Baby Rabbit walking funny?

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Havocme

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Thursday, my fiance found a couple of wild rabbit at the horse barn she works at. We know that they weren't just left for the day night feeding later, parts of an adult were found near the nest they were found at. They were very tiny, you could fit both of them in your hand. Both their eyes were shut. They live with us now, they are named Mike and Ike, and we are doing our best to raise them. We do as much research as we can, wedding planning not withstanding. Their eye opened Friday. Mike is very shy, doesn't really want to eat. Ike didn't want to eat much either. We were using KMR powder mixed 1:1 with unsweetened heavy cream. The best we could get them to do was to put drops on their lips to get them to clean the lips and suck up the milk that way. Monday morning I got a nibble on my hand from Ike, so I figured I would try romaine, and he went for it. They not have romaine pieces, sliced carrot, and juvenile grain in the cage. Also a water bottle, after being introduced to it. Ike is taking this all very quickly, Mike wants nothing to do with anything, just to burrow and hide. Being as they are wild babies, we don't expect major companions, just to hopefully give them more of a life than they would have gotten being left in the field.

The issue I am posting here about is with Ike mainly. He doesn't walk right. I uploaded a vid of him walking on YouTube so as to best describe what he is doing:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLin7RwOZeI

Mike walks fairly normally, but Ike isn't. I don't know if it's a physical issue from a prior ingury, neurological due to the many stress problems wild rabbits get, disease or who knows.

Any ideas?
 
It looks like it could be a middle ear infection.
Many rabbits die in or shortly afer birth
due to the many illnesses that the parents may harbor.
What you are seeing cannot lead to a good positive life.
I think I would humanely cull/put that kit out of it's misery.
As always, JMPO.
Dennis, C.V.R.
 
Poor thing! I would likely euthanize it. If you succeed in raising one out of two, you will have done very well.

Weeds like dandelions, clover, plantain (the lawn weed, Plantago major, not the banana thing) are far more nutritious than romaine and carrot. See the sticky in the Natural Feeding section for a list of good weeds and other plants that you can gather for rabbit food. These are the things they should be learning to eat. Once young cottontails have their eyes open and ears up and are eating greens well, it is best for them to be released in a safe place with bushes or tall plants for cover. Usually the place they were found will do just fine.
 
That is ataxia; the baby may have been born with it, or he may have been poisoned or have a B12 deficiency.. there are many causes.Serious dehydration could cause that as well.

__________ Wed Aug 18, 2010 3:21 pm __________
 

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