Formula feeding baby bunnies *PICS & VIDS* : Kindling and Care of Does and Kits - Page 3

tm_bunnyloft wrote:Does it have to be evaporated goat milk or can it be regular goat milk. Or can we use a kitten formula even?

Some have raised bunny kits on just goat's milk, and some on just KMR kitten formula, so they can be used.

The formula using evaporated goat's milk, egg yolk, and corn syrup that I used tries to take into account the tiny amount that baby rabbits take in, and the power-packed richness of rabbit milk, to give them a lot of nutrition in a very small amount.

Some of the recipes I saw talked about diluting the evaporated goat's milk, but the results seemed to be not that great. That's why I tried leaving it double strength.

Ah ok. I haven't been able to find it at the grocery store. I do have kid milk replacer that I could mix up 1/4 cup mix to 1 cup water. I may do that, or add some replacer to the KMR. I swapped litters and the little ones are getting a tummy on them now. And KK does have a little milk to give the other kits. I hope that their stronger nursing will do the trick with the parsley and bring her milk in. My husband is totally on KK's side and is being a little defensive for her. lol I am saying she is a lousy mom and better shape up. So far all 10 kits are still alive so something must be going right in those nest boxes.

That should work, as long as the kid milk replacer is goat milk based. If it's based on cow's milk, your popples will probably end up with diarrhea. I just tried a makeshift formula using evaporated milk (regular, so cow based) and sugar, because I lost my goat's milk in the move, and I was out of eggs. I wanted to give our two babies a boost while waiting for Fluffy's milk to come in, because they were so overdue and had a difficult birth.

Two supplemental feedings, and they had the runs. So much for that.

Thanks for all this info! Here is to hoping I don't have to use it but I'm saving it all the same!

I am new here and was looking through the different topics on the forum when I came across this one for "formula feeding baby bunnies" and I was wondering if any one here has ever heard of Fox Valley formula and if they have --have you ever used it to hand feed your baby bunnies with? I personally have used it to hand raise many orphaned baby wild life with (ex: squirrels, possums, rabbits) and they have always grown up healthy before I released them.

Fox Valley:
http://www.foxvalleynutrition.com/produ ... replacers/

where did you find condensed goats milk?

LBMBarbalooski wrote:where did you find condensed goats milk?

It's sold in cans in the baking section of major grocery stores. My Wal-Mart carries it.

Rhapsody wrote:I was wondering if any one here has ever heard of Fox Valley formula and if they have --have you ever used it to hand feed your baby bunnies with? I personally have used it to hand raise many orphaned baby wild life with (ex: squirrels, possums, rabbits) and they have always grown up healthy before I released them.

I have never heard of it before. Thanks for the info and link!

We rarely need to use formula, so I'll probably keep using the evaporated goat's milk. But it's great to know about all the options out there, as I know plenty of members would like to have this information!

Zass wrote:

LBMBarbalooski wrote:where did you find condensed goats milk?

It's sold in cans in the baking section of major grocery stores. My Wal-Mart carries it.

Yep, that's where I get it. Wal-Mart, baking section, with the sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk and such.

http://www.foxvalleynutrition.com/produ ... one-32-40/

From that site, their ingredient list for cottontail formula reads as such:

Vegetable oil, casein, dried milk protein, dried skimmed milk, dried corn syrup solids, dicalcium carbonate, potassium chloride, magnesium sulfate, L-arginine, D,L-methionine, taurine, sodium chloride, dipotassium phosphate, mono and diglycerides, choline chloride, vitamin E supplement, vitamin A supplement, vitamin D-3 supplement, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, riboflavin supplement, calcium pantothenate, niacin supplement, manganese sulfate, copper sulfate, vitamin B-12 supplement, thiamine hydrochloride, pyridoxine hydrocloride, folic acids, calcium iodate, biotin, sodium selenite, natural and artificial flavors added.

I see a lot of supplemented minerals, so I thought it would be interesting to compare.

Here is what is in egg yolk:
http://www.cholesterol-and-health.com/Egg_Yolk.html
evaporated goats milk:
http://www.fatsecret.com/calories-nutri ... -goat-milk

and light corn syrup is pure glucose


I see salt is an ingredient in the cottontail formula. Sodium is present in both the goats milk and the egg yolk, but a sprinkle more could be added...I duuno. The proportions of the minerals being used aren't mentioned.

Oooooooooooooh... I think I prefer my formula with the canned goat's milk.

Miss M wrote:Oooooooooooooh... I think I prefer my formula with the canned goat's milk.

Me too Miss M.

If you step back and look at it, the composition is very similar. They use a lot of cows milk products instead of goats milk. They use vegetable oil and minerals instead of the egg yolk. The corn syrup remains the same.

Artificial flavors are totally unnecessary, unless their finished product was just plain unappetizing to animals.

Miss M,

THANK YOU for your formula, how to and advice!

We just had a litter of 9 kits 6 days ago. One WAS a runt and we were concerned but not panicked. He's still small, but growing. We had two others that were a little on the small size. We are doing EVERYTHING possible to support and nurture the very loving doe. Tresa mixed up a "regnant Doe Tonic" (a formula of different herbs, garden greens etc... Echinacia, Blackberry leaves (for increasing circulation to help manage the heat) and more. Her strengths (as a teaching master gardener are in this field, I'm the technical one with double shade (space in between the upper shade tarp and lower, disperses the heat so it doesn't transfer down to the main hutch roof. individual 8" waterproofed fans on all cages and a set of misters that get turned on when the temps reach over 85 (There's also a thermometer in each cage! LOL! Yeah, I go a little overboard, but I figure they didn't choose to live in cages and as long as I'm responsible, they all deserve the very best we can give (including lots of rubbing, gentle talk and intermittent green snacks from the garden.

We found that by placing the eye dropper between their lips, but not past their front teeth and wetting them, they taste and slurp it up... No fears of choking at one drop at a time. We just keep going and a rhythm builds up... We set up a heating pad on the bed with a towel over it and half of the nest box on it so that they can choose to get warm, or move away from the heat. Loose bunnies are laid on the heated towel.

First time feeding, the runt took one eye dropper full and then made it known that he was done... LOL! Last night, he went through 3 eye droppers! We've also fed two of the smaller ones this same way with attention paid to when they didn't want any more...

It does take a while for the process (heating up the bed, heating the formula etc...), but we think it's worth it and watching the little guy grow sure makes us feel better!

Thank you again to all of you! So comforting knowing there's a place like RT to come share, ask questions and get positive support!

Richard & Tresa

Here's some photos of our first new bunnies:

-- Sat Aug 09, 2014 1:05 pm --

Took some photos during feeding time... Been so crazed with all the "Urban Homesteading" projects I'm building (several aquaponics systems, Chickens, Quail, raised beds with irrigation for Tresa, client prototype projects... Sheesh! It just goes on and on... I don't "go to sleep"... I somehow make it to the bedroom and fall down. LOL!

Anyway, I didn't think of taking pictures of the large, medium and runt photos to share and see what you think...

But here are some photos of the big one and the runt in Tresa's hands being fed...

I'll make a point of taking photos of the three together (Maybe even with a tape measure), for size comparison. Last night the little guy took 3 eye droppers worth... None of the other smaller ones seem interested, so we didn't push it... They're doing pretty well.

These photos are at 10 days old (last night). Today, several have opened their eyes and the big grey one found his way out of the nest box! Yesterday, I got a brick and a 2X4 on end to create "steps" for them to get back in. The "Group Shot" was taken at 5 days old and the little guy is at the upper right hand section of the photo.

Thanks again from both of us!

Richard & Tresa

Richard & Tresa wrote:Miss M,

THANK YOU for your formula, how to and advice!

You're welcome! I'm so glad it was all helpful!

Richard & Tresa wrote:We found that by placing the eye dropper between their lips, but not past their front teeth and wetting them, they taste and slurp it up... No fears of choking at one drop at a time. We just keep going and a rhythm builds up...

Yeah, it depends on the bunnies. I tried putting the eyedropper there, and they would just jerk their heads around so I couldn't do anything. So I tried putting it behind the front teeth. After a few times, that sort of force isn't necessary anymore. Maybe I just have stubborn bunnies.

They're fun to feed, aren't they? Three eyedroppers sounds about right for his age. He'll get to the point at which he's sucking it out of the eyedropper in a few seconds, and all you do is refill. And keep him from eating the eyedropper.

As long as you're seeing nice, round tummies on the others, they're just fine.

Those are great, great pictures!

Could i replace the goat milk for evaporate cow milk? I don't think can find any goat milk in my area. This is great for my given situation if i could to help my does...I have all time in world to hand feed...

CONEJO wrote:Could i replace the goat milk for evaporate cow milk? I don't think can find any goat milk in my area. This is great for my given situation if i could to help my does...I have all time in world to hand feed...

Unfortunately, no. Cow's milk is difficult for rabbits to digest, and usually gives them the runs -- which can be fatal. Goat's milk is much better tolerated.

Evaporated goat's milk can be found with the evaporated cow's milk in many grocery stores, and Walmart. If that fails you, perhaps you can find goat's milk replacer (basically goat formula) at a feed store?

KMR (kitten milk replacer) is cow's milk based. Some have used it with baby bunnies with success, others' bunnies have gotten the runs.

If all else fails, you can order stuff like this online, but the cost may be .