How to Care for Wild Rabbits

Many people wish to rehabilitate baby rabbits and keep them as pets. When dealing with wild animals, it is pertinent to remember safety; always keep your own health, as well as that of the animal, in mind. Only 10 percent of all baby rabbits that are found survive their first week. Raising a wild rabbit is a big responsibility. However, with the right care, they can be nurtured and go on to live long, happy lives as indoor pets.

Things You'll Need

  • Eye dropper
  • Goat milk or kitten replacer milk (KMR)
  • Towels
  • Cage
  • Alfalfa, hay, oats and/or leafy vegetables
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Instructions

    • 1

      Lay towels flat inside of a cage or box and place the wild rabbit inside.

    • 2

      Rub the rabbit's stomach. If it is round and warm, that means the rabbit has been recently fed.

    • 3

      Fill the eye dropper with goat's milk or KMR and point the dropper toward the bottom of the rabbit's mouth. Young rabbits need to be fed twice a day and gradually introduced to solid food. The amount the rabbit needs to be fed depends on its age. There is a chart on Rabbit.org that lists the proper amount that rabbits need to be fed by age in weeks.

    • 4

      Stimulate the rabbit's bottom with a warm towel and caress the rabbit's back after feeding. This will ensure that the rabbit urinates and/or defecates to keep a healthy digestive tract.

    • 5

      Provide a soft nesting area in the dark if the rabbit's eyes have not yet opened.

    • 6

      Wean the rabbit from milk and introduce solid foods and water into its diet. The rabbit is fully developed after just six weeks of age.