The House Rabbit Society offers some advice to care for an orphaned or abandoned rabbits:
| Age of Baby Bunny | Amount to Feed |
| Newborn | 2.5 mL each feeding |
| 1 Week Old | 6-7 mL each feeding |
| 2 Weeks Old | 12-13 mL each feeding |
| 3-6 Weeks Old | 15 mL each feeding |
Which milk should you feed a baby rabbit?
What to Feed Baby Rabbits Without a Mother?
- Water. Water is essential for humans and animals alike. ...
- Replacement Milk Formulas. Baby bunnies rely on their mother’s milk. ...
- Goat Milk. Goat milk is a good replacement for formulas in case you’ve run out of powder milk or if you prefer that your bunny has a more natural diet.
- Homemade Replacement for Rabbit Milk. ...
What kind of Milk can you feed a baby rabbit?
- Week 1 and 2: only formula milk twice a day - at noon and the end of late afternoon.
- Week 3 and 4: formula milk and alfalfa hay concurrently.
- Week 5 to 7: formula milk and hay, reducing the amount of milk gradually so they wean onto solid food.
- Week 8: weaning so that you do not use any milk at all. ...
How often do the baby rabbits need to be feed?
How Often Do Baby Rabbits Eat? FEED TWICE A DAY ONLY for healthy babies, three times if low weight. It may be easiest to start with a 3 cc/ml syringe or an eyedropper. Feed only with the bunny sitting UPRIGHT, and point syringe down towards bottom or side of mouth, so if too much comes out, the baby does not aspirate.
What do you feed rabbits after giving birth?
You need to feed the litter two times a day. Newborn to 1-week rabbits require 2-2.5 cc/ml of milk formula, 1-2 weeks litter require 5-7 cc/ml milk formula, 2-3 weeks old litter require 7-13 cc/ml milk formula and 3-6 weeks old rabbit require 13-15 cc/ml milk twice a day. But try not to overfeed the rabbit.
What veg is good for pregnant rabbits?
Rabbits love romaine lettuce, bok choy, carrot tops, kohlrabi, cilantro, basil, watercress, and mustard and beet greens.
Do pregnant rabbits need more food?
What Should My Rabbit Eat While Pregnant? Make sure that your pregnant rabbit is eating enough food and water is basic rabbit care essentials. Because she is carrying more weight and will need to feed her babies this means a change to her diet.
What nutrients do pregnant rabbits need?
High-quality alfalfa pellets and alfalfa hay are best to feed during pregnancy, lactation, and growth. Pet rabbits need a high-fiber (18% to 22% DM), low-protein (12% to 16% DM) diet for maintenance.
How Much Should pregnant rabbits eat?
Nursing. Female rabbits nurse once daily, usually overnight, and the nursing period lasts for about 5 minutes in total. Does have 4 mammary glands, but may have more nipples in order to feed all their kits. The kits can drink up to 20% of their body weight at each feeding!
Should pregnant rabbits eat alfalfa hay?
The high levels of calcium, protein, fat, and fiber in alfalfa make it a great choice for these hungry little babies. You can also feed alfalfa hay to pregnant or nursing bunnies to give them the extra good stuff they need to raise their little ones.
Can pregnant rabbits eat carrots?
Healthy treats You can use part of their daily ration of greens, pellets or nuggets as treats and rewards during training. Carrots and apples are fine as occasional treats in small amounts, but don't feed any other treats, as these may harm your rabbit.
What rabbit food is high in protein?
If you are looking for a feed with more protein for meat-producing or breeding rabbits, then Purina® Rabbit Chow® Professional may be the choice for you. This is a nutrient-dense formula with 18% protein and at least 14.5% fiber.
What do you feed a nurse Doe?
A lactating doe should have free access to water and food. This includes fresh vegetables, pellets, and grass hays. Alfalfa hay should also be offered for increased calcium and protein, which will benefit the doe and kits.
Can you hold a pregnant rabbit?
6:077:20How to handle a pregnant rabbit safely. 3 tips. - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipYou really just come and you're quiet. And you hold them in such a manner that they're comfortableMoreYou really just come and you're quiet. And you hold them in such a manner that they're comfortable and that they are supported. She's a pretty happy pretty happy. Bunny.
Should a pregnant rabbit be alone?
To prevent your rabbit from getting pregnant again, separate the male and female immediately after the female's given birth, but make sure they can still see and smell each other to help maintain their bond.
How do you know when a rabbit is about to give birth?
A more rounded belly appearance may be seen. Pulling fur from the abdomen, sides and dewlap to line the nest can be seen a few hours before giving birth. Mood swings and not wanting to be held. Sometimes, very few or no changes are obvious until your rabbit gives birth.
Do rabbits eat less when pregnant?
A. A pregnant rabbit may seem to stop eating shortly before giving birth, or at least eat far less than usual. Part of the reason might be the pressure of her full abdomen on her stomach.
Should a pregnant rabbit be alone?
To prevent your rabbit from getting pregnant again, separate the male and female immediately after the female's given birth, but make sure they can still see and smell each other to help maintain their bond.
Why has my pregnant rabbit stopped eating?
The most common reason for a loss of appetite in rabbits is a gastrointestinal problem called ileus. Ileus occurs when normal peristalsis—the contractions in the intestines that push food through the gastrointestinal tract—decreases or stops.
How do you prepare a pregnant rabbit cage?
0:093:24How to prepare a rabbit nest box - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipNow I normally start with some pine shavings.MoreNow I normally start with some pine shavings.
What to feed a pregnant rabbit?
You should feed your pregnant rabbit natural green vegetables like carrot, alfalfa, celery, lettuce and cucumber which provides vitamins to your rabbit during their pregnancy.
Why do rabbits bloat when pregnant?
When you have a pregnant rabbit it needs more nutritional care because of increase in weight your rabbit also needs more calories to consume. You must provide the extra meal in small quantity once in a day otherwise feeding extra meals to your pet at once cause bloating and gas.
Why do rabbits drink water?
Always give your rabbit clean and fresh water during their pregnancy and clean the water bottles on a daily basis because water helps your rabbit in the milk production. Rabbits remain healthy, hydrated and their body function properly in the development of rabbit babies.
Can you feed rabbit pellets while pregnant?
In a case before pregnancy you feed your rabbit commercial pellets then you can continue feeding them same pellets during pregnancy, if you suddenly change the diet of your pet it will cause stress and discomfort in them therefor you can change your pet’s diet gradually.
How much should I feed my rabbit?
If she is larger than around six pounds, I would feed her 3/4 to 1 cup of feed per day. If she weighs less than about six pounds, I would feed her 1/2 cup of feed per day. You don't generally need to worry about the weight in ounces of the feed. Just start out with a certain amount and pay attention to her body condition. A protruding backbone or easy-to-feel boniness would mean she needs more to eat. If, however, she seems to become too fat (developing lots of folds of skin or a backbone that can't be felt), reduce her feed. A fat doe will have a harder time kindling.#N#Once she kindles, though, begin free feeding her, as she'll need more calories to produce plenty of milk.
How to help a baby kitten with fat?
During pregnancy, give her her normal amount of food, but decrease it if you notice she is getting to fat. Extra fat can complicate kindling. Once the litter is born, give her free choice feed.
How to help a rabbit during pregnancy?
You want to help your rabbit stay stress free so they can have a successful pregnancy. Handle with care: Avoid handling your rabbit if you don’t have to. When you do need to hold your rabbit, be extra gentle and careful, to avoid hurting her.
How to help a bunny that is lactating?
Hold your rabbit with her belly up, and gently put some pressure against her nipples. A clear or milky fluid should be released. If the mother is not lactating, bring her to your rabbit savvy vet immediately. Your vet will be able to provide instructions and medication to help your rabbit lactate and feed her babies.
How to tell if a bunny is pregnant?
How to know if your rabbit is pregnant: 1 More aggressive and territorial: Sometimes female rabbits will start to become more aggressive and territorial only a few days after they’ve become impregnated. If your rabbit suddenly starts swiping and growling at you, or has become an overall grumpy rabbit, this is a sign she is pregnant. 2 Feel the rabbit’s torso: The most sure way to know if a rabbit is pregnant is by gently feeling their belly after 10-14 days. Place your hand underneath their belly and lift up to gently feel for any small grape-sized lumps. 3 Digging: Some rabbits will start to try to dig intensely into the corners of their enclosure a couple of weeks into the pregnancy. This comes from their wild burrowing instincts to dig a new nest for their babies. 4 Nesting behaviors and fur pulling: Towards the end of their pregnancy (sometimes even on the last day), rabbits will usually start to get frantic about building a nest. They’ll gather hay in their mouth to move to a nesting location, and they’ll pluck fur from their dewlap and their chest to line their nest. 5 Baby bunny kicking: In the final days of the pregnancy, you may notice little jumps in the mother rabbit’s sides as the little babies move around in her tummy.
What happens if a rabbit is having a false pregnancy?
When a rabbit is having a false pregnancy, they will become moody and exhibit nesting behaviors even though there are no babies on the way.
How many babies do rabbits have in a year?
So if their mating is left unchecked, a pair of rabbits could potentially have 12 litters of 1-14 baby bunnies in a year. That’s a lot of baby bunnies!
How long does it take for a rabbit to be pregnant?
Rabbits have a gestation period of about 31 days. During the early stages of pregnancy, you probably won’t notice many differences in your rabbit. However, as the pregnancy progresses, your rabbit will likely exhibit some territorial and nesting behavior. You may also notice some physical changes in your rabbit during this time period.
What happens if a bunny has a litter of kittens?
Once your rabbit gives birth to her litter of kittens (baby bunnies are called kittens), you’ll want to keep an eye on them and make sure the mother is taking care of the babies. This is especially true if you have a young rabbit mother. Young rabbits are more likely to be confused and abandon their babies. Their bodies also might not develop correctly, causing them to not lactate.
How Long Are Rabbits Pregnant – Rabbit Gestation Period
The gestation period is the time between when your rabbit mated and when she gives birth which is called kindling. A rabbit’s pregnancy, and gestation period, last for 28 to 32 days, with the average being 30 days. [Source]
Rabbit Breeding Age
Small or dwarf breed female rabbits can reach sexual maturity as young as 3 months old, while larger breeds of rabbits take longer to reach sexual maturity. Medium-sized female rabbit breeds can reach sexual maturity as early as 4 months, and giant-sized breeds as early as 5 months.
14 Signs That Your Rabbit Is Pregnant
Let’s start with the earliest signs that you might see when your rabbit is pregnant and work our way to the last signs you’ll see before it’s actually time for your rabbit to give birth to her bunnies.
What Time Of Day Do Rabbits Give Birth?
The physical act of giving birth is called parturition and for most rabbits birth usually takes place in the morning and lasts less than 30 minutes. When the entire litter has been born, the doe pulls more fur from her body to cover the litter in its nest. [Source]
Pregnant Rabbit Signs Of Labor
The most obvious sign that your rabbit is going into labor is building a nest complete with her own fur. This normally happens one to two days before birth. As actual labor begins, your rabbit will spend more time in her nest, and usually be facing the back of the nest which is unusual for most rabbits.
Other Rabbit Pregnancy Expert Resources
My name is Stacey Davis and my family has kept rabbits for decades. Here on RabbitPros.com we share our love of rabbits, our experience, and lots of research to help you enjoy your pet bunny even more.
