03-30-2016, 02:48 PM
Finished with a client this morning, who came back in after going to her car to tell me that a baby bunny was in the yard. She wanted my son to see.
We went out to see the bunny, which of course was super cute - as all baby bunnies are. We have outdoor cats in the neighborhood, so I looked out the window periodically to check on it.
I noticed it wasn't going anywhere. I did some research on orphaned baby bunnies. If they're fully furred, 5-inches long, and have erect ears, they're old enough to leave the nest. If their mothers want to feed them, they look for them in the early morning and at dusk. This bunny was old enough to be independent.
As I read, I saw to leave them alone, unless they looked malnourished, flea-ridden, or dehydrated. The dehydration test was to pull on the skin and see if it bounces back quickly or stays.
I decided to do the test. The skin went back, but not quickly. So, I picked the bunny up and put it in my back yard (where I had seen an adult cottontail earlier). I used to think that if you touched a baby bunny, that the human scent would cause the mother to abandon it. Apparently this is a myth, and besides, this bunny fit the description of being old enough to be independent.
Long story shorter, the poor thing was sick (it moved very slowly, or not at all) and I called a local wildlife rescue volunteer. They said if I didn't hear back in two hours to call back. In the meantime I kept checking on the (not-budging) baby bunny. My wife (at work) said to put him in a box with a soft towel as I waited. I had already put some water in a bowl outside, which it didn't touch.
I went to get the bunny with the box, and it had passed away. It was still very warm, like I just missed it. I felt bad, like I could have done more, and I broke down crying. I'm glad no one was here to see me, because it felt good to cry. I guess I needed it. It was just very sad - my son's first bunny (which he called "Bun-Bun") just two days after Easter, dies and there was nothing I could do.
The volunteer called 5 minutes later, and I imparted the bad news. We'll bury it later, in the yard.
We went out to see the bunny, which of course was super cute - as all baby bunnies are. We have outdoor cats in the neighborhood, so I looked out the window periodically to check on it.
I noticed it wasn't going anywhere. I did some research on orphaned baby bunnies. If they're fully furred, 5-inches long, and have erect ears, they're old enough to leave the nest. If their mothers want to feed them, they look for them in the early morning and at dusk. This bunny was old enough to be independent.
As I read, I saw to leave them alone, unless they looked malnourished, flea-ridden, or dehydrated. The dehydration test was to pull on the skin and see if it bounces back quickly or stays.
I decided to do the test. The skin went back, but not quickly. So, I picked the bunny up and put it in my back yard (where I had seen an adult cottontail earlier). I used to think that if you touched a baby bunny, that the human scent would cause the mother to abandon it. Apparently this is a myth, and besides, this bunny fit the description of being old enough to be independent.
Long story shorter, the poor thing was sick (it moved very slowly, or not at all) and I called a local wildlife rescue volunteer. They said if I didn't hear back in two hours to call back. In the meantime I kept checking on the (not-budging) baby bunny. My wife (at work) said to put him in a box with a soft towel as I waited. I had already put some water in a bowl outside, which it didn't touch.
I went to get the bunny with the box, and it had passed away. It was still very warm, like I just missed it. I felt bad, like I could have done more, and I broke down crying. I'm glad no one was here to see me, because it felt good to cry. I guess I needed it. It was just very sad - my son's first bunny (which he called "Bun-Bun") just two days after Easter, dies and there was nothing I could do.
The volunteer called 5 minutes later, and I imparted the bad news. We'll bury it later, in the yard.