Orphaned cottontail bunnies.

While I was volunteering at church, the children's director told me about some baby cottontail bunnies that he had discovered while mowing the grass. He was going out of town that week and feared that they may not make it. I offered to take in the babies. I rushed to do as much research as I could in a short amount of time.
I found out through my research, that they were about to leave the nest soon. They were fullied furred, alert, and jumpy.
I read a few website information of caring for the bunnies, and made my way to the feed store and grocery store. I picked up powdered kitten milk replacement ($14), a bottle ($1.50), heavy whipping cream ($2), and some canned goat's milk ($4).

After, I boiled the bottle and syringes for each use. In the orphaned animal bottle (4 tablespoons) I daily mixed one teaspoon of KMR, and filled the rest with half heavy whipping cream, and half goat's milk. I then set the well shaken bottle in the hot water left from boiling to warm the milk. I would check the temperature on my wrist, and taste the mixture to ensure it was not gritty.

I took my formula and a syringe to the bunnies that were kept in a separate room that was quite and warm. I kept a log, where I weighed each bunny at each feeding. I weighed the bunnies on a food scale and recorded their weight and the amount of food they would eat. I also recorded the behavior. This journal would help me track weight gain or loss, behavior changes, and the amount of formula they ate.

I read and was advised by all DO NOT FEED THE BABIES MORE THAN TWICE A DAY. The mother rabbit only comes back to feed twice a day for short amount of time. I also advise taking any babies that are definitely orphaned to a wildlife rehabilitator. (My bunnies were close to leaving the nest, so I opted to care for them.)

I held the babies in a small towel upright, so not to aspirate them. I filled the syringe, a squirted a drop in the bunny's lip. I would wait until the bunny would begin to lick up the formula, and then I would SLOWLY push the liquid out of the syringe. I would feed until they refused to eat or would get jumpy. I would never feed more than the recommended amount for their age. This could kill them. I checked their bellies for tauntness.

Each morning I gathered clovers, and other naturally growing plants, and out them in their cage.

I tossed out the formula each night, as I was afraid of spoilage. I also refrigerated the formula from morning feeding to nightly feeding.

After one week of feeding them, I have moved them outside. They will be released in a few days in a cemetery by my home.

Please let me know if you have any questions about my rearing of the orphaned babies.