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What to feed a baby bunny with no mom


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.

 

11 Things You Can Feed A Baby Rabbit Without A Mother – BunnyAsAPet

Caring for an orphaned baby bunny isn’t an easy task.

They have such a small and delicate stomach.

So things might easily go wrong with one improper feeding.

But hey, relax.

This might require enough knowledge and be challenging at first.

However, hand-raising a bunny isn’t impossible.

So how can you do this and what are the things you can feed to them?

Read on to discover:

  • The nutrients and benefits of a rabbit’s milk.
  • 11 things you can safely feed to an orphaned baby bunny.
  • Whether a baby rabbit can survive without any milk or not.
  • The answers to, “Can baby bunnies drink water?” and “How long can baby rabbits go without nursing?”
  • And many more…

Table of contents

  • What to feed baby rabbits without a mother?
  • Can a baby rabbit survive without milk?
  • 11 things you can feed a baby rabbit without a mother
    • #1: Colostrum
    • #2: Rabbit milk replacer (RMR)
    • #3: Kitten milk replacer (KMR)
    • #4: Goat milk
    • #5: Formula with heavy cream
    • #6: Alfalfa pellets
    • #7: Alfalfa hay
    • #8: Diluted formula
    • #9: Leafy greens
    • #10: Other rabbit-safe veggies
    • #11: Cecotropes
  • People also ask:
    • How long can baby rabbits go without nursing?
    • Can baby bunnies drink water?

What to feed baby rabbits without a mother?

You can feed baby rabbits without a mother with a milk replacer. But since they need more nutrients and fats, this must be mixed with goat milk. As well as heavy cream and colostrum. Then as they grow older, start offering them cecotropes and solid food. Like pellets, alfalfa hay, and leafy greens. 

Can a baby rabbit survive without milk?

A baby rabbit won’t survive without milk. At age 0 to 3 weeks old, it’ll be the sole part of their diet. So it’s their only way to get the nutrients and energy they need to live longer. And even though they’re already eating solid food at 6 to 8 weeks old, they still need milk for more nourishment. 

In a study, the most common cause of death in baby rabbits is abandonment.

It had a 31 to 31.3% rate, followed by cannibalism (17.6% to 18%) and starvation (11.7% to 12.%).

I know you want to prevent this and save your young bunny. So let’s dive right in! 

11 things you can feed a baby rabbit without a mother

#1: Colostrum

First off, did the baby rabbit’s mother die after delivery?

If this is the case, your kitten didn’t get any milk from their mom. This is why they need a special substance called colostrum.

“What is that?”

It’s a fluid that’s produced by mammals before they even release breast milk.

“Why is colostrum important?”

Aside from nutrients, it also contains antibodies that help newborns fight infections.

So Dr. Dana Krempels says that baby rabbits who had this have a higher survival rate than those who didn’t get any.

What to do?

You can buy this at health food shops near you.

But, you may also get this from your vet instead. Then ask them how long should this be given to your rabbit.

This comes in either powdered or capsule form. And it’ll be mixed into the milk formula. (I’ll discuss the recipe shortly so stay tuned!)

Reading tip: How To Take Care Of Baby Rabbits? 11 Vital Tips

#2: Rabbit milk replacer (RMR)

Baby bunnies need milk to survive. And their mom’s, in particular, is said to be high in nutrients and calories.

“Really?”

Yup! A study found that rabbit’s milk has 4 times more protein than goat’s and cow’s.

Plus, it’s also greater than them by 4.5 to 5 times in terms of arginine. It’s an amino acid that helps build protein.

But if you have an orphaned bunny, how can you provide this essential need of theirs?

First, you can look for a nursing female rabbit.

But if it isn’t doable, another way is to get a suitable milk replacer.

“What is it?”

As its name implies, it’s a substitute for a mother’s milk. It’s packed with nutrients and easily digested by babies.

There are many varieties of this in the market. 

But, let me talk about the ‘rabbit milk replacer’ first, a.k.a. RMR.

A group of researchers in Thailand conducted a study about this. 

And their goal was to find the differences among the 3 milk replacers for bunnies, which are as follows:

  • Kitten milk replacer (KMR).
  • Rabbit milk replacer (RMR)
  • Mammal milk replacer (MMR).

“What are the results?”

After feeding the 36 baby bunnies for 20 days, they found that RMR didn’t cause any side effects. So it’s considered safe for rabbits.

But, it was lower than KMR and MMR with regards to nutrient digestibility. Although the difference isn’t that significant.

“Where can I get this?”

The researchers made their own RMR formula for the study. And it’s quite complicated to follow.

So here’s a rabbit milk replacer I found on the Internet. 

But wait, before giving this to your bunny, it’s best to consult a vet first for their safety.

Note: Again, baby rabbits below 3 weeks old should only have milk in their diet. And to know whether your kitten is at this age, check their eyes. They must be closed if they’re less 2 weeks.

#3: Kitten milk replacer (KMR)

Rabbit milk replacers aren’t always available in some places.

This is why the most commonly used is a kitten milk replacer or KMR. Since you can easily buy this online or in the market.

Based on the study I mentioned above, rabbits fed with this absorbed more nutrients than those who received RMR.

KMR is also higher in crude protein content. But, it’s low in fats compared to rabbit’s milk.

So to compensate for this, experts advise adding other ingredients into the formula. And I’ll discuss this shortly.

#4: Goat milk

Aside from the ones I listed earlier, this could also be a substitute for rabbit’s milk. Although it’s usually mixed with other products to be more effective.

It may have a lower protein content than RMR, but it’s higher in fats. So Dr. Krempels also recommend this to be included in the formula – along with KMR.

“What are the other benefits of goat milk?”

Experts say that it’s more nutritious than cow milk. Plus, it’s easier in the tummy and has lower risks of allergies.

#5: Formula with heavy cream

Again, baby bunnies must be fed milk to survive.

But for their survival rate to be higher, it must be as close as possible to a rabbit’s milk.

Most especially in terms of nutrients and fats. Since babies need these in their diet to grow and develop well.

Kitten milk replacers are nutritious. But, they’re low in energy and fats.

So to make up for this, experts suggest adding some heavy cream. But take note that it must not have any sweeteners in it.

What to do?

Follow this sample formula recipe for baby rabbits made by Dr. Krempels:

  • 1/2 cup – fresh goat milk.
  • 0.20 tbsp (3 ml) – heavy cream.
  • 1/2 cup – kitten milk replacer (KMR).
  • 1 to 1 ½ tbsp (10 capsules-worth of content) – freeze dried colostrum.

Mix all of these in a container with a lid. Then shake well until the colostrum is thoroughly dissolved.

But before giving the formula to your baby rabbit, it must be warm first. 

So you may heat the formula to 105o F (40.56o C). Or submerge the container in a hot water. 

Fill your small oral syringe/dropper. Then drop some on your wrist to check if it’s cool enough to be eaten by your bunny.

“How much formula should I feed to my baby rabbit?”

This usually depends on their age.

  • For 0 to 1 week old: 2 ½ ml every feeding.
  • For 1 to 2 weeks old: 5 to 7 ml every feeding.
  • For 2 to 3 weeks old: 7 to 13 ml every feeding.
  • For 3 to 6 weeks old: 13 to 15 ml every feeding.

But some adjustments can also be made based on their size. Say, if the baby is quite small, they may need a lesser dosage. 

“When and how often should I feed them?”

Feeding must ONLY be done twice a day. Preferably at dusk and dawn since these are the times mother rabbits nurse.

Do this to avoid overfeeding as it can lead to bloating and death.

To know the proper way to feed a baby rabbit, check out this video:

Some reminders
  • Feed them in an upright position. You may also wrap the baby in a soft cloth while you’re handling them. 
  • Do this in a safe place. Baby rabbits are wiggly and they’re prone to falls. So hold them securely (but not too tight). And ensure there’s a counter with a soft towel underneath.
  • Make them drink slowly. Squeeze the syringe gently and feed them drop by drop. See if the baby already swallowed the previous one before you squeeze again. Drinking quickly can make the liquid go into their lungs. And this may lead to suffocation.

Note: Make sure to wash your hands first before you pick up the baby. Why? Experts say that there are 2 to 10 million germs on our elbows and fingertips. These can be transferred to the kitten. And it may cause serious illnesses as their immune system is still developing.

#6: Alfalfa pellets

When a baby bunny is around 3 to 4 weeks old, they should start nibbling pellets as per House Rabbit Society.

At this age, they’ll drink less milk and show more interest towards solid food. So offering them a few pellets can help them have a smooth transition.

“But what kind of pellets are best for baby rabbits?”

In this case, plain alfalfa-based pellets are your best choice.

Why?

It’s rich in calcium and protein. So these are vital for your baby bunny’s bones and muscles. 

Baby rabbits grow pretty fast. In fact, they can live outside their nest as early as 3 weeks old.

So they need more nutrients to grow and develop well.

Note: Although baby bunnies start eating solid food at 3 weeks old, they still need milk until 6 to 8 weeks old. To give you a clearer idea, here’s their diet plan as they grow older:

  • 3 to 4 weeks old: Milk, some alfalfa and pellets.
  • 4 to 7 weeks old: Milk, more access to alfalfa and pellets.
  • 7 weeks to 7 months old: Unlimited access to pellets and hay.

#7: Alfalfa hay

Besides pellets, baby rabbits aged 3 to 4 weeks old also need to eat some hay.

It’ll give them the nutrients they need. Plus, a bunny’s teeth will start growing at this period (around 19 to 21 days old to be exact).

So they need something to chew on to wear down their continuously-growing teeth. As well as to keep them healthy.

Alfalfa hay vs Timothy hay

Timothy hay is considered to be more suitable for grown-up rabbits.

While alfalfa hay is the better option for young bunnies.

“Why’s that?”

This is because alfalfa has higher calcium and protein content. Plus, it also aids in good digestion.

#8: Diluted formula

Does your baby rabbit still ask for milk at age 6 or 8 weeks old?

At this phase, bunnies are usually weaned completely.

But if this is not the case with your rabbit, give them a diluted formula to have a smoother transition to solid food.

“What should I do?”

A baby bunny’s tummy is quite sensitive. So start with this ratio: 75% formula and 25% clean drinking water.

Then as you progress, reduce the amount of milk. And do this until they fully lose interest in it.

#9: Leafy greens

Once your baby bunny is already 12 weeks old, you can start feeding them veggies.

But wait, only offer these to them one at a time. And they must be in small amounts to not upset their stomach.

“How much leafy greens should I give to my baby rabbit?”

To be safe, begin by offering them tiny pieces (2 in or 5 cm).

Then increase the amount gradually (up to 1 cup a day if they’re 5 lb or 2.27 kg).

But while doing this, watch them closely and look for signs of diarrhea:

  • Shaking.
  • Weight loss.
  • Low energy.
  • Sunken belly.
  • Reduced appetite.
  • Hunched posture.
What leafy greens are safe for rabbits?

According to VCA Hospitals, these are the best options:

  • Basil.
  • Cilantro.
  • Kohlrabi.
  • Bok choy.
  • Carrot tops.
  • Watercress.
  • Beet green.
  • Broccoli greens.
  • Mustard greens.
  • Romaine lettuce.

While certain leafy greens must not be fed frequently, like:

  • Kale.
  • Parsley.
  • Escarole.
  • Swiss chard.
  • Collard and dandelion greens.

“But why?”

These vegetables have high calcium content. And an excess of this may lead to the formation of bladder stones. 

Their milk formula already gives rabbits enough to support their bone development. So it’s best to avoid more calcium-rich items in their diet.

#10: Other rabbit-safe veggies

Apart from the dark leafy ones, young bunnies can also eat other types of veggies, such as:

  • Squash.
  • Broccoli.
  • Wheat grass.
  • Brussel sprouts.

But make sure to remove any seeds and hard parts before serving these. And slice them into small pieces for easier and safer digestion.

Note: We often see rabbits eating carrots in cartoons like Bugs Bunny. But did you know that these should be fed in limited quantities? Yep, this is because carrots are packed with carbs. And high amounts of these can upset a bunny’s stomach.

#11: Cecotropes

Last but not least, baby rabbits also need to eat some poop to have a healthy tummy.

“Wait. What do you mean?”

You may have noticed this already. But it’s normal for bunnies to eat their poop.

They produce 2 kinds of droppings. And the softer stools with a sticky appearance are the ones they’ll consume.

“But why?”

Rabbits are ‘hind-gut fermenters.’

They have a different digestive system than ours. And this is because their diet is high in fiber.

Grasses and weeds aren’t easy to digest. So to absorb all the nutrients, they have to re-ingest what they took in.

To do this, their bodies will release these partially-digested droppings, a.k.a. cecotropes. Then they’ll eat these to get the nutrients they need.

Now, going back to the topic.

A baby bunny’s stomach pH level is higher than an adult’s.

Plus, it doesn’t have any living microorganisms in it.

So when they turn 10 days old, babies will usually eat their mother’s cecotropes. Since they can’t produce some of their own yet.

They do this to get essential nutrients (e.g., protein, fiber, vitamins B and K). As well as important hindgut microorganisms.

And these will help their tummies to digest well as they transition to solid food.

What to do?

You can start introducing these to them at age 2.5 to 3 weeks old. But experts say that this is also vital for bunnies below 1 week of age. 

If you don’t have an adult rabbit at home, you may look for a healthy cecotrope donor.

Collect some of their droppings. Then give 1 cecotrope daily to the baby rabbit for 4 to 5 days.

Note: Some young bunnies may refuse to eat cecotropes. If yours is like this, mix them in their formula instead. Keep doing this for around 3 to 4 days until they’re fine with it.

Learn more: Rabbit Poop Chart: 13 Different Types Of Bunny Poop

People also ask:

How long can baby rabbits go without nursing?

Baby rabbits can go without nursing for up to 3 to 4 days. But since they don’t get any food, they’ll get weaker as days pass by. And this could lead to a slow death.

Typically, mother rabbits nurse their babies once a day. And they’ll do this within 5 minutes too.

Why?

Because rabbit’s milk is high in calories. So ingesting it once is enough for babies to get through the day.

However, the absence of it for several days will cause serious problems for the kittens. 

This is why they must be hand-fed if they don’t get enough milk every day.

Note: It might be different for wild baby bunnies. This is because they have more sensitive stomachs. So if you see one, don’t feed them. Instead, put them in a box with towels to keep them warm. Then contact the nearest wildlife rehabilitator in your area.  

Can baby bunnies drink water?

Baby bunnies can drink water when they’re between 3 to 4 weeks old. This is because, at this age, they’ll start to be introduced to other food aside from milk.

So if your rabbit is already in this phase, you can give them access to water. But since they’re still small, provide a shallow dish for them.

Note: Do you have a messy drinker? If so, try bottle feeding instead. This will prevent them from getting drenched in water. Try giving them a dish after a few weeks. And see if they don’t make a mess.

How to feed rabbits without a rabbit

How to feed rabbits without a rabbit - this question sooner or later confronts all owners of farms where rabbit breeding is practiced. The best option is to replant the babies with another female or resume natural feeding from their own mother, but this is not always possible. In this case, artificial feeding becomes the only way out.

Is artificial feeding of rabbits justified?

Many rabbit breeders are of the opinion that artificial feeding does not make sense - babies get sick, develop poorly and rarely live more than a few weeks. Indeed, raising rabbits on your own is quite difficult and requires patience, scrupulousness and a sequence of actions. But if everything is done correctly, the rabbits grow up healthy and beautiful.

If you notice that the rabbit is aggressive towards the rabbits, chews them or refuses to feed them, try to stretch her nipples a little, plant and slip the rabbits in this position. You need to hold mom a little so that the kids have time to eat. But when no tricks help, you need to immediately decide on artificial feeding - the rabbits very quickly weaken without feeding, freeze and die.

It is hardly possible to talk about 100% survival on artificial feeding. Much depends on the age at which the offspring is located. The most necessary and valuable substances for the body of the cubs enter their body with the first drops of mother's milk. It is they who launch the immune system and give the strength of life. It is clear that the most difficult thing is with rabbits, who received nothing at all from their mother. But you can feed from scratch if everything is done correctly.

What to feed little rabbits?

Compare the nutrient content of cow, rabbit, goat, dog and human milk.

Three variants of artificial food can be considered optimal:

  • Dog milk is the closest in composition to rabbit milk. But even if there is a lactating dog somewhere nearby, you can’t slip the rabbits on her for obvious reasons. But you can buy powdered dog milk for feeding puppies.
  • A good result is obtained by artificial mixtures sold in specialized stores and intended for feeding kittens, puppies, rabbits.
  • Often, in the absence of either one or the other, they resort to goat's milk, but its composition is still very different from what the rabbit feeds her babies.

Since there is not always time to buy the right food, it is better to prepare in advance or start from the most affordable option. In rural areas, it is usually not a problem to get goat milk; closer to the city, it is easier to buy a special formula for feeding. In extreme cases, you can use infant formula, which is always available in a house where small children live.

Proper feeding of rabbits without a rabbit

Rabbits need to be fed drip. Based on this, a tool is selected - it can be a syringe with a removed needle or a drop bottle with a removable nipple. If you have time to prepare in advance, you can purchase a special kit for feeding newborn baby animals at the pharmacy. It usually includes syringes and several feeding nozzles.

If the babies are already a few days old, you can try to feed with a pipette, later replacing it with a regular nipple. Approximately starting from the age of one month, babies can themselves lap from a saucer. In rare cases, it turns out to be accustomed to a saucer already on the 15-20th day of life.

The health and survival of babies depends on how well artificial feeding is performed. It is necessary to take into account both instincts and biological characteristics and reproduce the natural process of feeding to the maximum. At first, the rabbits do not perceive the artificial udder very much, they react weakly to it or completely ignore it. Therefore, especially the first feedings should be carried out very carefully, do not forcefully pour milk inside, but lightly smear one drop over the oral cavity and let the baby lick off the mixture himself. Forcibly dripping into the mouth can cause the rabbit to suffocate if the milk enters his respiratory tract. the baby should be in an upright position, that is, it must be held with one hand. Over time, the kids get used to it, and the procedure becomes easier.

A newborn baby rabbit needs 4-5 ml of milk or formula per day. The frequency of feeding is 2-5 times a day (depending on how willingly and intensively the kids absorb the offered food, how they go to the toilet). Do not think, the more often you feed the rabbits, the better. Each feeding takes strength from the baby, while he gets very tired. At first, give the rabbits 10-12 drops of milk and feed no more than 3 times a day.

It is important not to overfeed babies. When they get used to the pipette, they eat more willingly and may well “overdo it” with the quantity. In this case, the rabbit's stomach is full, which can be hazardous to health. This can be avoided by taking small breaks in feeding. If, after a short pause, the baby is no longer active, it means that he is already full and no longer needs to give milk.

The milk norm increases with the age of babies. After a week, the rabbit should receive twice as much milk, and after two - three times. The approximate norm for 2-3 week old rabbits is 7-13 cc of milk (you can start adding green herbs, granulated food and water), for 3-6 weeks old - 13-15 cc (feed 2 times a day). Then you can gradually include dry food in the diet of rabbits, starting with grated carrots, chopped hay.

Many rabbit breeders recommend adding acidophilus to milk, and at the age of 7-10 days, start giving cecotrophs (rabbit droppings balls) to rabbits. The fact is that most often artificially fed rabbits die from mucous enteritis, the signs of which can be liquid droppings, the presence of blood and mucus in it, diarrhea, refusal to eat, bloating and gases.

The cause of this disease is the accelerated growth of pathogenic microflora in the caecum. The acidity level of babies and adult rabbits is very different (in the direction of greater acidity in babies). When baby rabbits are born, the inside of their stomach is practically sterile. Mother's milk provides the necessary immune protection and practically cannot bring pathogenic bacteria to babies. And when the babies open their eyes at the age of 10 days, they begin to pick up the mother's caecotrophs themselves. Artificially fed babies are deprived of this opportunity.

When a rabbit is just born, it does not yet have the instinct to empty the stomach, bladder and intestines. With natural feeding, these processes are monitored by the mother, who licks the tummies of her babies with her tongue, thereby squeezing out the contents from the intestines. With artificial feeding, this responsibility falls on the owner of the animals.

It is necessary to massage the tummies before each feeding, reproducing the movements of the rabbit as much as possible. If this is not done, the tummies of babies swell and a rupture of the internal organs may form. Take a damp washcloth and lightly run along the tummy, pressing lightly at the bottom. as soon as the intestines are emptied, you can start feeding. Babies begin to go to the toilet on their own at about 2 weeks of age.

At each feeding, the cleanliness of the rabbits must be monitored. There should be no dried milk on the muzzle of the rabbit, contaminated places should be immediately wiped with a clean napkin. Make sure that there are no food residues on the baby's body. It is also necessary to monitor the cleanliness around the anus - this is usually also done by the mother, carefully licking and massaging this place.

For babies who have not received the necessary immune protection from their mother, cleanliness is an important factor in maintaining health. Bacteria and microbes that enter the body can be detrimental to a weak body. Be sure to boil all feeding equipment, feed with freshly prepared formula (keep the finished formula in the refrigerator for no more than 3 days). Before feeding, the mixture must be heated to a body temperature of 37-40 degrees. Keep your hands clean while feeding.

Unfortunately, artificial feeding does not always give the expected result, but you should not refuse it. As you gain experience, the results will be much better and your time and effort will be more than paid off. With the right approach and carrying out all procedures, the survival of rabbits, starting from 5 days of age, can reach 100%.

  • Author: Janis