Baby rabbit on the road

First topic message reminder :

Driving to the forest to walk the mutts and i saw a baby rabbit crawling across the road, so had to stop and pick it up. Poor thing has a big gash on the shoulder and a mark on the bum, and was clearly lifted by a buzzard. I got out and walked to it and it turned and ran towards me   brought it home and have put it in a cat carrier in a santa hat with some food and water, if its even old enough to have that. Called the wildlife centre but its closed now!

Don't think it will survive but keep fingers crossed for the little mite.

Hayley wrote:Bloody things gonna give me an anxiety attack lol have a newfound respect for mothers.

  

I look forward to reading about how he is doing, blog away

Im posting on pet forum too cause there is a breeder there, who asked me to post pics of the eyes and injuries and bum to see if they are swollen etc

He definitely looks a lot better than when you first got him!

I'm just worried about the lack of movement. Do bunnies move much? He just seems to sleep and sit in the one spot unless he's out getting a feed then when he's had his fill he goes back to sitting.

He probably hasn't been out of his nest for very long, so he won't move around as much as an adult rabbit will. If you're concerned, you can try to give him a very small drop of honey in his milk to get his blood sugar levels up!

What a relief to hear he's doing ok!

Lost 4g since last night. Have bought some whipped cream to fatten him up! Ate his 4pm feed very well and are two pellets. Was trying to Stan on his back legs to preen but kept toppling over :')

Have you taken him to the vet?

How much does he weigh right now?

Did you mean whipping cream, instead of whipped cream? The whipped cream that comes in a can might be a bit too sugary!

Lol yeah whipping cream!

No vet, my vet was shut for the day because of a bloody bomb scare >_< whole town was closed for most the day and the army were in.

weighs 137 right now.

just bloody peed on me the fucker!!

But in other news im really worried about his legs, the front right has a red swelling on the elbow area, which might be from the injury on the shoulder or an abccess. The left front is very weak and doesnt use it so i hate to think possibly broken? or do they generally have a weaker leg..

Tbh i have read so much that vets give a jab of anti-bs and then the rabbit dies cause it can't tolerate the anti-b cause they are not developed for wild rabbits. Also with all this going on im really not sure i could afford to start fixing it all

It's just so great to hear that Bunny is hanging on in there with you. Every day when you wake up and Bunny is still in this world is a step forward. He does look bright and healthy apart from his bedraggled coat, which is understandable.

Well done Hayley!

Hayley wrote:Lol yeah whipping cream!

No vet, my vet was shut for the day because of a bloody bomb scare >_< whole town was closed for most the day and the army were in.

Yikes! Hope everything's alright!

Hayley wrote:weighs 137 right now.

  Wow, that's a lot! You definitely don't need to be worrying about his weight! I'd hazard a guess that he's a bit older than was first thought!

Hayley wrote:just bloody peed on me the fucker!!

  

Hayley wrote:But in other news im really worried about his legs, the front right has a red swelling on the elbow area, which might be from the injury on the shoulder or an abccess. The left front is very weak and doesnt use it so i hate to think possibly broken? or do they generally have a weaker leg..

Tbh i have read so much that vets give a jab of anti-bs and then the rabbit dies cause it can't tolerate the anti-b cause they are not developed for wild rabbits. Also with all this going on im really not sure i could afford to start fixing it all

It might be worth a try just to phone the vets and ask.

Also, I dug up some info that might help:

http://www.arcforwildlife.com/bunnies.htm

LyndaW wrote:It's just so great to hear that Bunny is hanging on in there with you.  Every day when you wake up and Bunny is still in this world is a step forward.  He does look bright and healthy apart from his bedraggled coat, which is understandable.

Well done Hayley!

What she said!

Phoned a vet and am taking him in tomorrow. I stressed on the phone that i was looking after it and would prefer to keep looking after it cause its doing well in my care i believe. I'm just scared they will take it off me, it might not be legal to take care of it when you are not a wildlife person? idk.. scareddd. Might phone a different vet and ask if they charge for wildlife. Cause most vets don't i believe.

Most vets won't, but I don't know the legal situation tbh.

Have you tried phoning the RSPCA to just ask how you stand? I know they won't come out, but they might (?) advise you.

NVM not taking it to that vet. It says on its website it basically just puts them down. So no thanks! Its the USPCA i have been in contact with Caryll, so not going to contact them again lol

Hmmm, that would be my worry.  

Bunny IS doing well in your care Hayley, and surely your regular vet who knows you will understand that and help you in your endeavour. That Bunny is so attached to you do much surely count in your favour, and you saved him from certain death.

I have taken wild animals to my vet who have been in desperate straits (mainly rabbits with obvious myxie) and they have not charged me, although they did gently point out that they could not save them, which I understood - I just wanted to shorten the inevitable.

Read up on the law and basically its not a crime to rehab and release but you can't keep as a pet. So, bunny is "being released" if anyone askes lol but if he has a broken leg then it is a death sentence   

Hayley wrote:

Hayley wrote:Phoned a vet and am taking him in tomorrow. I stressed on the phone that i was looking after it and would prefer to keep looking after it cause its doing well in my care i believe. I'm just scared they will take it off me, it might not be legal to take care of it when you are not a wildlife person? idk.. scareddd. Might phone a different vet and ask if they charge for wildlife. Cause most vets don't i believe.

NVM not taking it to that vet. It says on its website it basically just puts them down. So no thanks! Its the USPCA i have been in contact with Caryll, so not going to contact them again lol

Yikes!

Hayley wrote:Read up on the law and basically its not a crime to rehab and release but you can't keep as a pet. So, bunny is "being released" if anyone askes lol but if he has a broken leg then it is a death sentence   

Don't worry about it - it's to stop people from capturing wild animals for pets! Most people won't do anything about an animal being kept if it can't be released back into the wild. If somebody does say something, claim that it's a cross-breed - a wild rabbit snuck into your rabbit's run! I'd like to see them disprove it!

Well, if you were to keep him, the leg probably wouldn't hinder him too much!

I put him down and watched closely, he is using the leg just seems to be the weaker one. Think i'm over reacting lol but we will see.

Now i'm panicking about anti biotics. I read so many bunnies die cause of them but its like a vets first cure for anything

Gonna take this article to the vets! im a nightmare.

http://www.rabbit.org/health/antibiotics.html

That's a good idea about the article.

Could be that the little guy bruised/twisted his leg when he was dropped by the bird.