Hippity Hoppity- day 5 update

Here we are, battling the odds of a survival rate of 10% for orphaned baby bunnies and so far ( touch wood) all 7 bunnies seem to be growing, thriving and learning to hop. ( anti jinx )

They are eating almost 3mls of their formula now at each feeding.
Daiv and I have developed some skills as well and we have got the feeding down from 90 minutes for seven bunnies to about 20 minutes. Adding a second syringe so we could each feed a bunny at the same time, made a lot of sense...too bad it took 4 days to think of it...lolololololool.

We have given them identifying names,( Smoke for the grey one, cow for the one that looks like a dairy cow etc.)  but nothing permanent as every morning we make up trepidously, wondering how they fared and hoping all are okay.

Many sources of support for us, and now we are about to move them to a dog crate so they can jump about as they need safely.

A few pics for you to enjoy. Seriously, how could anyone have a bad day EVER, with baby bnnies to care for?

Baby Bunnies- Day 2

We have made it through 2 days together and still have all 7 babies. Have I mentioned they are really really cute yet?
 They seem to be about 6 or 7 days old. We are glad cause did you know baby bunnies need colostrum from their mama bunnies to survive? If they don't get that in the first days, their chances go way down.
( and the odds are not great to begin with )

What and how are we feeding you ask?

Well as the bunnies' mama has such rick milk, it is impossible to completely replace and why bunnies are so hard to bottle feed and have them survive.

We are feeding 1/2 goats milk, 1/2 KMR, then heat to body temp.
 Add a little heavy cream, a dash of acidophilus and a little bit of colostrum.

Then we work from a teeny dropper syringe without the needle, and one bunny at a time, work the syringe into the side of cheek with bunny pointing down so it will not aspirate, and start plunging gently. Most by now have started suckling the end and this goes faster than it did yesterday  when we were feeding a drop at a time.
They get fed 2 times a day, and the smaller ones that look like they need a little extra get a snack. Each feed is about 2.5 mls of formula, the snacks less.

Did I mention that bunnies 'pop' yet? They do.....hahahahhahahahahahhahaahah  and it is freakin' adorable.
I think they must be working up to a hop one day, but right now, they sort of pop, and they can pop straight up in the air. We are feeding them low to the ground..lolol
They pop, have jiffle-bums, go cracker bunny, and I love when they shake their heads and sort of fall over..lol.
They are getting stronger, and are trying to climb out of their basket, but are in a BIG and deep tub inside a basket, so all is good for the moment. A few are just starting to show an opening in the corner of their eyes.

What on earth do we do when they start hopping.....yeesh!

More to come....

The Baby Bunnies Cometh

Day 1-
Daiv and our 100 pound Alaskan Sled Dog, go to their regular jaunt, a big open field, for a run.

Niko then brings a teeny baby bunny to daiv, unharmed in a very gentle mouth ( he easily could have killed these bunnies and eaten them they are so tiny ) but instead, he takes Daiv to a nest of baby bunnies, alone and cold, above the ground, and makes sure Daiv knows they are there.

Daiv tells me about this when he gets home, worried about them but decides to take a wait and see approach.

Today he goes back as it is cold and raining and discovers several passed in the night ( fly free little ones ) and the remaining ones are freezing and looking distressed.
He brings them all home.......

We are now the foster parents for 7 baby bunnies, who are warmer after laying on rice socks, heated, and being wrapped in towels.
They have been fed KMR kitten formula from a dropper and are much happier than when they first arrived.

I will update their adventures here on this blog for you.
The cuteness is unbearable.