# Injured orphan bunny, what do I do?



## Ode

One of my dogs found a wild baby bunny today. My husband told him to drop it, and the poor little thing appears to have a broken leg, but no other obvious injuries. After several hours, it has bright eyes still, and is quite alert. I gave it a few hours in case it died from shock, or an unseen internal injury, but it looks like the little guy (I checked) is going to pull through, at least for now. He IS really tiny though, and is probably still nursing. 

I put some fresh young greens from the yard in the box he is in (I thought it would be best to give him a dark and quiet place so he would feel safe) in case he would nibble on them. But I think he might need milk. Is kitten milk replacer best or puppy? I am going to take a trip to the pey supply store and get a little bottle and the milk, as soon as I know what kind to get.

I figure his leg will heal since he is really young, but we are prepared to keep him as a pet if it doesn't heal properly enough to allow him to be released when he has recovered. A little advice/help from the experts here on proper feeding would be greatly appreciated.


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## Bernadette

Well, seeing that you haven't got a response yet, I'll jump in. 

Are his ears up and his eyes open? Then he's fine without milk or Momma. If it wasn't for the broken leg the standard advice is 'let it go'.

So, you've got to figure what he might be eating in the wild - and feed him that. NO iceberg lettuce. Check the thread at the top for safe foods, but raspberry leaves, plantain, dandelion leaves are all excellent safe foods for rabbits. And don't forget to offer water.

If you want this little guy to survive in the wild, he needs to have as little human contact as possible - he needs to remain afraid of the dogs, cats, and people. Very hard to do, which is why if it wasn't for the broken leg the best thing is to let them go now. If he doesn't die from fright or stress from being captive, sounds like you've got yourself a permanent resident.


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## MaggieJ

I agree 100% with Bernadette's advice, but would like to add that another alternative is to find a wildlife rescue organization in your area and turn him over to them.


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## Pat Lamar

In most states (and possibly all), it is illegal to keep a wild rabbit without a permit... unless you mean it is a "feral" rabbit (e.g., a domestic rabbit gone wild). Your best bet would be to contact a wildlife rescue organization, or call your local Fish and Game Department.

Pat Lamar


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## Ode

Pat Lamar said:


> In most states (and possibly all), it is illegal to keep a wild rabbit without a permit... unless you mean it is a "feral" rabbit (e.g., a domestic rabbit gone wild). Your best bet would be to contact a wildlife rescue organization, or call your local Fish and Game Department.
> 
> Pat Lamar


As long as no one knows I have it then all is well.  I am not going to worry until I have to, the poor little thing needs help and I will just plead ignorance of the law should the question ever come up.

I picked strawberry leaves, raspberry leaves, dandelion, plantain, and clover. I wasn't sure what else was safe so those are what I went with for now. He has very tiny little teeth, barely noticible. Tiny little white buds almost. that's why I figured he needs milk still.


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## Bernadette

Sounds like you've made up your mind. I'd advise that you don't let him get too deep in your heart, because his chances (believe it or not) even with the broken leg, are better in the wild than they are in captivity without the expertise available at a wildlife centre. (I forget about those - they're nonexistent up here).

Do you understand the differences between predator and prey animals and how they raise their young?


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## RiverPines

Ode said:


> As long as no one knows I have it then all is well.  I am not going to worry until I have to, the poor little thing needs help and I will just plead ignorance of the law should the question ever come up.
> 
> I picked strawberry leaves, raspberry leaves, dandelion, plantain, and clover. I wasn't sure what else was safe so those are what I went with for now. He has very tiny little teeth, barely noticible. Tiny little white buds almost. that's why I figured he needs milk still.


This rabbit is already a wild animal and not tame. It seems cute and sweet now but the wild is imprinted on it as its ran free already and experience a wild mother.
If by some chance, odds are against it, it survives capture, it most likely will become an unruly adult thats nothing like a pet. Wild, nervous, biting, and not handleable.

IMO, its cruel and selfish to try to turn a wild animal into a pet. 
If you truly want what is best for the animal, find a rehabber. 

Oh and a lot of people already know you tend to illegally keep it. The internet is a false idea of anonymity.


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## Danaus29

I had that same exact situation a few days ago. I say had because my bunny died, probably internal injuries. The one I had, had a back leg broken, above the hock up in the "drumstick" area. Compound fracture, leg just flopped and should have been amputated. I was going to try it if bunny had lived longer. Anyway, yours probably won't make it either but here's what I have done when I have been brought "orphaned" wild babies. Get an eyedropper and some whole milk, or even half and half. If the eyes are open they don't "need" the milk but they do willingly drink it. The baby will probably just lick the milk off the tip of the eyedropper. Provide fresh greens and grass twice a day. If you can put the bunny in a pen in the yard in the early morning and early evening it helps quite a bit. Bunnies don't eat much until they are 4 or 5 weeks old. When they reach that age they should be turned loose. I know it is hard but try to not handle bunny. But having said that, I do have a pretty tame wild rabbit roaming my yard that I think might be one of my rehabs. 

The reason baby snuggles against you now is because it is cold, lonely, and wants to hide. 

As for the leg, which one and how bad? We did have a wild rabbit with one broken front leg that ran around this yard for several years. Until some jerk's free-ranging Rottweiler killed her.


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## nancy237

RiverPines said:


> Oh and a lot of people already know you tend to illegally keep it.



Well the secret is safe with me because I think there are WAY too many
laws.... Saving every baby animal that came along was a large part of what kept me out of trouble as a teen...


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## Ravenlost

Good luck. Wild bunnies don't do well in captivity. I have to second the suggestion that you find a wildlife rehab center/person.


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## Danaus29

BUMP

How is the bunny doing?


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## Ode

Well, an update...I put the lil fella in an empty bird cage and put some straw in there for bedding so he could feel secure. I put a 2 liter bottle of warm water in and a lot of freshly picked leaves (plantain, dandelion, strawberry, raspberry, clover), then put in a small ceramic ramekin with water in case he got thirsty. Then the cage went on my dining table in the middle, and I left him alone. Every couple of hours I swapped out the bottle for a new one with freshly warmed water.

He started perking up after about 8 hours, and began moving around as much as he was able to given his broken leg, and he started gobbling the leaves I picked and started to poop little tiny pellets. Once that happened I was pretty sure he would make it, usually if an animal has injuries bad enough to kill it then it won't eat. I put a call into a wildlife rehabber, and she came and got him. She said she was going to do exactly what I had been doing, but I guess for her it's legal.

When his leg has healed, she is bringing him back here to release him...but in the FRONT yard I told her, not the back! hehehe

Maybe I should look into getting certified for this, apparently there aren't enough people able to care for orphaned and injured wildlife.

By the way, when I said we were prepared to make a pet out of him if his injuries would prevent release back to the wild life I didn't mean like a domestic rabbit. He was going to get a large hutch and be left pretty much alone except for the care he would need to stay healthy. I thought maybe even a cavy as a similar size companion animal so he wouldn't be totally alone. So far he seems well on the road to recovery however. The broken leg is his left hind leg, it broke when my dog was told to drop it and he immediately did...right onto the deck. Other than that he didn't have a scratch, though he did have quite a bit of slobber in his fur...fortunately for him my dog was gentle with him. Aside from dropping him suddenly.


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## Ravenlost

You did good. Thanks for the update.


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