Recipes & Suggestions for Hand-raising Orphan Bunnies

Doe's milk is much preferred, but this might not be possible for a number of reasons.  Any of the following can be tried.  RRR has only had to try to hand-raise on a few occasions and had success only with older bunnies.  Here is a good article on how to hand-raise orphaned rabbits.  The following "recipes" are presented in no particular order and is a compilation from various sources. Formulas should be warmed prior to feeding. Some feed very young kits using a makeup sponge, Q-tip, or eye dropper. Others use a syringe, or wait until later to use a syringe. As per the disclaimer on the website, the reader uses this information at his or her own risk.


 Goat Milk (preferred)

Formula #3
1 C whole evaporated milk
2 egg yolks
1 TBSP corn syrup
2 pinches table salt
20 drops Visorbin (rabbit vitamins)

Formula #1 (from ARBA guidebook)
1/2 C evaporated milk
1/2 C water
1 egg yolk
1 TBSP Corn syrup

Formula #4
1/2 C whole evaporated milk
1/2 C water
2 TBSP Fearn soya powder
1 TBSP Karo light corn syrup

Formula #2
3 C goat milk
1 C whipping cream
2 TBSP light Karo syrup


Formula #5
1/2 C Creamy evaporated milk
1 egg yolk
1/2 C water
1 tsp. honey
2 drops of Pentavite (liquid vitamins for human infants)
1/2 tsp. corn flour (helps to prevent scouring)


Kitten Milk Replacer/Formula (Veta-Lac, Esbilac, KMR, First Born)

Formula #6
1/2 C water
1/2 C canned Evaporated Goat Milk
2 TBSP corn syrup or molassas
1 tsp Pedialyte or Gatorade

Human Milk Replacer/Formula (Carnation Good Start, Soyalac)
Emergency, short term use only

Puppy Milk Replacer/Formula (same brands as for kittens)

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Comments, corrections, or suggestions may be directed to the page author, Mary-Frances Bartels

Page last modified March 12, 2021.