Just the basics

                The first thing you need to know is if the orphaned bunny is well hydrated.  Gently pinch the skin, if it stays in a “tent” it is severely dehydrated.  When you begin to feed your bunny you will need to know how old they are so you know how much formula to feed them.  The young cottontails will need to be fed with either goat milk, or kitten formula.  A great website to find how much formula to feed your bunny is:http://www.2ndchance.info/bunnies.htm .  The best way to feed the bunny is with a syringe.  Hold the baby rabbit firmly and tilt it’s head up gently, this will prevent the bunny from asphyxiation.  Remember do not overfeed the rabbit.  It can be potentially deadly.  When very young the baby rabbits must be stimulated to go to the bathroom.  To do this you can use a moistened q-tip to gently wipe their genital area.  As the rabbits get older, you can begin to offer them solid foods.  For example, my rabbit’s favorite food was clovers. When the bunnies are old enough to eat solid food and are roaming their cage you can add a small dish of water.  Make sure it is not too deep.  The bunnies need to be kept warm, if they are found cool, place them on a heating bad on low heat.  Babies without fur should be kept in an incubator with a heating lamp.  Another thing to remember while handling the baby rabbits is that they do jump.  Be careful while they are off the floor, for any sort of a drop could damage their necks or other fragile bones.