Newborn rabbits are small, fragile and defenseless creatures that need care and attention.

Further performance indicators of the livestock and the feasibility of its breeding will depend on how the young animals grow and develop.

Let's figure out how to properly care for rabbits and what to feed them.

Preparing for birth

You should definitely be well prepared for the appearance of rabbits. As a rule, in females it lasts about one month. Previously, a week before the expected birth, the female rabbit begins preparing for it: she tears out the fur and fluff, takes them to one of the corners of the cage to create a nest.
From this moment on, you should monitor the rabbit very carefully.

The breeder himself needs to arrange a place for newborns:

• install a queen cell for rabbits, quite spacious, but closed on all sides;
• Lay bedding material on the bottom of the container, which can be hay, straw, or soft sawdust.

A few days before giving birth, it is recommended for the female to trim her claws so that she cannot harm the babies. After the rabbits are born, they should be checked with great care so as not to cause aggression in the female, otherwise she may abandon the newborns.

What do newborn rabbits look like?

The cubs are born approximately 28–31 days after the female is fertilized. The birth process lasts differently: from 10 minutes to 1 hour. In most cases, a healthy female does not require outside help when lambing, however, she should be provided with absolute peace and quiet.

Important! During childbirth, the female needs a lot of fluid. If it is “deprived” of water, it is capable of throwing babies around or even injuring them.

Newborn rabbits look very cute and extremely helpless in appearance. They are completely devoid of fur, and they also lack vision and hearing. In the first days of life, babies resemble little pink lumps with tiny and delicate paws.

Stages of development

Despite the fact that newborn rabbits look very helpless in the first days of their lives, they grow quite quickly, and already on the second day they begin to acquire fur, and after 10 days they open their eyes.

Growth dynamics

Baby rabbits are born, depending on the breed, weighing from 40 to 70 g. Since rabbit milk has a high fat content (16–22%) and contains a large amount of nutrients, just 10 days after birth, babies triple their body weight.

If rabbits receive the required amount of milk and useful components, then their weight in one month is:

• white downy rabbits - 400 g;
• - 500 g;
• and - 700 g.

Rabbits stop gaining weight by 8–10 months. By this period, their growth also stops.

Vision and hearing

Rabbits are born without hearing or vision. After a week (7-8 days) they begin to hear. And after another 3-4 days, the eyes gradually open, and the rabbits become more independent and confident. Normally, the eyes should open 10–14 days after giving birth.
In some cases, this process may take longer. If the eyes do not open at the proper time, you should check them for the presence of purulent discharge that is preventing physical opening. If there is pus, it is washed out with saline.

Hairline

Already on the second day after birth, hair begins to form on the rabbits’ bodies. The first fluff is noticeable on the third day, and by the end of the second week the fur increases in size to 5–6 mm.

The process of primary hair growth is completed after 30 days. After this, age-related molting begins, during which the primary fur changes to secondary.

Teeth

It is noteworthy that rabbits are born with 16 teeth, since the process of laying milk teeth begins in the womb of the female. From the 18th day of life, baby teeth are gradually replaced by molars. This process is completed by the 30th day. An adult rabbit normally has 28 teeth.

Important! Rabbits' incisor teeth grow throughout their lives, so it is very important to provide the animals with a sufficient amount of roughage that allows them to grind down their incisors.

Leaving the nest

Soon after the baby rabbits open their eyes, at 16–20 days they begin to leave the nesting site. During this period, breeders perform the first examination of the babies: they check the weight, condition of the eyes and ears.
It is also recommended that when the rabbits leave, they clean the queen cell, change the bedding to dry and fresh, and remove excess garbage and animal waste products.

Separation of offspring from mother

The timing of weaning the offspring from the mother is determined by the breeder himself.

Important! In order to reduce stress in rabbits after weaning, foods rich in B vitamins are added to their diet.

There are three types of weaning:

• early - on the 30–35th day after birth;
• average - on the 40–45th day;
• late - on the 60th day.

The advantage of early weaning is the fact that the female can be quickly put back into production. However, with such early weaning, babies experience problems with the digestive system due to a lack of valuable components present in breast milk. At later stages, such a negative effect is not observed.

When do you start eating on your own?

At the age of 20 days, the process of feeding the rabbits begins.

Important! New foods should be introduced into children's diets with great caution, while carefully monitoring the body's reaction. If there are negative reactions, it is better to avoid this food for a while.

Despite the fact that they are still suckling, they can already be given finely chopped carrots, grass pellets, small fresh hay, and sprouted grains.
From the age of thirty days, rabbits begin to feed on their own. Gradually, by two months, they switch to adult food.

How to feed a newborn rabbit if the female refuses

A fairly common situation is the refusal of a female rabbit to give up her offspring.

There may be several reasons for this:

• lack of milk from the female;
• stress caused by childbirth;
• pain in the nipples when feeding;
• hormonal imbalance.

If such a situation occurs, then the babies are transferred to artificial feeding. First of all, the baby rabbits are placed in a separate nest.
Complementary feeding begins with the use of milk formula, which is prepared from:

• skimmed milk powder - 50%;
• whey protein or egg yolk - 30–32%;
• sunflower or coconut oils - 10–12%;
• vitamin supplements or minerals - the rest.

Did you know? Beginning breeders sometimes feel that the female, after giving birth to her babies, does not pay special attention to them and does not show the necessary care. However, this is not so, the whole point is that the female rabbit takes care of the cubs at night. This is due to the fact that in natural conditions they distract the attention of predators in this way: during the daytime they practically do not approach the offspring, and at night they provide full care for them.

Before feeding, the mixture should be heated to a comfortable temperature - +37–38 °C. Nutrition is given to the baby using a pipette or medical syringe. It is not recommended to replace mother's milk unnecessarily, because it allows the rabbits to fully develop and receive all the substances necessary for growth.

The milk formula can be replaced with goat milk, which is closest in composition to rabbit milk, or with specialized formulas for rabbits, kittens or puppies.

Important! In order to facilitate the process of defecation in babies, the female licks their anus. Therefore, if the mother refused the rabbits, then the breeder should massage the hole.

You can determine whether an animal is full by its condition: it becomes calm, quiet, its tummy is smooth and without characteristic folds. Small rabbits require about 4–5 ml of milk or formula per day, which is divided into 2–3 doses.
It is very important to avoid overeating as it can be hazardous to your health. As the baby grows, the daily portion of food is increased.

Possible problems when breeding young animals

When raising young rabbits, some problems and unforeseen situations may arise, for which breeders must be prepared in advance.

Why do newborn rabbits die?

Childbirth for a rabbit, like for any other living creature, is a strong shock. Therefore, during the birth process, unpleasant situations may occur associated with the death of newborns.

In order to understand why babies die, you should examine their bodies:

• if damage is found on the abdomen, then most likely, while the female was gnawing the umbilical cord, she touched the small body too deeply with her sharp teeth;
• damage to the head may indicate that after birth the female was unable to free the baby from the shell and caught the excess;
• if damage to the limbs is found, then most likely, while the baby was moving along the birth canal, the female grabbed his limbs with her teeth.

It should be remembered that rabbits have very strong and sharp teeth, due to which they can often damage rabbits during the first birth. Typically, subsequent births are less traumatic and females show themselves as experienced, caring mothers.

Did you know? There is an opinion that females are capable of eating rabbits. However, according to scientists, cannibalism among animals is a myth. Rabbits are herbivores, and females may chew their babies when gnawing the umbilical cord or in order to help them get out of the womb.

Baby rabbits squeak

Healthy, well-fed baby rabbits behave very peacefully, quietly and calmly. Therefore, any excessive activity and squeaks should alert the breeder. As a rule, the main reason for this behavior is hunger.

To make sure your rabbit is malnourished, you should conduct a visual inspection. A well-fed baby has a rounded tummy, warm and smooth skin.

Cold skin, folds in the skin and a retracted abdomen indicate that the mother is not providing sufficient nutrition and warmth. In such cases, it is necessary to adjust the diet of the rabbit herself. Also, if the female does not show aggression, you can try placing the babies on the nipples.

Why do babies leave the nest early?

Usually, baby rabbits make their first exit from the nest at the age of two weeks. By this time, their hearing is already well developed and their eyes have fully opened. But sometimes the rabbits begin to leave the queen cell even earlier.
And the reasons for this may be:

• lack of milk in the mother, which leads to the fact that the babies remain hungry and begin to crawl around the cage in search of food;
• mastitis in a female rabbit, in the presence of which, the female does not allow the babies to touch the nipples due to severe pain;
• accidental removal of the baby rabbit by the mother when he grabbed the nipple while feeding.

If the reason for the early exit from the family house is regular malnutrition, then it is necessary to place the strongest rabbits in a separate place and provide them with artificial nutrition. The smallest and weakest babies are left with their mother.

Is it possible to touch baby rabbits with your hands?

The birth of rabbits and their care is a natural process that, as a rule, takes place without human intervention. And the less breeders interfere with it, the better for future offspring. It is not recommended to handle baby rabbits unnecessarily.

But, if for some reason this cannot be avoided, then precautions should be taken:

• if possible, handle babies with rubber or plastic gloves to hide the human smell;
• if you don’t have gloves, then you can rub your hands with fluff taken from the mother liquor or wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water.

After examining the baby rabbits, it is recommended to carefully rub them with hay and mother's down from the nest, and put them back. After 15 minutes, the female can be returned to the cage.

As the babies grow, the rabbit will react more calmly to the presence of a person.

Raising rabbits at home is hard and responsible work, on which the health and full development of the future generation will largely depend.

Fortunately, young rabbits grow quickly, become stronger, gain strength, and after two months they become completely independent and able to live without the care of their mother.

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Rabbits are nervous animals for which childbirth is another stress. If a young mother gives birth for the first time, the risk of loss or marriage increases. At home, an attentive and experienced owner will help in preserving the offspring. The size of the future herd depends on the correct actions and knowledge of the breeder.

Rabbit with rabbits

After childbirth

Before leaving pregnancy, the female rabbit makes a nest in a cage or enclosure in which the cubs will be born and grow up. She plucks her down and uses it and bedding material (shavings, hay) to build a warm house.

It is better to immediately isolate the female from male rabbits (so that she does not become pregnant again immediately after the birth of the offspring). Trim her nails before giving birth to prevent them from injuring the cubs. When it's time to give birth, check the nest often, but carefully, without disturbing the female rabbit. When you see newborns, follow these steps:

• remove the droppings and count them;
• remove dead or defective ones;
• return the young to their mother.

Rabbits are born without hair, with their eyes closed and deaf, but already with 16 milk teeth. On the second day, the fur begins to break through, and on the tenth day, vision appears. Follow the rules of communication with your family:

• make sure that the rabbits are not disturbed, check the nest once a day;
• monitor the hygiene of the room and the absence of drafts;
• some females behave aggressively - do not irritate them, do not look at them too often;
• if the mother rabbit is scared, she will crush the babies, so move the cage to a quiet place, away from sources of noise and harsh light.

Newborn rabbits

Lactation

See if their mother feeds them. In hungry specimens, the skin forms folds, and they weaken from dehydration. They squeak and worry. To temporarily support sugar levels in the body, give them a drop of jam or molasses. Well-fed newborn rabbits acquire rounded outlines, the thin skin on the belly becomes stretched and slightly translucent.

Check to see if the female has lost her milk. The nipples swell and there is no hair around them, making it easier for the rabbits to get to food. If you press on the nipples or massage lightly, milk will appear. In this case, lactation is normal.

Leave the family for another day (the mother rabbit feeds the offspring once a day). If after 24 hours nothing has changed and she still does not feed, take the litter and give it to another female or feed the young rabbits yourself. The behavior of the female rabbit differs from the behavior of other feeding species. It looks like she doesn’t care or look after them, she’s on the sidelines. The mother communicates with the cubs mainly at night, which the owner does not see. Beginning rabbit breeders think that the rabbits are unattended and take the offspring from the nest.

A female rabbit feeds her offspring at night

Refusal of offspring

If the queen refuses to feed and care for the cubs, among the reasons for this behavior, rabbit breeders name:

• physiology (lack of milk);
• stress (due to stillbirths or illnesses);
• changes in hormonal levels, state of excitement on the eve of childbirth or immediately after.

In the latter case, having noticed the female rabbit's heat, isolate the offspring from her for several hours or arrange mating for her.

After mating, the hormonal level returns to normal, and the maternal instinct turns on.

If this does not happen, seek help from a veterinarian (within 48 hours after birth). He will inject her with oxytocin, a drug that stimulates the activity of the mammary glands.

If the female rabbit refuses her babies, she needs to be shown to a veterinarian

Artificial feeding and care

To feed the litter, the following milk formula is used:

• 250 g milk;
• chicken egg yolk;
• molasses – 1 tsp;
• vitamins in liquid form - 1-2 drops.

It is better for rabbits to eat from a container for nose drops or a pipette, through a piece of felted cotton wool (or an ear stick). This reproduces the mother's nipple. Feed carefully to prevent them from choking or choking, every 4 to 8 hours. When they are satisfied, lightly massage their abdomen in the genital area. This stimulates the excretion of feces and urine (the female rabbit licks the droppings while feeding).

Young rabbits left by their mother are kept in a separate box. Wrap a warm water bottle in a towel and place the babies on it. Then simple rabbit fluff will be enough for them.

Abandoned rabbits should be placed in a separate box

Height

At birth, rabbits weigh from 40 to 80 g. Under favorable feeding and maintenance conditions, the weight doubles within six days, and three weeks after birth it grows 6 times. Thirty-day-old rabbits weigh from 250 to 300 g.

By the end of the second week, lactation decreases, the baby rabbits leave the nest and learn to eat food. Give them food that contains protein and vitamins (bran, carrots, add baby food). By the end of the third week, the coat has formed with proper maintenance and development. Always monitor the hygiene of the premises and give the mother rabbit green, succulent food.

The baby rabbits stay with their mother and drink milk until they are at least a month old. Further development depends on milk: it is a dense, nutritious product that contains vitamins and minerals. Until this time, it is not recommended to separate the offspring from the female rabbit: such livestock will grow up weakened, with unstable immunity, and the productivity of the herd will decrease. Leave the family together until the cubs are 4-6 weeks old.

When they are older, move the mother to another cage and leave them in the old one to reduce stress. At this age, they are already accustomed to adult food (succulent food, special mixtures, oatmeal jelly). Avoid rough food, feed 5 times a day. After they are one and a half to two months old, the litter can be sold or prepared for slaughter.

They are very caring mothers, but there are situations when they abandon their babies, and then all responsibility for the health of the babies falls on the hands of their owner. If you are a beginning farmer, you need to know all the nuances concerning the life of small fluffy balls, starting from the first days of life.

Pregnancy and childbirth of a rabbit

The average female pregnancy lasts 30 days; there are cases when birth occurs on days 28–35. The period depends on the type of breed, the age of the female, the number of litters and cubs. During this period, the female is provided with the right conditions for the development of pregnancy and a nest is equipped for newborns.

It is very important to create a favorable environment for the expectant mother. She needs peace, quiet, increased nutrition, and insulation of her home. Closer to childbirth, the female becomes restless, it is difficult for her to move, she lies down more, plucks fluff from her belly and chest, arranging a nest for the babies.

Childbirth usually occurs in the morning or evening. The female licks the newborns, gnaws the umbilical cord and eats the afterbirth. All rabbits are good, caring mothers who have enough milk to feed the entire litter. The female gives birth on her own, but if problems arise, you should seek help from a veterinarian. Childbirth takes place quickly and takes from 10 minutes to 1 hour, sometimes a little longer, it depends on the number and size of the babies.

It is very important to create comfortable conditions for the female rabbit during the birthing period:

• Availability of clean boiled water; in case of lack of water, she can eat the offspring.
• Balanced nutritious diet.
• A warm nest without drafts and an air temperature of at least 18 degrees.
• Silence, calm and lack of bright lighting.

Arrangement of the nest

A more spacious cage is allocated in which the queen cell can be placed, and there will be a place for active little rabbits. The queen cell is placed in the far part of the enclosure, insulate with clean soft hay, fabric, sawdust and the mother’s faded wool. Hard straw is not suitable; it can damage the delicate skin of babies. The walls can be made of chipboard or thin boards to keep it warm and avoid drafts. During this period, it is very important to create favorable conditions for newborns and the mother rabbit.

Newborn examination

After giving birth, the long-eared one gets out of the nest to eat and drink, then her access back to the queen cell is blocked and the babies are examined. The inspection is carried out extremely carefully, trying not to leave any odor; before doing this, you should thoroughly wash your hands with water without soap. Rabbits can be touched, but very carefully.

Experienced queens independently cull stillborns, but this rarely happens.

Why an inspection is necessary:

Appearance of babies

Small rabbits can look unusual, being completely hairless, blind, deaf and tiny in size. Their body is thin, wrinkled, red or pink, the ears are small, the head is not proportional to the body, and there are white, rather sharp claws. Despite the lack of fur, newborns already have 16 baby teeth. During this period, they especially need care, because rabbits are absolutely helpless.

If the rabbit has given birth for the first time, it is worth monitoring how she behaves, whether she feeds the babies and how she takes care of them.

Development of baby rabbits by day

First day The babies are completely bald, they don’t see or hear anything. But by nature they are given a fairly high speed of development, so already on the third day they acquire downy “plumage”, which thickens every day. The weight of newborns is approximately 40−70 g; if the uterus has a lot of milk, then the weight gains quickly. Like all babies, during the first days the cubs eat their mother's milk and sleep a lot, huddled together. The rabbit constantly licks the babies, at the same time calming and caring for them.

On the second day The baby's weight becomes twice what it was at birth. The main responsibility for the health of the cubs during this period lies with the mother; the breeder is only required to maintain a comfortable air temperature and the correct diet for the rabbit. For insulation, you can use a heater that is installed near the cage or enclosure.

On 5−7 day noticeable guard hairs appear, the presence of which increases, and by 20-25 days they turn into a full-fledged fur coat. By one month, the babies should be completely covered with fur.

On tenth day rabbits begin to open their eyes and their weight increases 9 times. The eyes begin to open gradually from the inner corner.

When babies leave the nest

Usually, baby rabbits leave the nest at 15-18 days. Already at two weeks of age, babies begin to crawl out of the queen cell, run around the area next to their mother and try to eat plant foods. The strongest and bravest pets are the first to leave the home and try to quickly explore the territory and get acquainted with the outside world.

There are cases when babies leave the nest prematurely. This occurs due to high temperature in the queen cell or lack of food. In addition, the baby rabbit may accidentally fall out. Whatever the baby is, it must be returned to the queen cell.

At the age of 1 month, the fur is fully formed, and its length reaches 2-3 cm. At the same age, the first molt begins, clearing the fur of the original fluff.

If the babies don't have enough milk

If young animals leave the queen cell early, this indicates a lack of food. To do this, children are weighed to determine the level of hunger and developmental delays. If the uterus cannot cope with the responsibilities of a mother and is unable to feed the babies on its own, they are separated or fed from a special syringe with a nipple. Feed with milk formulas, diluting them according to the instructions. As a feeding apparatus, you can use a pipette, a syringe or a thick piece of cotton wool moistened with milk.

The basic rules for keeping offspring are:

Feeding and diet

After leaving the nest, the eared animals taste plant food, repeating after the mother. Like all children, young rabbits need a balanced diet rich in vitamins and minerals. To achieve the desired result, vitamin supplements are added to the feed, which are purchased at a veterinary pharmacy or livestock store; the supplements must be appropriate for the age category.

The main diet consists of the following products:

• Hay.
• Bran.
• Dry food.
• Dried grass.
• Carrots, boiled potatoes.
• Cereals: wheat, oats, barley.
• Feed yeast.
• Mineral supplements, salt, glucose in the form of molasses or honey in mixed feed.

Before the age of 1 month, you should refrain from juicy foods. In addition, you should not give poisonous plants, wet grass, mushrooms, rotten and rotten food, waste fruits and vegetables, and flour products.

Jigging of young animals

At two months of age, rabbits are ready for independent living and are placed in separate cages. It is advisable to transplant young animals into neighboring dwellings near the mother’s house. Place 2-4 rabbits in one room, otherwise they will suffer great stress, which can lead to fright or even death.

Attention, TODAY only!

Beginning rabbit breeders often have questions related to caring for their offspring immediately after birth. Newborn rabbits are completely defenseless and need especially careful treatment. The main principle is to do no harm, so you should study some of the nuances in advance in order to avoid mistakes and associated unpleasant consequences.

Pregnancy in rabbits lasts about a month. At one time, a female rabbit can bring up to twelve cubs. A signal that the rabbits will soon be born is the behavior of the female, which should be carefully observed.

The female rabbit begins to pull out fluff from her chest and belly, which she will then use to insulate the nest. You can help the expectant mother build a nest. Wooden boxes with straw are quite suitable; they need to be placed inside the cage, after which the rabbit will arrange it to her own taste. Wood is the best material for making queen cells due to its environmental friendliness, which cannot be said about plastic containers, which are often offered for use as the base of a rabbit nest. Plastic can cause allergies, and animals can get poisoned or injured if they chew (and this happens) a product made from non-natural material.

Considering the peculiarities of the nervous system of rabbits, their characteristic timidity, it is important to provide comfortable conditions during childbirth - silence, peace, lack of lighting. Birth usually occurs at night and no additional assistance is required. The female rabbit bites the umbilical cord herself and licks the newborns. Rabbits from the first litter may be injured due to the inexperience of the mother at the time of gnawing the umbilical cord.

Behavior after birth

For the first few days, newborn rabbits are completely dependent on their mother. A rabbit's maternal instinct largely depends on how well she feels. A stressful state can give rise to aggressive behavior towards rabbits. It is advisable to protect the female and offspring from external stimuli and provide round-the-clock access to a drinking bowl with fresh water.

For good lactation, it is necessary to take care of a balanced diet for the rabbit, with a sufficient content of vitamins and minerals. Lack of appetite after childbirth is an alarming signal and a reason to contact a veterinarian. In a healthy state, the female happily feeds her offspring. Newborn animals are well-fed, their skin is smooth without wrinkles, their eyes are closed, and they react exclusively to the smell of their mother.

If lactation is insufficient, you can help the female give a sufficient amount of milk by enriching the diet with root vegetables (carrots, beets, turnips). Oxytocin also causes increased function of the mammary glands. The drug is prescribed by a veterinarian if there are no contraindications for the animal.

The optimal number of cubs fed by one rabbit at a time is no more than eight. In the case when the offspring produced is significantly larger, it is necessary to distribute the excess to other nests. Before placing the baby, the female’s attention is diverted or waited until she leaves the nest for a while. If another newborn appears unnoticed in the nest, the female rabbit most likely will not notice the replenishment.

Due to the peculiarities of the female’s behavior, associated with the frequent absence of the female rabbit in the queen cell, a novice breeder may have the erroneous impression of insufficient care for the babies on the part of the mother. The fact is that it is not typical for rabbits to constantly be with their offspring. Quite often, females leave the nest after giving birth and return there twice a day to feed and lick the newborns. As a rule, visits to the queen cell occur in the dark, when the effect of external stimuli is minimized. Because of this, the breeder may have the feeling that the female is not interested in offspring, but this is not the case.

You should systematically examine the offspring, focus on appearance, then you can draw the right conclusions about the quality of maternal care. If the cubs are well-fed and calm, then the attention given to them is quite enough, and there is no reason for concern.

One of the reasons for frequent leaving the nest is a defensive reaction. The offspring, unlike the female, does not smell, and the female rabbit emits a pungent odor that can attract a predator. So, with her behavior, the mother is trying to protect the offspring - a behavior pattern that has been preserved at the genetic level since the times when rabbits were part of the wild.

Knowing such nuances reduces the risk of erroneously diagnosing the absence of maternal instinct.

Refusal to feed

Reluctance to feed born offspring may have various reasons. Among them:

Reluctance to feed offspring can cause the death of the offspring, given how helpless the cubs are born.

Depending on the reason for the female's refusal to care for the babies, a suitable alternative to breastfeeding can be chosen.

Moving in with another female

The easiest and most painless way to place abandoned newborns with a more responsible mother. A healthy lactating rabbit will most likely not notice an increase in the number of babies and will continue feeding as usual. When replanting in another nest, it is important to know some nuances. The rabbit is sensitive to odors. Foreign odor will cause aggression. The baby rabbit must be transplanted after washing your hands without using cosmetics, preferably choosing the time when the female left the nest.

Quite often, the female rabbit leaves the nest, returning only to feed.

Force feeding

The method is used when the female does not show aggression towards the babies. After making sure that there is milk in the glands, to do this you need to turn the animal on its back and lightly press on the nipple; a drop of milk that appears indicates the possibility of feeding. It is more convenient to carry out the procedure itself together. One person fixes the adult in the desired position, preventing it from making sudden movements. Another takes turns bringing the baby rabbits to the nipples. A signal that the baby is full is a change in the shape of the body, the baby rabbit seems to inflate, the body becomes elastic and smooth.

Artificial feeding

The most difficult way to produce offspring left without maternal care. It is used as a last resort if other methods are impossible. It is better not to use cow's milk for artificial feeding. Goat milk is best suited; its characteristics are comparable to rabbit milk and is best absorbed by children. If you cannot get goat milk, you can use special dry mixtures. You can buy them at a pet store. Dilute in strict accordance with the instructions. For each feeding you need to prepare a new portion. Before feeding, the baby rabbit is placed under a warm lamp. Using a syringe without a needle or a pipette (for older adults), milk is fed drop by drop to the baby. It is not recommended to pour drink directly into the oral cavity, at least in the first days of life.

Daily milk consumption gradually increases from 5 to 10 ml. Starting from two weeks of age, pureed vegetable puree can be given with caution.

The reasons for artificial feeding may be different, but the solution is always equally necessary. In this situation, efficiency and accuracy of actions directly affect the survival of babies. In the article you will find answers to your questions. Namely: how to replace rabbit milk, feeding rules and much more.

Video - Artificial feeding

Growth dynamics of newborn rabbits

At birth, a baby rabbit weighs up to 100 grams, the usual weight is 60-70 grams. The body is naked. Eyes closed. Normal development involves the appearance of the first fluff on the body 5-6 days after birth. The baby begins to see after 10-12 days. At the moment the eyes open, the weight of a newborn rabbit increases three times and is about 200 grams.

At this age, healthy rabbits completely switch to independent feeding and no longer need further maternal care.

Further growth and development occurs quite dynamically. The body is covered with thick hair. At the age of three weeks, the rabbits try to leave the nest due to the resulting crowding. The weight of a three-week-old rabbit reaches 600-700 grams. If the attempts of the rabbits to leave the nest begin earlier, we can confidently speak about underfeeding on the part of the mother.

An important nuance is the hygiene of the rabbits. Under the mother's care, the licking procedure prevents the accumulation and proliferation of bacteria, helping to maintain normal microflora. When caring for offspring on your own, it is recommended to use a damp cotton pad, which imitates maternal licking. The direction of movement is along the body, starting from the navel.

Early exit of baby rabbits from the nest

The cubs leave the nest early, either forcibly or of their own free will. In any case, this means a failure in the normal system of development and care for offspring.

Having gained sight and become covered with fur, the babies do not have to wait for their own fate, but try to leave the queen cell on their own. The most common reasons for this behavior:

• lack of nutrition - slow lactation of the rabbit, lack of milk gives an impulse to look for additional food;
• crowding - too many newborns make staying in the nest uncomfortable, especially when the period of active growth begins;
• external conditions - insufficient ventilation of the queen cell, elevated temperatures create an unfavorable microclimate and force them to look for more comfortable conditions outside the nest.

Jigging baby rabbits

Separation of offspring from the mother can occur at different periods of time:

• Day 28 - early laying is carried out if the female rabbit had a hormonal imbalance, due to which mating was carried out after birth. If a new pregnancy occurs, the rabbits should be separated to give the female a break before the next birth;
• 35-40 days - laying at this period is usually associated with the need for a high-speed offspring, since the female is completely ready for a new pregnancy;
• Day 40-45 is the optimal weaning period; the digestive system of baby rabbits is well developed and is able to adapt to coarser food without loss;
• 56-60 days - broiler jigging is used when the offspring are raised for slaughter; the meat of two-month-old rabbits is tender and meets all the necessary parameters. Due to full milk feeding, the protein content in meat is increased, which increases its energy value and the taste of the product.

1. Complete weaning is characterized by the simultaneous weaning of rabbits from their mother. Performed when the young from the litter are equally well developed.
2. Partial depositing involves returning to the mother for feeding once every 2-3 days. Partial laying allows the rabbits to become accustomed to independent living and continue to benefit from mother's milk at the same time.
3. Selective brooding means assessing the condition of the litter and weaning the stronger young rabbits from their mother first. Less developed cubs are left on milk feeding for a longer time; an additional period of time spent on milk feeding gives even weak individuals a chance to develop normally.

Sorting baby rabbits

An important point when leaving the nest is to sort the animals according to external characteristics. This approach makes it possible to raise a generation regardless of differences in development, and to avoid situations where more developed individuals oppress those lagging behind in development. The offspring is weighed and distributed among cages, placing together representatives of approximately the same weight and size. In the case where rabbits from different litters end up in a cage, you need to make sure that the cage is new for each animal.

Interesting facts about newborn rabbits

Newborn rabbits are bald, blind and absolutely helpless creatures. The average weight of such an animal is less than 100 grams. After giving birth, the female licks the offspring, doing a kind of massage, due to which the young animals excrete original feces (meconium). The rabbits' eyes are closed, and the baby rabbits are able to react exclusively to the mother's smell at this time. The young spend most of their time sleeping.

In the nesting house there is down, which is insulation for the rabbits that do not have fur at first. It begins to appear after a week: at first the fur is quite sparse, but quickly gains density, corresponding to the breed characteristics. The development of young animals up to one month of age depends on the amount of mother's milk, regular feeding and temperature conditions. By the time their eyes open, the baby rabbits should have gained three times their original weight.

Eye opening time

Young animals acquire full vision by the 12th day from birth. Until this time, behavioral characteristics are based on instinct and the care of the female. It is worth noting that the survival of young animals up to 20 days depends 99% on the female rabbit and the remaining percentage on the farm owner.

Getting to know the world around you

Once the baby rabbits begin to open their eyes, they will begin to become interested in their surroundings. Already on the 20th day, the mother house becomes too small for the young, and therefore they begin to climb directly into the cage. At the same time, you can remove the queen cell partition to expand the habitat area. By day 20, it is common for baby rabbits to gain weight 10 times their birth weight.

Features of development

Young rabbits can begin to leave the nest even if the enclosure is dry and warm. The strength of the immune system and their overall health in the future depends on how animals eat at this age. The female takes care of the offspring during the first few months, then the rabbits gain independence and can be removed.

From the third day, the rodents' eyes open, and they begin to slowly explore the world. Around the same time, the training of the rabbits begins, which consists of the female showing containers for food and water. It is worth considering that newborns are characterized by caution and timidity, and therefore they will be very reluctant to contact people.

From the moment their eyes open, the young animals become more independent and begin to move around the enclosure without the help of a female rabbit. Despite the fact that the period of feeding with milk is not so long, it is extremely important for building the immunity of animals. If for some reason the female refuses to feed the cubs, they will most likely die. Farmers have long found a way out of this situation: you can warm the baby rabbits and feed them from a pipette, but this will not guarantee a successful outcome. A newborn rabbit is very weak and easily susceptible to various diseases.

On average, the body of a young animal can be considered stronger 20 days after birth. In the third week, the most fearless rodents begin to crawl out of the uterine house. It is common for naturally curious animals to get acquainted with their surroundings and get to know the territory where their life will pass. If leaving the nest ahead of time, this may become a provoking factor for aggressive behavior in the future. From day 20, rabbits are able to feed themselves and eat food intended for adult animals.

When can weaning take place?

At the age of one and a half months, a new life period begins for baby rabbits - they switch to the diet of adult livestock. It is most optimal to place the young animals in other cages as soon as they reach 45 days of age. At this point, rodents are able to obtain the necessary vitamins and microelements from plant food, and they no longer need breast milk. Young animals need to be fed up to 5 times a day, with a break at night.

Every farmer must remember that it is necessary to introduce new food to young animals gradually and begin complementary feeding several days before the rabbits begin to eat on their own. The weaning period is very stressful for rabbits, and therefore it is recommended to minimize all negative factors:

• changing the cage;
• food base;
• temperature regime;
• excess noise.

To reduce anxiety in animals, it is best to use nesting jigging. First of all, you need to separate the strongest and strongest pair of rodents, after another couple of days, add the next ones, and so on until all the rabbits move to new habitats.

The weakest animals can be left for fattening and subsequent slaughter. The strongest are expected for the replacement herd. It is also worth considering the gender of the rabbits: males and females should sit separately from each other. If aggression is detected within a group, animals with a bad character are recommended to be separated and then culled.

Is it worth picking up baby rabbits?

This issue is quite important for rabbit breeders. There is a misconception that newborns should absolutely not be touched, otherwise the female will leave the nest and will not care for the offspring. The owner needs to inspect the nesting house no later than a couple of days after the baby rabbits are born. This event is important for determining the number of young animals born and the possible appearance of stillborn animals.

Dead rabbits must be removed from the nest and replaced with abandoned babies, if any. In the event that newborns are simply frozen due to a low temperature, but are still alive, they need to be placed in warmth.

Before inspecting the nest, it is necessary to transplant the female into an empty cage and only after that inspect the rabbits. The fact is that the female rabbit will begin to worry when a person appears, will begin to run around the cage and may trample the young animals.

Before inspecting the nesting house, the owner must wash his hands thoroughly using unscented soap; in this case, it is recommended to choose laundry soap. It is also worth refusing to use perfume and deodorant: the rabbit may not like their pungent smell (it may remain with the offspring). In most cases, with experienced rabbit breeders, females calmly respond to inspection of the cage space by the owner or farm staff.

What you need to know about artificial feeding

In most cases, the female rabbit feeds the young on her own, but there are exceptions to any rule. For example, a female dies during childbirth or does not have milk, then the farm owner has to feed the animals to prevent them from dying. Artificial feeding is best done with goat's milk, which has more fat content than cow's milk and is more nutritious. When the rabbits begin to grow up, they can begin to be given food familiar to such animals, not forgetting about the water where mineral supplements are mixed.

Some veterinary pharmacies sell special mixtures that can replace rabbit milk. This mixture has the form of a powder; it is diluted in the required amount of water according to the attached instructions.

As the rabbits grow older, they begin to feed them with hay, paying due attention to its quality. Food that is wet or has a moldy smell is not allowed. When distributing grass and vegetables, the owner must be sure that such feed has not been treated with chemicals that will cause problems with the digestive system in young animals.

Particular attention should be paid to how artificial feeding occurs. It should be as close as possible to the process laid down by nature. The farmer must remember that the female rabbit will not feed her offspring every second. Artificial feeding involves adherence to a clear schedule and dosage, which will change as the young grow. Excess food or lack of food is equally harmful to rabbits.

For feeding, syringes with a small nipple or special pipettes, which are sold in veterinary pharmacies, are used. Baby rabbits may not begin to respond to an artificial pacifier the first time. Before starting the first feeding, it is recommended to apply milk to the baby's mouth so that he can lick it off. Feeding should be done very carefully so that milk does not enter the respiratory system.

It is necessary to remember about the sterility of syringes and pipettes for feeding. Newborn rabbits have weak immunity, and even the most harmless infection can become fatal for them. The farmer is advised not to forget about personal hygiene and be sure to wash his hands before starting feeding. The queen cell must also be kept clean: timely cleaning must be done there.

Force-feeding should be avoided; it is necessary to allow food to be tasted in small quantities, but somewhat more often, until the baby rabbit gets used to the pipette. If you completely refuse milk, you should seek help from a veterinarian.

At the time of feeding, the animal is held perpendicular to the floor, with its head slightly raised. This position is as safe as possible and prevents milk from entering the respiratory system. Each feeding under natural conditions ends with the mother rabbit licking the bellies of the cubs. This procedure must be replaced with a massage that stimulates the act of defecation. For massage you will need a cotton swab, which is moistened with warm water. The movements should start from the middle of the abdomen and go down to the anus.

From the 14th day of life, rabbits begin to defecate without massage. However, this period is approximate, and therefore the owner should pay attention to whether the rabbit goes to the toilet on its own or not.