Expert: Stephen Vantassel - 7/15/2008

Question
Last thursday a family friend of ours was getting rid of what she though to be a dirt mound and got a hose to level it out. While doing this she saw a little head pop out of the ground and then suspected it to be mice or a mole and went and got a shovel and dug up what she discovered to be a bunny burrow. The burrow was destroyed and she removed them and asked me if i wanted to take care of them i accepted and took the 4 bunnies. They opened their eyes on fri and one on saturday. A lady who used to raise bunnies told me to feed them every 5 hours, which i have been doing since thurs. I realized that i needed to get the bunnies on some vegtables or something so i came across a website that scared me to say the least and i need to talk to someone live asap so i can help these bunnies. The website talks about only feeding them twice a day where as I am feeding them every 5-6 hours they do not always finish the bottle so I was concerned thinking that they weren't eating enough but as i discovered today I am over feeding them they probably eat approximatly 2 and 1/2 oz of KMR a day. They do pee and poop regularly and i have rubbed them till they do if not (that only happened fri). I also was wondering if it is illegal or hazardous to their health if i keep them. If it is i have a email for a wildlife rehabilitator but i do want to get immediate information about the above questions as I discovered new information today. I do hope that i get a response to this email ASAP as i am concerned for the bunnies. The bunnies are heathy, active and do get exercise regularly i just hope to talk to someone to get help for them. One of my major questions is if i should start feeding them only twice a day or keep on feeding every 5 hours as I imagine switching their diet might be unhealthy. I do want whats best for these bunnies. I was hoping/wondering if there was somewhere that i can give these bunnies to if i am not elligable to take care of them that will raise them and keep them at a bunny farm or something along those lines instead of releasing them into the wild. As i said above though i do want whats best for these bunnies so if putting them in the wild will be best then i will willingly do that. THANK YOU!!!!

Answer
Rehabilitating Wildlife

While it is commendable that you wish to preserve the lives of orphaned wildlife, it is critical that you understand the risks both, personal and legal, that you are undertaking.

First. many states require a license to rehab wildlife.  The reasons for this are simple. Close contact with wildlife involves risks of exposing yourself and your loved ones to a wide variety of diseases transmittable through bodily fluids, and parasites. Not to mention the risk of injury due to bites and scratches.  Furthermore, training is critical as wildlife require specialized care in order not to add further injury to them.

Second, if you still want to help, then it is imperative you contact a qualified rehabilitator and begin the training process. Or you can give them money to help care for the animal for you.

You can find a rehabilitator by visiting http://icwdm.org/Humaninteractions/wildliferehabilitators.asp  and if that doesn’t work out then contacting your state division of wildlife by clicking the state listings at http://icwdm.org/VendorsService/default1.asp  It will say it is for wildlife control operators but state information is included on the same page for each state.

We are always looking for images (if you can safely take them) of wildlife damage to help us in our educational mission. Tips on how to take good photos can be learned at http://www.icwdm.org/Photos/shootingphotos.asp We prefer high resolution, (3 mg or higher). Send to svantassel2@unl.edu  or if your e-mail can’t handle large files upload to http://members.icwdm.org   
Username use all caps.     ICWDM
Password (all lower case) guest

Please include permission to use the images and where and when the photos were taken. Month/year is fine as is county or city and state.

Disclaimer: As with any activity, remember that animal damage control comes with its own risks and problems which can include but are not limited to legalities, health threats, and personal liabilities. Be sure to follow all state laws governing wildlife and make sure you have a thorough understanding on how to resolve the animal damage complaint. My advice is only as good as your understanding of me and my understanding of your situation. If you have any questions be sure to write back.