what to feed young rabbit

by Miracle Corkery Published 3 years ago Updated 2 years ago

Young rabbits, under approximately 7-8 months old, should be fed alfalfa pellets and alfalfa hay free-choice; they need the extra protein and calcium as they grow. They, too, can have a variety of vegetables.

What should I feed my 8 week old rabbit?

What quantities of food should I feed babies and “teenagers”?Birth to 3 weeks–mother's milk (tips for orphan feeding)3 to 4 weeks–mother's milk, nibbles of alfalfa and pellets.4 to 7 weeks–mother's milk, access to alfalfa and pellets.7 weeks to 7 months–unlimited pellets, unlimited hay (plus see 12 weeks below)More items...

What vegetables can baby rabbits eat?

Leafy greens, except lettuce, are best for rabbits for example dandelion leaves, carrot tops, kale, spinach, spring greens, raspberry/blackberry leaves and herbs such as parsley and basil. For young rabbits first introduction to greens it's best to avoid fruits, though these can be introduced as treats later.

What do you feed a 4 week old rabbit?

4:2111:37Bunny Update - 4 Weeks Old + Baby Bunny Care - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipFood. There's an adult complete formula. And then an adult professional formula for bunnies they eatMoreFood. There's an adult complete formula. And then an adult professional formula for bunnies they eat a lot of hay. And don't need the hay in the food so much. But other than hay. And pellets and then

Can baby bunnies eat bananas?

Do not feed bananas (or any fruit or vegetable) to rabbits under 3 months old. Add leafy vegetables before fruits to a growing rabbit's diet. Add fruits gradually to your rabbit's diet and do not introduce bananas with another fruit, such as pumpkin flesh. Offer moderation as bananas are rich in sugar and starch.

Can a baby rabbit eat carrots?

Can Baby Rabbits Eat Carrots? You can feed carrots to your baby rabbit once they are over three months old. Always introduce new foods slowly, so their gut bacteria can adapt to them. Sudden dietary changes can cause sickness or diarrhea resulting in a visit to the vet.

When can baby rabbits start eating vegetables?

about three monthsBy about three months you can begin to introduce a wide range of vegetables. If you introduce them one by one, you'll be able to tell which ones are digested more easily and which ones aren't . You should feed your rabbit three different kinds of fresh vegetables a day.

What do you feed a baby rabbit without a mother?

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.

Can 3 week old rabbits eat cabbage?

NEVER give your rabbit lettuce OR celery or cabbage or other watery items. They are small beings and can die because of diarhea because of too much water.

Can you feed baby rabbits vegetables?

Juveniles: Between weaning and 7 months of age, the young rabbit can have an unlimited amount of pellets and alfalfa hay. At 3 months of age, start introducing small amounts of vegetables into your rabbit's diet. Introduce one vegetable at a time.

At what age can baby rabbits eat vegetables?

Can baby rabbits eat fresh vegetables?

In addition to hay, rabbits enjoy fresh fruit and vegetables and specialist pellets. The former must be offered sparingly. Too many vegetables can cause a stomach upset. Pellets are also optional once a rabbit reaches adulthood.

Can 4 week old bunnies eat vegetables?

They should not be fully weaned until they are 8 weeks old. Once the kittens are about 3 or 4 weeks old, they will start exploring a little bit around the nest area. At this point, it will be okay to start introducing solid foods into their diet.

What do rabbits need to eat?

You may need to adjust your rabbit’s diet as they get older, but they will still need access to all the basics: hay, leafy greens, water, and some pellets.

How old do baby rabbits have to be to eat?

Baby rabbit diet. Baby bunnies, also called kittens, should not be weaned off of their mother’s milk until they are about 8 weeks, or 2 months, of age. These tiny bunnies need the high concentration of fat and protein that is found in rabbit milk so that they can grow up big and strong.

What does it mean when a rabbit poops?

Rabbits also poop little, soft clusters called cecotropes that rabbits should reingest. If you notice a lot of these around uneaten, it may mean your rabbit is not eating enough hay. Bodyweight. While you are petting your rabbit, check to make sure they have a healthy amount of fat as they grow.

How old are bunnies when they are separated from their mother?

Young rabbits (2-6 months) Once a young rabbit reaches 2 months old, they should be separated from their mother and have a diet of all solid food. However, they will still have a diet that differs from adult rabbits. These bunnies are still growing a lot!

Why do rabbits eat hay?

Hay should be a large portion of your rabbit’s diet because it promotes good digestion and healthy teeth. It’s not going to make up as large a percentage of the diet as it does for adult rabbits, but you still want to make sure your young bunny is munching on hay every day.

How do you know if a rabbit is active?

It’s easy to tell when a rabbit is active when they zoom and binky around the room , but that’s not the only way to know your rabbit is happy and content in your home. You can watch your rabbit's...

Why are babies banned from bunnies?

There are many states in the U.S. that even ban the sale of rabbits under 2 months because of the danger it poses to the newborn rabbit.

How old do baby rabbits have to be to eat hay?

The diet of baby rabbits adjusts steadily as they grow. They’ll start eating solid hay at around 2 weeks of age. This will be supplemented by milk from their mother, though. By the time they reach 4 weeks, baby rabbits eat pellets and hay. Feed alfalfa hay to a baby rabbit.

What to do before bringing a baby bunny home?

Before you even bring your rabbit home, you should pull together a shopping list. Healthy food for baby rabbits is pivotal, so don’t make any best guesses after their arrival. You’ll need to buy hay in advance. Prioritize alfalfa hay, but get some traditional meadow hay too.

What do bunnies eat?

Rabbits love sweet tastes, so they enjoy berries, raisins, parsnips, and carrots. Their bodies are not designed to process carbs, though. A rabbit can enjoy a tablespoon of fresh fruit and vegetables for every 2 lbs. of their body weight. Again, an overweight rabbit should not receive any fruit and veg for a while.

What to do if your baby bunny refuses to eat?

This is often easier said than done. Seek professional help to ensure your bunny is sufficiently nourished.

What is the best food for a baby bunny?

Their diet needs to reflect this fact. Ensuring that your baby rabbit is sufficiently nourished will mean healthy bones and muscle mass into adulthood. Hay and water are essential foods.

How old should a baby bunny be to eat vegetables?

When bringing home a baby rabbit, learn what fresh food their mother enjoyed. Once the bunny reached 4 weeks of age, they would have nibbled on these vegetables too. Their stomachs will be able to cope with them in small doses. Fresh vegetables will also help a young rabbit manage the size of their teeth.

Why is hay important for bunnies?

This is because a rabbit’s digestive tract is engineered to process the fiber found in grass. There are several different types of hay available, each with slightly different qualities.

What is the best diet for a young rabbit?

Ideal diet for young rabbits. The diet of young rabbits and adults is very similar. Hay is the most important component and this is supplemented with dry food (pellets) and fresh foods. There are a few extra considerations for young rabbits though.

What are some good foods for rabbits?

How long do baby rabbits eat?

Baby rabbits' diet. Like all mammals rabbit's initial diet is their mother's milk, which they'll continue to drink until 6-8 weeks old. They first start nibbling on solids (usually hay from around the nest) between 2-3 weeks and by 3-4 they'll be eating the same foods as their mum (plus milk). As rabbits are weaning between 6-8 weeks their ...

What to feed a rabbit to help it digest?

Grass hay (e.g. meadow or timothy) is the one food you should introduce from the start, even if your rabbit isn't already eating it. This is the gentlest food on the gut and will provide the fibre needed for the digestive process to function.

What to do when you get a rabbit?

When you get a rabbit you should ask exactly what food your baby has been eating and make sure you get a supply of the same brand food to start you off. In most cases it will do less harm to continue temporarily with a bad diet e.g. low quality pellets or mix, rather than make a sudden change to a 'good' diet.

How long do rabbits stay with their mother?

As rabbits are weaning between 6-8 weeks their digestive system is adjusting from milk to adult solids, which is a particularly sensitive time and why rabbits should stay with their mother for a minimum of 8 weeks. If your rabbit is younger than 8 weeks: one, never get a rabbit from that source again they shouldn't be selling them, and two, ...

How long does it take for a rabbit to change food?

Changes to dry food brands or varieties need to be done gradually over 7-10 days, by gradually reducing the amount of old food and increasing the new. If you have enough of the old food, it's a good idea to allow your rabbit to settle in before making a change, even if the old food isn't great quality.

How to feed a baby bunny?

But don’t forget, start with baby steps. At the beginning, the little bunny will start nibbling on them so feed him just a few straws and pellets.

How long can a baby rabbit have milk?

Until 3 weeks: only milk. Until 3 weeks old, feed your baby rabbit only with his mother’s milk or other replacement milk (the most caloric milk from the pet store). There are more things to consider when you have such a little bunny, therefore, you better contact your vet.

How long does it take for rabbits to eat vegetables?

After 12 weeks, you can start feeding vegetables. From 12 weeks on you can introduce vegetables, one at a time. Gut bacteria needs time to adapt. Check the rabbit’s droppings and if you find them changing stop feeding him that vegetable.

Do bunnies like smooth changes?

Bunnies can have quite affectionate personalities. Don’t forget that rabbits prefer smooth changes, therefore, offer him this “luxury”. Dedicate him a lot of time and warmth, particularly during this growing period. Everything will work just fine for your growing buddy. Tags what do baby bunnies eat what do baby rabbits eat what do you feed ...

Do rabbits eat the same food as adults?

Young rabbits eat, you guessed it, almost the same kinds of food as adult rabbits do . However, there are a few dietary needs to consider. Their bodies are growing and their fragile and developing digestive system is a bit sensitive to big changes: environment, food, or even attachment.

What do baby rabbits need?

Baby rabbits require a lot of attention to food. For wild rabbits, people face many difficulties. What to feed them becomes an important question. well, the wild rabbit needs to have constant access to hay, water, and green foods.

How to feed a baby rabbit?

You need to follow some simple steps to feed the baby rabbit: You need to take the baby rabbit at your hand but make sure you don’t turn them with their belly up. Just provide them the stance of a rabbit mother so that they can suck the syringe. Take the tip of the syringe near the baby rabbit’s mouth.

How to get milk out of a baby rabbit?

But do not enter the syringe inside the baby rabbits’ mouth. You will need to push the syringe when you need to pull out some milk. But make sure the milk doesn’t squirt out. You need to place it near the litter so that it can sense of smell the milk.

How old should a rabbit be to eat hay?

You should provide the young rabbit fresh hay on a regular basis. When a young rabbit is just 3 weeks old, it can feed on hay. If your rabbit’s age is less than 7 months, you can provide them alfalfa hay. You need to provide hay in order to keep the litter healthy.

Why is my bunny not having a mother?

Well, there may be a lot of reason for the rabbit to not have a mother. The mother rabbit may have died, or have run off in the wild. You are now adopting the baby bunny. At first, you may face confusion in how you should feed the bunny. We have a solution.

When to give alfalfa hay to a litter?

In the week 3 and 4, you can administer alfalfa hay along with the milk formula. When the litter reaches the age of week 5-7, you need to reduce the amount of formula milk and start introducing it to solid food such as hay, vegetable, and fruits. When the litter is 8 weeks old, completely reduce formula milk.

Why do rabbits need pellets?

Pellets play a crucial role in providing nutrients to the young rabbit. They ensure proper weight gain. Proper food pellets must be high in fiber, and nutritional balance is also crucial. But overfeeding is not good.

How old do bunnies have to be to wean?

Depending on what type of rabbit you have, she will wean at anywhere from 3 – 4 weeks of age to 9 weeks of age. Domestic rabbits wean at about 6 weeks.

How often do rabbits feed their kittens?

Mother rabbits feed their kittens about twice a day and only for five minutes. The babies also do not need the mother to keep them warm. If the babies do not seem distressed, even if the mother is away from them a lot, the mother is likely just taking a break and you should not interfere. [1]

How long should a baby rabbit urinate?

This helps keep their intestinal tract and urinary system healthy and running smoothly. You only need to stimulate defecation and urination for the first 10 days of a baby rabbit’s life, or until their eyes are open.

What is a baby rabbit?

Baby rabbits are small, sweet and furry animals that can require a lot of care. Whether you find a nest of orphaned babies, which are also called kittens, or your pet rabbit has rejected her babies, you may need to feed the rabbits to help them thrive.

How to keep baby bunnies hydrated?

Baby bunnies can drown in deep dishes filled with water. Fill a shallow dish with a small amount of water and place it in the corner of the box. Clean and refill the water dish frequently. This can not only help your baby rabbits stay hydrated, but can also help ensure that the water doesn’t harbor any bacteria.

Can you add sugar free whipping cream to KMR?

You can supplement each can of KMR with one tablespoon of sugar-free 100% heavy whipping cream to increase the calories and mimic the rich mother’s milk. You can also supplement the KMR by adding a bit of acidophilus to the formula. This can help baby rabbits maintain healthy intestinal bacteria.

Can you feed a baby rabbit at its own pace?

Allow the kitten to eat at its own pace. It’s essential that you let baby rabbits to feed at their own speed. Not doing so can suffocate or kill the kitten. The baby may suckle the syringe and you can gently squirt a small amount of formula as they want it.

What to feed baby bunnies?

These include dandelion leaves, carrot tops, kale, spinach, spring greens, raspberry/blackberry leaves, and herbs. You could even treat your baby bunny to a little meshed salad of all of the above.

What is the gentlest food for bunnies?

Because this is the gentlest food on the gut and will provide the fiber needed for the digestive process to function properly and consistently. There’s something called alfalfa, it’s also a fantastic option for developing bunnies. It looks like chopped up hay but is made from lucerne rather than grass.

How much protein does a baby bunny need?

It’s a known bunny fact that baby rabbits have higher protein requirements to support their growth, so whilst an adult requires dry food consisting of around 12-14% protein, for a baby rabbit needs more like 16% protein to develop properly.

What is the first step in feeding a baby bunny?

The first step in feeding a baby bunny is creating a home for the bunny. You might have a built-in home to harbor the new arrivals but to be honest, the best homes are created by the pregnant bunnies.

What do rabbits need to grow?

1. Hay. No matter how old a rabbit is, it needs hay for proper growth and development. So don’t hesitate to stock up on hay. Like adults, hay plays a vital role in a young rabbit’s diet. Ensure you introduce grass hay to their diet as soon as possible.

Why do bunnies secretly feed their babies?

Due to the presence of potential predators and an in-built survival trait, bunny mothers would resort to secret feeding to protect their young. That’s why you think that they leave their babies in the lurch and don’t bother to feed them.

How long do baby rabbits need to be fed?

One good thing about baby rabbits is that they only need one feeding to last them the complete twenty-four hours. As a result, the mother would waltz in and out, ensuring that the baby gets all the feeding it needs during that short period. Even if she sleeps, she might do it with her eyes open.

Why do bunnies feed their babies?

A mother’s milk is packed with the necessary nutrients that feeding once is more than enough for the little bun. The feeding normally occurs at night to help protect the babies. The mother rabbit can be seen away from the nest during the day which is why it is important ...

How many ccm/ml for a baby?

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. At first, they may only take a few drops at one feeding until they are not stressed and used to this.

How long does it take for a baby to open his eyes?

(Except Jackrabbits do not). *See how to below. 2-3 weeks : 7-13 cc/ml each feeding (two feedings). Domestic eyes open at about 10 days of age.

How long does it take for a jackrabbit to get formula?

6 weeks-9weeks for Jackrabbits only, continue up to 9 weeks with formula, gradually changing to a dish for the warm formula, replacing the formula after 9 weeks slowly with a a dish of cup-up tiny banana or apple pieces. To read more on how to take care of an orphaned rabbit, read the full article from here.

What do wild rabbits eat?

A wild rabbit’s diet varies on the temperature they are living in. When the temperature is warmer, their diet consists of: clover, flowers, grasses and other plants that grow in that temperature. When the temperature is cooler, their diet becomes more sparse including: twigs, bark and remaining greens. Sounds very different from the Timothy Hay and ...

Can a baby bunny be seen alone?

The mother rabbit can be seen away from the nest during the day which is why it is important to leave babies in nests alone unless you are confident that the mother has either abandoned the nest for good or has died. So needing to take care of a wild baby rabbit is rare, very rare.

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.