Raising Rabbits for Facilities Marissa Jacky Wildlife Rehabilitation Technician II, Mammal Lead SPCA for Monterey County The SPCA for Monterey County Wildlife Rescue & Rehabilitation Center

● Admit an average of 2500 patients per year ● Accept most species ● Small network of fosters ● 5 full time technicians, 50 volunteers 38 31 8 Desert Brush Black-Tailed Cottontails Rabbits Jackrabbits Natural History Brush Rabbit & Desert Cottontail ● Both give birth in burrows made by other animals ● Forage at dawn and dusk ● Cool off by exiting burrow ● Brush rabbits have litters of up to 4 kits BRUSH RANGE ● Cottontails can have litters of 8 or more ● Cottontail ears are 14% of body surface area ○ Brush just a little less ● Mom feeds babies at dawn and dusk ○ able to do this because milk is super rich ● Weigh 15-25g at birth COTTONTAIL RANGE Black-tailed Jackrabbit

● Hares have longer ears and legs ● Leporid, but genus Lepus ● Young are precocial, mom does not stay with them except for nursing ● Keep young in shallow depression in ground, not in burrow ● Young stay together for only a few days, then disperse ● Birth weight around 80-110g On the Phone On The Phone Do the babies need to come to wildlife center?

YES! NO! ● Babies out of ● Babies in nest or nest and no burrow adult visualized ● Babies uncovered ● Babies injured or by lawn mower debilitated ● Babies picked up ● Babies strewn by RP across ground ● Jackrabbit baby ● Babies alone vocalizing Species I.D. Desert Cottontail Brush Rabbit Black-Tailed Jackrabbit

● Black-tipped ears ● No color on ear tips ● Very dark, large ears ● Richer overall color ● Darker overall in color ● Light yellow/amber eyes ● Russet feet ● Babies appear speckled as juvenile ● Ears longer relative to ● Ears shorter relative to ● Long legs body body ● Large feet ● Head slightly elongated ● Head ‘smushed’ ● White blaze on head

Intake

WARM EXAMINE HYDRATE

Intake Make sure baby is Weigh and then Always prefer PO warm, if not, put in examine bunny over SQ fluids, incubator until from tail to nose warm and 10% warm to touch body weight, stimulate first! BE QUIET!

Rabbit intakes are stressful for everyone involved! WHAT ABOUT WOUNDS? Degloving Punctures

● Must clean and debride wounds ● Must clean and flush wounds ○ Can take days until ready to ● Usually best left open to heal if small close ○ Wounds beneath surface can ● Once clean, can easily close with take longer to heal sutures ● Use absorbable sutures so removal is ● Can keep clean with LRS flushes until a non issue closed ○ Keep thick fur out of sutures ● Check wound everyday ○ NO staples ● Antibiotics ● Check wound every day ● Pain management ● Antibiotics ● Pain Management Medications

Medication Dosage Frequency Route Indication

Meloxicam 0.3-1mg/kg SID PO, SQ, IM Inflammation, mild pain

Buprenorphine 0.01-0.04mg/kg BID - QID SQ Moderate pain

Tramadol 1-10 mg/kg BID - TID PO Severe pain

Sulfamethoxazole 30 mg/kg BID PO, SQ Bacterial infections

Sulfadimethoxine 50 mg/kg, 25 mg/kg SID PO Prophylactic* Feeding Schedules Cottontail Feeding Schedule

Weight Formula feeds Hay Pellets Greens Notes

Birth - 60g 3 Yes No No 10%, 700- 1900

60g - 70g 3 Yes No No 10%, middle feed 5%

70g - 90g 2 Yes Yes No 10%

90g - 100g 1 Yes Yes Yes 10%, feed in AM

100g + 0 Yes Yes Yes weaned Brush Rabbit Feeding Schedule

Weight Formula feeds Hay Pellets Greens Notes

Birth - 55g 3 Yes No No 10%, 700- 1900

55g - 70g 2 Yes Yes No 10%

70g - 90g 1 Yes Yes Yes 10%, feed in AM

90g + 0 Yes Yes Yes weaned Jackrabbit Feeding Schedule

Weight Formula Hay Pellets Greens Notes feeds

Birth - 200g 3 Yes No No 10% - 11%

200g - 400g 2 Yes No No 10% - 11%

400g - 500g 2 Yes Yes No 10% - 11% until 40cc

500g + 2 - 1 Yes Yes Yes at SID 10% - 11%, feed in AM

Special Notes for Jackrabbit feeding: ● Max formula amount fed is 40cc ● Once 500g in weight, start decreasing formula mount by 1cc per feed ● Once amount reached 30cc, start feeding once a day, in AM ● Wean when ready Feeding ● FORMULA ● SYRINGE VS. PLATE ● GREENS Formula Components: ○ Fox Valley Squirrel, FORMULA Rabbit, Opo Formula (32/40), ○ Fox Valley Ultraboost ○ Prozyme ○ Coconut Oil ○ Smart Water Powder Recipe:

○ ¾ Fox Valley Squirrel, Rabbit, Opo ○ ¼ Fox Valley Ultraboost ○ A pinch of prozyme To make wet formula

○ 1 part powder ○ 2 parts smart water ■ First day formula is made 3:1 ■ Add coconut oil once on 100% formula Cottontail Feeding

Latch and go Cottontail Feeding

Latch and go jack syr

Hay: ○ Use Timothy Hay SOLIDS ○ Provide always from birth to release

Pellets:

○ Provide when ready and keep stocked ○ Use Purina, anything is fine Greens:

○ Prefer to feed wild ○ Miner’s Lettuce, Dandelion, Mint, Sorrel, Clover ○ Can feed store bought produce greens greens Housing ● INFANT ● JUVENILE Housing ● Never house inside wildlife center ● Out to Rabbit Cabin in clamshell crate with hay, blankies, dirt, hide and heating pad ● Move to rabbit hutch when exploring Housing ● Cottontail - 6’ x 6’ x 4’ ● Jack - 20’ x 20 ‘ x 6’ ● Want good bottom substrate ○ gravel, dirt or sod Release Release ● At dawn ● Plenty of food available ● Near or at p/u location ● Good weather ● Release groups together

Changes We Made ● CAREGIVERS ● HOUSING ● FORMULA & ● PROPHYLACTICS FEEDING Minimize caregivers! Less hands = less variation in feeding, handling, and food prep Changed Formula & Feeding ● Added Ultraboost, Prozyme and coconut oil to formula ● Fed on syringe as soon as possible ● Grooming after feeding NO bunnies inside the center! ● Center is too loud for bunnies to thrive ● Move outside after intake ● No jackrabbit groups ● Good bottom substrate The Magic Prophylactic: Albon!

● Start on day 3 for 3-5 days ● Start earlier if bloat occurs ● Antibacterial, antiprotozoal, antiparasitic ● Treatment for coccidiosis Is it over?

Thank you! [email protected]