Formula feeding baby bunnies *PICS & VIDS*

[Kyle@theWintertime]

The basement is chilly and they were a little colder than I'd have liked. Today's temperatures are in the seventies (THANK GODS because I hate the heat) so it's like...60 degrees down there and they were cold to the touch when I grabbed 'em to feed 'em. Not good!!!<br /><br />__________ Mon Aug 06, 2012 4:28 pm __________<br /><br />LOL and yeah, there's wifi everywhere!!! I had no idea it was this easy to just...hop on a public network. :lol:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I forgot they are in the basement. I agree that is too chilly for unfed kits.

 

[AnnClaire]

Kyle,

Yes, 60 is too cold for such young kits, if nothing else, add some dryer lint to the nest for warmth.

As for flipping a doe, I place the kits in a small box next to me on the couch, have the doe facing you and gently, slowly roll her onto her back on your lap and stroke her face from nose to ears until you see her eyes relax, then gently move one of her front feet and if it stays where you move it, she is tranced. The more often you do this, the easier it is to trance a rabbit, and the longer they will stay in the trance.

Then, and only then should you put ONE kit on her tummy and watch to see if it latches on and feeds. If it does, place one or two others and see if they latch on and nurse. Very young kits will nurse one teat for a bit, then move to another like a little merry-go-round. I would not be surprised to find out that this is natural to rabbits as a way for the doe to cause the kits to be active. Activity helps their insides work better and helps build muscle tone.

 

[Lightnin1960]

I noticed the formula says "Cane" and the video says "Corn" I've heard of Corn but not Cane syrup could you please tell me which you meant

Thank you

 

[Miss M]

Gonna try your formula recipe...how much per kit should newborns get???

Oh, I didn't see this... I guess because I haven't been on much the last few days, until today.

I think for the newborns it was basically until they wouldn't feed anymore, or until they looked like they'd swallowed a marble, whichever came first. So... tummy nice and round, but not too big. It is pretty subjective.

I noticed the formula says "Cane" and the video says "Corn" I've heard of Corn but not Cane syrup could you please tell me which you meant

Thank you

I had not even noticed that! I imagine you could use cane, but it does have a strong flavor. Light corn syrup is very flavor-neutral, and that is what I used.

Rabbits do like blackstrap molasses, which is strong, so I don't think you would have too much trouble with cane syrup if you were to try it. It is made from sugar cane, so is very common around here.

 

[Lightnin1960]

Oh ok Thank you

 

[ZRabbits]

Thanks so much for posting those vids. Absolute loved them. Listening to the children and also seeing the bunnies eat. I'm surprised they didn't end up in the bowl. Already wrote down your recipe since I only have one doe and might have to go this root since she's a first timer.

Thanks again for the info.

Karen

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

Does it have to be evaporated goat milk or can it be regular goat milk. Or can we use a kitten formula even? I think I want to supplement this litter I have and see if her milk comes in better.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

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

Evaporated milk has more concentrated nutrients. You could add KMR to the goat's milk to make up for that, using the goat's milk in place of water. Goat milk replacer is probably a better option than KMR though, since kittens are carnivores and bunnies are not.<br /><br />__________ Sat Oct 27, 2012 9:42 pm __________<br /><br />When I raised orphan kittens, KMR would give them diarrhea, so I added goat's milk to the formula to counteract that and firm the stools up.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

Ok. I have goat milk replacer that I can use. I will try that is Good Shot doesn't give them a good meal.

 

[Miss M]

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.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

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.

 

[Miss M]

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. :roll:

 

[cowgirl9768]

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

 

[Rhapsody]

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/

 

[LBMBarbalooski]

where did you find condensed goats milk?

 

[Zass]

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.

 

[Miss M]

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!

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.

 

[Zass]

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.

 

[Miss M]

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