What to bottle feed a baby bunny

Caring for Newborn Baby Rabbits

IF THESE ARE WILD BABIES

It’s that time of year again. Wild babies everywhere. But are they at risk?

Wild rabbits hide their nests in plain view, often in the middle of your yard, bushes, etc. If you find a nest that has been disturbed, do the best you can to restore it and leave the babies in there. If a dog discovers the nest, do your best to restore it (with grass, leaves, whatever mama has used), make sure the kits are in there, and find a way to keep the dog(s) away from the nest. Mama will return for her babies and taking them away will seriously decrease their chance of survival. If you do not see the mama—DON’T WORRY—they only nurse their babies a few minutes a day, then they stay away so as to not draw predators to the nest.

If a kit is injured or an animal brings you an injured baby, if you have no choice but to help a baby, please do not try to care or it yourself—-get it to a rabbit vet or a wildlife rehabilitator

Local wildlife rehabilitator: https://www. nwrawildlife.org
List of rabbit vets: http://rabbit.org/vet-listings/

The best thing you can do for wild babies is to leave them alone (restored to the nest) or, if injured, get them to a rabbit vet or wildlife rehabilitator.

DOMESTIC/PET RABBITS

WHERE TO PUT THE BABIES

Make the babies a soft nest area in a box with clean towels. We like to put one folded towel on the bottom and another bunched on top of that, so the babies can snuggle into it. You can also purchase soft nesting wool from a pet store and put that on top of the towel. You can also take whatever nesting material they were in and put it in the box as well. Cover the box almost entirely with a light towel, making sure that there will be enough air so the babies do not suffocate. Leaving about a one inch gap at the top is usually sufficient. Keep the babies in an out-of-the way, QUIET area, such as an adult’s bedroom. If the room temperature is between 68-72 degrees you will not need to provide extra heat, but if it’s cooler than that you will need to provide extra warmth. Use a heating pad set on low and slip it under one half only of the box. We do it this way so that the babies can move to a cooler area if it gets too warm. DO NOT put babies directly on heating pad, as babies can burn themselves very badly.

If the babies were with their mamma, but she is not caring for them (and you are sure she is ignoring them) you may need to separate her from them so they will not get hurt. Rabbit milk is very caloric and the kittens (baby rabbits) only nurse for a few minutes a day, so if you think that she is not caring for them based only on the fact you don’t see them feed…think again. If you do think they are being neglected, you can check: Are they cold? Are they making crying sounds for more than a few minutes before (or at) feeding time? Are they blue? Is the skin shriveled? Check for dehydration: gently pinch together the skin at the nape of the neck. If it sticks together or stays in a tent, they are dehydrated. A healthy kit has a round belly, is warm, gains weight on a daily basis, and snuggles with its litter mates. If they are dehydrated, cold, losing weight or becoming injured, of course, something must be done

WHAT TO FEED THE BABIES

Baby rabbits should be fed Kitten Milk Replacer (KMR) or goat milk, which you can buy at pet stores, or sometimes even a local veterinarian’s office. Because rabbit milk is the most caloric of all mammals, we add in one tablespoon of 100% heavy whipping cream (no sugar) to each can of KMR. Most kits will not nurse from the baby animal bottles you can buy at stores. Instead, use a sterile oral syringe, which can be purchased at most pharmacies. A better alternative are these nipples, which come the a syringe, but you may not be able to find them locally/right away (link).

It is best to feed baby rabbits no more than twice a day, but sometimes it takes more feedings to get an adequate amount into them, especially at first.

How much to feed varies greatly on what breed of rabbit you are feeding, and how big the kit is, but here is a basic guideline for the daily amount to feed a domestic rabbit who will be approximately 5-6 pounds as an adult (average rabbit size). You can increase the amounts as needed for larger breeds.

To help the kits maintain healthy gut bacteria, go to your local health food store (and get a bottle of ACIDOPHILUS. Ask for the capsules that have the “grainy stuff” inside (they are easier to mix than the “powdery stuff”) and add a bit to the formula at each feeding.

ALL amounts below should be divided into two feedings per day.

Newborn – 1 week
- 4-5 cc formula
1-2 weeks
- 10-15 cc formula
2-3 weeks
- 15-30 cc formula
3-6 weeks, until weaned
- 30 cc formula

HOW DO I DO THIS?

Baby rabbits feed from their mothers while lying on their backs. You may loosely wrap baby in a soft face cloth or hand towel and lay it on your lap or in the crook of your arm. If bunny will NOT eat this way, of course, do the best you can. It is ABSOLUTELY CRUCIAL to let the baby eat at it’s own pace—especially if it is not suckling from the syringe willingly. If you squirt the liquid in too quickly you can aspirate (get liquid in) the lungs and the rabbit will suffocate.

Until their eyes open (10 days): After each feeding it is important to make the bunny defecate and urinate to keep the intestinal tract and urinary system running smoothly. Use a soft cloth or a cotton ball moistened with warm water and gently stroke the genital area until the bunny starts producing stool and urine. Keep stroking until the bunny stops. You are replicating the behavior of the mother rabbit who would lick her young to stimulate them to go to the bathroom. The stool will be soft and may be varying shades of green and yellow. If the urine is brown and gritty, the buns are not adequately hydrated and you need to get them to a rabbit vet ASAP—-it is an emergency. Be sure to clean baby’s mouth with a damp cloth or paper towel, so that no milk dries in the hair.

Baby rabbit eyes open at about 10 days of age. You may start introducing them to hay and pellets at this point, but no veggies or fruits yet. Just leave some timothy or orchard and alfalfa hay and pellets in a corner of the box where the babies can easily get to them. Make sure it the pellets are plain, high fiber and fresh, with no added goodies such as dried banana chips or seeds. Don’t ever leave a deep water dish in which a baby could drown; instead, use something shallow and rinse and fill it frequently.

If you have any questions, please contact us.

How to Feed a Baby Rabbit (And What to Feed Them)

Has your rabbit mother recently given birth? Or maybe you’ve found a baby rabbit that was separated from its mother? Either way, your mind may be turning towards what you need to do to make sure that these baby rabbits are happy, healthy, and well-fed.

In this guide, you’ll find what you need to know to determine if you really do need to feed a baby rabbit, as well as a list of equipment and step-by-step walkthrough for how to feed.

How Do I Know If I Need to Feed a Baby Rabbit?

Did you know that rabbit mothers feed their babies only once or twice per day? Or that, outside of these feeding times, they mostly leave their young completely alone?

Unlike many other mammals, rabbit mothers do not stick extremely close to their babies, sometimes even right after they’re born. Because rabbits are prey animals, their instincts tend to make them wary of staying near anything that a predator might target — including their own children.

In most cases where the rabbit mother is still present, you’ll not have to intervene and help feed her babies. Only if the babies are showing clear signs of distress, such as wandering around their nests and crying, will you maybe have to help feed them.

However, in the unlikely and unfortunate circumstance that the mother rabbit is dead, missing, or completely ignoring her newborns, you’ll need to take action and begin feeding them right away! For the next three weeks, you’ll be their most vital source of nutrition and care.

The Right Supplies and Best Food for Baby Rabbits

When you are called upon to feed one or more baby rabbits, you’ll need to gather some special supplies to make sure that you’re feeding them in the safest and most nutritious way possible. Before mixing your formula recipe, make sure you have both a Sterilizing steam bag, such as the ones used by breastfeeding human mothers, and Nursing bottles and nipples, often available in package sets.

Then, you’ll need to mix your baby formula from this recipe, courtesy of Doctor Dana Krempels of the University of Miami Biology Department:

½ cup fresh, whole goat milk (available at most health food stores)
½ cup Kitten Milk Replacer
1 tablespoon freeze-dried colostrum
½ teaspoon heavy cream

Be sure to mix this in advance so the colostrum has time to fully dissolve into the formula. The combination of nutrients in this formula most closely resembles rabbit mothers’ milk, making it an almost-perfect match for feeding orphaned babies.

Step-by-Step: How to Feed a Baby Rabbit

Image by auenleben from Pixabay

Feeding baby rabbits takes special care and attention, so as not to overwhelm their sensitive immune and digestive systems. Follow these steps to the letter:

Thoroughly wash your hands with warm, soapy water.
Follow the instructions that come with the steam bags to sterilize and disinfect the bottle and nipples.
Fill the bottle with formula, then warm it to body temperature.
Sit on the floor, and spread out plenty of cushioning under where you’ll feed the rabbits.
Hold the baby horizontally in your non-dominant hand, and gently place the nipple of the bottle to its lips.
Sometimes, the baby will resist being bottle-fed; in this case, wet their lips with a drop of formula, and be persistent.
DO NOT try to force formula out of the bottle! The last thing you want is to overfill the baby’s mouth, causing it to breathe in the formula.

That’s it! Over time, the babies will acclimate to your feedings and not put up a fuss. For the first three weeks of their lives, they’ll be relying solely on formula for their nutrition.

From 3 to 6 weeks, you’ll notice them starting to try out solid foods. This will form the foundation for weaning them off of the bottle, but they’ll still need the nutrients provided by formula up until about 8 weeks of age — at which point you can safely stop feeding them. A fantastic way to make this transition is with a food designed for young rabbits, such as this one from Oxbow.

Final Thoughts on Feeding Baby Rabbits

When you’re called upon to feed a baby rabbit due to conditions outside of the mother’s control, it’s a big responsibility. With the help of this guide and the proper equipment, you can give your baby rabbits the best chance at a long and healthy life in your home! As always, if you’re unclear on anything you’ve read here, it’s best to contact your local veterinarian for personalized help.

Featured Image: Motortion Films, Shutterstock

Feeding baby rabbits: features, tricks, tips

Mother feeding for the most part falls on the first three weeks of life of baby rabbits. Find out what to do if an unforeseen situation happens and the babies are left without a mother.

From three to six weeks old, baby rabbits need less milk and more pellets and hay. During the period when the rabbits no longer need mother's milk, they are weaned.

The physiologically reasonable weaning age is 3.5‒4 months and if you have a rabbit of this age at home, you can immediately give him roughage, additional milk feeding is used only if he suffers from malnutrition. At home, the rabbit is allowed to nurse her babies longer - up to the age of 6-7 weeks.

Loss of a nurse

Sometimes unforeseen situations happen - the death of a female or mastitis, aggressive behavior or refusal to feed the cubs. Whatever the reason, from now on, the care of the rabbits falls entirely on the shoulders of a person.

Further actions depend on the age of the rabbits and the presence of another female who can be entrusted with feeding them. Read this article to learn how to properly transfer babies to a foster mother.

If it is not possible to transfer the cubs to another female rabbit, they are artificially fed and some important points must be taken into account.

As sad as it is to admit, the survival rate of motherless rabbits, if their eyes have not yet opened, and this is the age of 10-12 days, is very low. Mortality with inexperienced care can reach 80-90%. This means that out of ten rabbits, one or two survive.

There are many reasons for this catastrophic mortality rate, the main ones being:

mixture entering the lungs (aspiration), causing rapidly developing pneumonia and edema

infectious diseases associated with non-receipt of antibodies from a female rabbit

lack of food or, conversely, overfeeding

lack of defecation and urination, while urine can overfill the bladder and cause it to rupture

severe diarrhea (diarrhea)

Before rabbits begin to eat roughage, there are no bacterial populations in their intestines. If, during artificial feeding with milk formula, bacteria that are abnormal for rabbits of this age are introduced into the body, which can be caused by dirty hands or unsterilized nipples and bottles, this causes severe intoxication and indigestion. Diarrhea is one of the most common causes of death in rabbits.

Feeding supplies

Buy plastic teat bottles first. Since they are usually sold in pairs or as a set of a bottle and several nozzles, it is important to find the smallest nipples, and which bottle is not a big deal.

If you can get special teats for rabbits, great, if not, kittens will do. As one of the components, a milk replacer for kittens is introduced into the formula for feeding rabbits, and some manufacturers include a bottle with nipples in such a set, which is quite convenient.

Keep in mind that pet sellers often refer to rabbits as rodents or animals. So look for the products you need in one of these sections.

Special plastic syringes with silicone or rubber tips are successfully used.

As an exception, try using a regular eyedropper or eye dropper bottle.

Successful rearing of young rabbits is not an easy task. Rabbits have a complex digestive system, and babies are even more vulnerable. Below is a universal formula formula for suckers of all ages.

For preparation take:

fresh whole goat milk - 100 g
kitten milk replacer - 100 g
colostrum (lyophilized colostrum) - 10-15 capsules (1-1.5 tablespoons)

Colostrum is an expensive ingredient, but it is almost impossible to raise very small rabbits without colostrum.

Place all components in a glass container, close tightly, then shake vigorously until the contents turn into a homogeneous mass.

Prepare new formula before each feeding. If there are few cubs, you can reduce all components proportionally.

Heat the mixture to 40 °C, it is convenient to check the temperature with a regular thermometer, wipe it with alcohol before use. Keep cooked food in hot water until you have fed all the babies.

For older rabbits (from 14 days old), add up to 1 teaspoon of quality cow's milk cream to the mixture.

Do not use condensed milk - excess sugars, prolonged heat treatment, vegetable fats and other components unusual for natural milk - all this will lead to the fact that the product can do more harm than good.

Cow's milk is inferior in nutritional properties and digestibility to goat's milk, moreover, it has less antibodies and larger fat globules, so it is undesirable to use it for feeding rabbits.

Feeding procedure

Remember, the most dangerous thing that can happen to young rabbits during feeding is inhalation of the mixture. This will lead to instant aspiration when the baby stops breathing and passes out, or to the rapid development of pneumonia. Therefore, when feeding, do not rush, do everything carefully, be leisurely, be patient and follow the steps below.

1.

Cleanliness of dishes

Disinfect syringes, nipples and bottles in a special steam sterilizer or by boiling water.

2. Hand hygiene

Wash hands in hot running water with laundry soap (toilet soap is not used due to strong odor) and dry thoroughly.

3. Precautions

When feeding older rabbits, lie on the floor - swift fidgets can jump out of your hands in no time. Place a towel on your knees. Wrap the bottle with flannel, the cub will rest on it with its front paws, as if it were fed by a rabbit, besides, the milk will not cool down.

4. Feeding

Take the bunny in one hand and the bottle in the other. Hold the baby horizontally with his tummy down, in the most natural feeding position, you can slightly lift the front or turn the baby to the side. Successfully feed rabbits in an upright position. No need to lay the sucker on his back - he can choke. It is enough to simply hold the grown-up rabbits with your hand, avoiding jerky movements.

6. Patience

Rabbits, especially very small ones, often stubbornly refuse to suckle, some may take a day or two for the sucking reflex to develop.

It's not surprising that you might want to force-feed the little stubborn one. Don't do this under any circumstances! Be persistent, but be gentle and careful, squeeze out some of the mixture, moisten your mouth and continue to bring the pipette or nipple to it with a drop of milk, encouraging you to lick off the mixture.

Continue like this until the bunny begins to suck on its own. Sometimes it may take several feedings to be successful. If he grabs the nipple and starts sucking, let him eat at his own pace - no need to squeeze the bottle.

What should I do if my rabbit has inhaled the formula and is not breathing?

If a baby rabbit inhales milk formula, drops of it can cause complete blockage of the airways and fainting. Therefore, you need to act very quickly and take urgent resuscitation measures.

Hold the rabbit in both hands, head up, with the palms of your hands firmly on the back and neck, but without squeezing too much. Raise it above your head and lower it down to the floor, moving not very fast, but with determination. Repeat the reception two or three times. The rabbit's insides will rush upward as they move down and push the diaphragm, which may be enough to push air and mixture particles out of the airways. As soon as the rabbit moves, stop immediately.

You will most likely need to administer antibiotics to prevent pneumonia, please consult your veterinarian about prescribing the drug.

Amount of servings, frequency and features of feeding

0–7 days

Newborn rabbits are fed twice a day, in the amount of 2–2.5 ml of milk formula at each feeding.

Very small rabbits will not be able to recover on their own. The female rabbit, while caring for the sucklings, licks them, stimulating muscle contraction, which facilitates urination and defecation.

To prevent overfilling of the bladder and intestines, take the following technique into service.

Rub the tummy, including the anus area, with light but firm strokes, as a female rabbit would do. Your task is to stimulate the tension of the abdominal muscles.

The procedure is performed with a finger moistened with warm water, you can wrap it with a damp cloth or use a moistened cotton swab. Manipulation will take from 15-25 seconds to two minutes and you need to continue it until the bladder is empty.

Some breeders find it best to do this before feeding and great if it works, but the extra pressure of a full belly can speed up and ease the process.

Be careful and persistent, sometimes rabbits cannot empty their intestines and bladder without light massage for quite a long time - up to a few weeks of age. Do not rub too hard as this can cause redness and irritation of delicate skin. If redness is still present, use a soothing calendula ointment.

8-14 days

The norm for this period is two feedings per day, 5-7 ml each time.

Don't overfeed your rabbit! Once he understands how the system works, he will eat as much as you give. He may eat so much formula that the tummy will stretch, causing discomfort, indigestion and gas.

It is better to underfeed a gluttonous baby than to overfeed. Well-fed rabbits look round and plump, but not like tumblers with stretched tummies.

In addition, it is important to take into account that the receptors that signal satiety do not work instantly and it takes some time. If the bunny looks hungry and you're not sure he's gotten enough food, wait a minute or two and offer the pacifier again, maybe he won't pounce with the same greed now.

15-21 days

Still two main feedings - 7-13 ml at a time.

By this time the eyes are already open and the rabbits begin to take an interest in what is happening around, including coarse food.

Timothy or oat hay, rabbit pellets and fresh water should now be constantly present in the cage. Rabbits are offered water not in an automatic drinker, but in a shallow bowl or bowl.

Experienced breeders recommend, even before the moment when the rabbits begin to consume roughage, to artificially introduce beneficial microflora into the body.

To do this, choose a donor - a healthy adult rabbit, not infected with helminths, and take some fresh caecotrophs from him (read about what it is here).

The resulting balls are kneaded, mixed with a small amount of milk mixture and fed to the rabbit, who, of course, will not be delighted with such food. Treat this event like giving medicine. This technique will make it possible to populate the rabbit's intestines with healthy microflora, and besides, caecotrophs contain many useful substances. Such an introduction of microflora for 2-3 days will be quite sufficient.

You can replace caecotrophs with probiotics, such as the German Olin or the domestic Zoonorm.

22-42 days

Two feedings of 13-15 ml at a time, the amount of servings may be smaller, depending on the breed and development of the rabbit.

At this time, alfalfa or clover hay is introduced into the diet, as well as granules with a high protein content - 16-18%. You can additionally introduce some sunflower seeds or whole oat grains.

Weaning

A female rabbit feeds her young at home for up to eight weeks or more, gradually reducing the frequency of feedings until the young rabbits lose interest. As early as two weeks, rabbits will begin to gnaw on pelleted food and taste hay, but this is not a reason to stop feeding them a mixture. On the contrary, during this period, in no case should you stop the main feeding.

Colostrum containing useful antibodies will help the rabbits to control the development of microflora, and restrain the growth of potentially dangerous colonies.

From 6 to 8 weeks of age, start diluting formula with clean drinking water. Start by adding a quarter of water, gradually bringing the composition to this proportion: three quarters of water - one part of the mixture. The rabbits themselves will lose interest in feeding, and weaning will not be as traumatic.

Tell us about your experience with baby rabbits. Your knowledge and practical experience are really important and can save a baby's life. Post your recommendations in the comments below or send your material to the Our Stories section.

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How to feed rabbits without a rabbit

Contents:

1 How to feed rabbits without a rabbit.
- 1.1 Artificial rearing of rabbits.
  - 1.1.1 Artificial feeding of baby rabbits #1
  - 1.1.2 Artificial feeding of baby rabbits #2
- 1.2 Step-by-step description: how to artificially feed baby rabbits
- 1.3 How to make milk replacer for rabbits
- 1.4 How often should little orphan rabbits be fed?
- 1. 5 How to bottle feed orphans

It happens that the rabbit dies after giving birth and the rabbits are left without a rabbit. And then the question arises of how to feed the rabbits without a rabbit.

Of course, the best option is to put it with another nursing rabbit (if the difference in the age of the rabbits is no more than 1-2 days). If this is not possible, you can look for nursing rabbits in other nurseries, farms, households (by calling them).

If this is not possible, the only option left is to try to feed the rabbits artificially. It is more difficult to feed decorative rabbits than meat ones, there is very little chance. Meat rabbits are more likely to feed than decorative ones.

The first step (if the female has not made a nest) is to make a nest yourself so that the rabbits are warm. You can just put them in a box (not big) so that they are in a pile, so they keep warm, basking from each other. In a box, any woolen thing under them and on top of them.

Baby rabbits may not eat for a day, this is normal, often the female starts feeding them the next day after giving birth. Therefore, you have a day to prepare and buy everything for artificial feeding. It is better not to delay feeding for more than a day, as the rabbits can become very weak and they simply do not have enough strength to eat.

Baby rabbits should be fed artificially, 2-3 times a day, at the same time. Before and after feeding, it is necessary to massage the tummy and genitals, so the female licks the rabbits, stimulating them to go to the toilet.

Below are a few ways of artificial rearing of rabbits, which have been tried by breeders and just owners of rabbits, both meat and decorative. It is easier to artificially feed a puppy or kitten than a rabbit. For rabbits, a milk replacer has not yet been invented as for cats and dogs.

Artificial rearing of rabbits.

Artificial feeding is worth resorting to:

1. When the lactating female (mother of rabbits) died
2. When the female does not have milk (this happens rarely), and even in this case, do not take the babies from the mother ...

Rabbit's milk in its chemical composition is significantly different from the milk of other farm animals. It contains a very high amount of fats and proteins and it is difficult to find an adequate replacement for it.

According to the content of solids, calories, proteins, fats and minerals, rabbit milk is in the first place, this also explains the rapid growth of newborn rabbits, since a large amount of nutrients are supplied to them through milk.

For example, rabbit milk contains four times more proteins than cow's milk, and more than three times more minerals, as a result of which the weight of newborn rabbits doubles on the sixth day, and on the thirtieth they are ten times heavier than at birth .

Artificial rearing of rabbits No. 1

In terms of composition, dog milk is closest to rabbit milk. Pet stores sell powdered dog milk.

The artificial feeding temperature should be approximately equal to the rabbit's body temperature of 37-39°C. It is necessary to cook small portions of food - a maximum of a day. The mixture not used for feeding is stored in the refrigerator, warming up before use.

A pipette can be used as a teat. You need to feed in small portions. When feeding, it is necessary to keep the rabbit upright.

Baby rabbits should be artificially fed for 3-4 weeks. With improper feeding of rabbits, an upset stomach occurs, there may be pneumonia, and in extreme cases, the death of rabbits may occur.

Artificial rearing of rabbits #2

Natural goat's milk, closest in composition to rabbit's, but lower in fat content. If you do not sell milk replacer for dogs or cats, you can use goat's milk naturally. It also needs to be warmed up before eating. Everything should be sterile, wash your hands before feeding.

For very young rabbits, a syringe without a needle is best. In veterinary pharmacies, you can buy special kits for newborn pets, which include syringes with a set of feeding nozzles. For larger rabbits, an ordinary pipette will do, then a regular nipple, and finally rabbits at the age of one month drink perfectly from a bowl.

Decorative rabbits need 1-2 ml per day. the first 3-4 days, then 2-3 ml.

Meat rabbits 3-5 ml. gradually increasing.

Starting from 12-14 days, hay should be introduced slowly (except for milk) and compound feed after 3 days.

Step-by-step: how to artificially feed baby rabbits

Feeding rabbits requires special care and attention so as not to overload their sensitive immune and digestive systems. Follow these steps until the letter:

Wash hands thoroughly with warm soapy water.
Follow the instructions provided to sterilize and disinfect bottles and teats.
Fill bottle with formula, then warm to body temperature.
Sit on the floor and spread enough pillows under the area where you will feed the rabbits.
Hold your baby horizontally in your hand and gently bring the bottle nipple to his lips.
Sometimes the baby rabbit resists bottle feeding; in this case, moisten your lips with a drop of the mixture and be persistent.
DO NOT try to squeeze the mixture out of the bottle! The last thing you need to do is to overfill the rabbit's mouth, causing it to breathe in the mixture.

That's it! Over time, the kids will get used to your feeding and stop fussing. For the first three weeks of their lives, they will rely solely on formula for nutrition.

From 3 to 6 weeks you will notice that they start to try solid foods. This will form the basis for weaning them from the bottle, but they will still need the nutrients contained in the formula until around 8 weeks of age - after which you can safely stop feeding them.

How to make milk replacer for rabbits

If you are going to care for a small rabbit, you need to use a special milk replacer for kittens. If this is not possible, you can make this meal replacement at home. To create a homemade rabbit milk replacer, follow this recipe:

Pour one cup of goat's milk and add another 56 grams of goat's milk powder.
Add a tablespoon of unsweetened heavy cream. This will make the mixture richer and mimic the calorie content of rabbit milk.
Heat mixture to 98-100 degrees Fahrenheit.

These ingredients will satisfy the needs of a young rabbit by replacing mother's milk like its counterpart. However, when in doubt, buy a pre-blended milk replacer.

How often should little orphan rabbits be fed?

The quantity is as important as the quality of the milk. Overfeeding or underfeeding a rabbit is equally dangerous. As a general rule, follow these guidelines when feeding your rabbit. You may have to guess the age if the rabbit was wild.

Less than 1 week	2 or 2.5 cu. cc/ml per feeding twice a day
1-2 weeks	5 to 7 cu. cm/ml per feeding twice a day.
2-3 weeks	7 to 13 cu. cm/ml per feeding twice a day.
3-6 weeks	13 to 15 cm3 / ml for one feeding twice a day.

If you follow these guidelines, your rabbit will grow. The maximum time required for breastfeeding is six weeks. However, you may find that your rabbit wants to wean earlier. Encourage it if so.

Rabbits start eating solid food after a week or two. The sooner the rabbit starts eating hay in exchange for fiber, the better. Remember, a rabbit can't eat too much hay. What can not be said about milk mixtures.