be familiar with their natural foods.  They are old enough to be released by the end of the fifth week of age. Acclimation in outdoor caging is desirable, however, if the bunny becomes stressed and the possibility of self injury occurs, return the bunny to indoor caging. The bunny should be shy to human contact.

    Release the rabbit(s) in fields or near brushy areas. Release sites should be where human contact will be minimal (Residential areas do not make good release sites). Release in the early evening just before dusk and when there has been no rain or severe weather conditions predicted for 3 to 4 days.      

 

Cottontail Rabbit Developmental Care Chart

Estimated Age                       Newborn – 1 week                                  1 – 3 weeks                                             3 – 5 weeks                                           

Description                            Naked to thinly furred, eyes                  Fur all over, eyes open by                      Fully furred and eyes open.

closed, ears closed.                                  7 to 9 days of age.  Ears                          Ears erect and rotating in 

                                                                lying down.                                             response to sounds.  Very 

                                                                                                                                nervous and jumpy.  More   

active at night.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

What to feed                          Formula only.                                         Formula, self-feeding diet when              Self-feeding diet, water.

                                                                eyes are open, water.                               

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Stimulate                              Yes (urine should be dark

                                                orange and feces black.)                          No                                                           No

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Housing                                 Incubator                                                 Mammal Nursery enclosure                   Sidewalk cage.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Furnishings                           Place in plastic aquarium                        Place in plastic aquarium on its              Always offer plenty of cover for

                                                (with ravel-free bedding)                         side (with ravel-free bedding)                 hiding.  Give water-proof and

                                                and keep in the incubator                        and put ˝ on heating pad                       insulated small pet carrier for

                                                until eyes open.                                      on low.  Offer cover for hiding.              nest box.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Comments                                                                                             Discontinue heat after 2nd week.            Rabbits respond best to native

                                                                                                                                                                                plants including clover, dandelion,

                                                                                                                                                                                wild strawberry, etc.

 

  

Baby Cottontail Rabbit Care Record

 

Reg #:____________      Sex:_____       Age:__________     Wt.:_______       I.D. Mark:__________   Date Rec.:_______

A. INITIAL CONDITIONS (please circle):

 1. Temperature: (determine by touch)             Normal (101°F)                         Cold                                         Hot

2. Injuries Present?                 None                           Fractures                         Punctures                  Superficial Scratches

                                    Ant Stings                                 Bruising (location)__________             Other:___________________

3. Is the baby responsive to touch?               Yes                                          No       

4. Level of Dehydration (skin turgor, mouth color):               2-5%                           5-7%               10% or >

5. Diarrhea?                Yes                        No                          Bloat?                         Yes                              No

B. INITIAL MEDICAL TREATMENT (if any):

1. Sub-Q Fluid Therapy: (warm baby first!)     Amount given:______________                       Fluid:_________________

2. Antibiotics: Type______________    Route_______________   Amount__________________    Duration______________

BEGIN ORAL FLUID THERAPY ON WARMED BABY

SF Diet? _____________________                Stimulate? _____________                  Furnishings? __________________

(use feeding tip for best success)

LRS = Lactated Ringer's Solution

                                                      up to 1 cc/feeding

Date

     Time

           Fluid

  Amt. Fed

 Urine

 Feces

   Initial

              Comments

 

 

      LRS Q 1 hr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      LRS Q 1 hr.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      LRS Q 1 hr.

 

 

 

 

 

  Proceed with dilutions (see below) as long as baby has urinated at least 1 time and produced at least 1 stool.

Dilutions:              2:1 = 2 parts LRS + 1 part formula                     1:1 = 1 part LRS + 1 part formula

                                                                                   up to 2 cc's/feeding

Date

     Time

         Dilution

  Amt. Fed

 Urine

 Feces

   Initial

              Comments

 

 

      2:1 Q 2 hrs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      2:1 Q 2 hrs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      2:1 Q 2 hrs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      1:1 Q 2 hrs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      1:1 Q 2 hrs

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

      1:1 Q 2 hrs

 

 

 

 

 

Proceed with full-strength formula at appropriate time intervals (depending on age) as long as baby is eating well, urinating and defecating, and behaving normally.  If not, consult the Shift Supervisor before proceeding.

 

References:

1.        Chapman, Joseph, J. Gregory Hockman, Magaly M. Ojeda C. Mammalian Species: Sylvilagus floridanus. American Society of Mammalogist No. 136, pp.1-8, April 15, 1980.

2.         Harrison, Kit and George. America's Favorite Backyard Wildlife. Simon & Schuster, Inc. New York, 1985 pp.41-65.

3.         Harkness, John E., Joseph E. Wagner. The Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents. Lea & Febiger, PA 1989.

4.         Hiss, Anne Burglass. Rehabilitation Notes: Sylvilagus floridanus. Wildlife Journal Vol 11, No.2 pp. 7-12.

5.         Martin, Alexander C., Herbert S. Zim, Arnold L. Nelson. American Wildlife and Plants: A Guide to Wildlife Food Habits. Dover Publications, NY, 1951, p. 241.

6.         Marcum, Debbie.  Substitute Milk Formulas for Cottontail Rabbits.  Wildwood Farm. 14206 FM2769, Leander, TX.  7864-9109. 1988.

7.         White, Jan. Basic Wildlife Rehabilitation. International Wildlife Rehabilitation Council. Walnut Creek, CA. 1988.

 

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