Caring for Newborn Baby Rabbits: Essential Tips

Caring for Newborn Rabbit Kits: Essential Knowledge

Feeding newborn rabbit kits promptly and correctly is of paramount importance in their care. If kits are either underfed or overfed, they may not survive.

1. Typically, after giving birth, the mother rabbit does not constantly hover over her kits. This behavior is a strategic move to draw predators' attention away from herself. The kits will huddle together in a corner, only emerging to nurse when the mother returns. This is a survival tactic to keep the kits safe until feeding time.

2. The mother rabbit usually does not start nursing immediately after giving birth. It often takes a few hours or even a full day for milk to be produced. Generally, the mother feeds her kits once a day, which is sufficient to meet their nutritional and energy needs. Nursing sessions usually occur between midnight and 5 a.m.

3. When nursing, the mother rabbit stands next to her kits rather than lying down, unlike a mother cat. However, she does clean her kits' waste, much like a cat, and stimulates them to defecate by touching their bellies. This keeps the kits relatively clean under normal circumstances.

4. It is crucial for owners to be vigilant. Some mother rabbits, particularly those that are stressed, dehydrated, or disturbed during labor, may kill or eat their kits after giving birth. Therefore, it is essential to supervise the mother during delivery to prevent such behavior. Additionally, some mothers that gave birth prematurely may not produce milk for a long time after delivery, leading to underfed kits. In such cases, owners should artificially feed the kits and take over the mother's role, ensuring proper nutrition. It's also important to encourage milk production in the mother by feeding her more green, juicy foods or a small amount of cooked soybeans. If necessary, lactation stimulants can be administered to the mother.

5. Generally, male rabbits and kits can coexist peacefully, especially neutered males. However, as kits reach adolescence, they can become aggressive, and males may start to bite or roughhandle them. It's important to separate kits from males at this stage. Ideally, keep kits, males, and females in separate enclosures to ensure the safety of the kits and facilitate their growth. This also helps prevent the mother from becoming pregnant again shortly after giving birth, which is detrimental to both the kits and the mother. It is also necessary to separate kits by gender as they mature to prevent early breeding or other issues.

These essential tips for caring for newborn rabbit kits, provided by Oxygen Pet Doctor, are intended to assist both new and experienced pet owners.