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More an occasional lurker of /an/, but recent family situation got me to post this. I'm home for a few days with family for reasons, and I learned that they've adopted two small hares to raise until they're ready to be set free. The situation is that my dad was plowing some land with his horse (he likes doing oldtimey stuff with horse), and discovered he ran over a hare burrow/den/nest/thing. These two were the only survivors. On sister's pushing they're trying to rear them to safety for releasing now, like said. They're currently giving them some goatbased milk "for small mammals" 4 times a day, and mum mentioned that she doesn't know when to move them to solids. Anyone know more about this/experience with hares? Likelyhood of succes? Also general saving wild animals general I guess?
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A topdown pic of their current box. They're on lap whilst they get bottlefed
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And finally a shot of one of the cuties trying to climb over my chest/shoulder after feeding
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>>2082373
Dunno too much about wild animals or hares, but here's this:
http://www.orphanedwildlifecare.com/rabbitandhare.htm
They seem to be under 2 weeks, maybe someone else will weigh in on that. Pick up a heating pad, should be just $10 and will help a lot.
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>>2082373
It is very difficult to keep them without them panicked and having heart attacks. In fact that's probably the most common death for me. They can die from 'fear' just from hearing a lawn mower or plane outside and not having anywhere to go. Also they shouldn't be handled for fun; momma Rabbit only comes to the nest to feed, as to not attract predators. Unfortunately the momma Rabbit could still be guarding the nest if her babies were not taken away. Anyways they should only be held for feeding, which should happen every 2 hours including night until they are weaned. In the wild, momma Rabbit only feeds twice during the dawn and dusk, but we don't have commercial rabbit milk and you will have to settle for goat's milk instead. Becuase of the nutritional difference, goats milk needs to be fed to baby rabbits every 2 hours to sustain them, or they will slowly drift away. They also need to be kept warm. A heated water bottle wrapped in a towel does well, just continue to replace it every feeding. When feeding, make sure you aren't going too fast. If milk comes out of the nose, then you are choking it with milk. There is a Heimlich for small animals, however that would break a rabbits back. So if that happens you just have to hope a baby bunny can survive with milk in its lungs because there isn't much that can be done for it.
Or you can find small animal rehab in your area by contacting the DEC
In the future, put the rabbits back where you found them even if momma Rabbit can't be seen (she shouldn't be able to be seen), because momma Rabbit just watched all of her babies die.
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