How to Care for a Week-Old Bunny

Wild bunnies are best left to their own devices if possible. However, sometimes a mother rabbit may be killed before the baby bunnies have a chance to grow up. If the bunnies are young, such as a week old, they will not be able to survive on their own. If you find baby bunnies that you feel may be abandoned, it is best to make sure the mother is not making her nightly visits to the babies before removing them from the nest. But if they are truly abandoned, you can make sure they are safe.

Things You'll Need

  • Bunny formula
  • Probiotic drops
  • Syringe
  • Towels
  • Basket or pet carrier
  • Thermometer
  • Heating pad
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Instructions

    • 1

      Settle the baby bunny into a basket or pet carrier lined with towels for warmth. While a mother rabbit does not typically sit on her babies to keep them warm, they require a lining similar to their nest to keep them warm.

    • 2

      Place a heating pad set on low underneath the towels in half of your makeshift nest if the temperature in the area drops below 78 degrees Fahrenheit.

    • 3

      Feed the bunny 1/10 oz. of bunny formula from a syringe two times a day. Mix one small drop of probiotics into each serving. Aim the fluid into the bottom or side of the bunny's mouth when it is in an upright position to prevent choking. Baby bunnies do not eat much. Overfeeding them can result in death.

    • 4

      Use a warm, damp towel on the bunny's bottom after each feeding to stimulate it to urinate and defecate.

    • 5

      Clean your makeshift nest daily to avoid making the bunny sick.

    • 6

      Introduce grains, such as alfalfa, hay, carrot tops and parsley into the bunny's diet once it opens its eyes. This helps the bunny to develop important areas of the rabbit digestive system.