Effective Raising and Management of Baby Rabbits
Section 1: Caring for Baby Rabbits
1. Ensure Immediate Access to Colostrum. It is crucial for baby rabbits to consume colostrum within the first 6 to 10 hours of birth. This is why it's essential for owners to be present during the mother rabbit's delivery. One of the primary reasons is to verify that the kits have had access to the colostrum promptly. If a kit hasn't, the owner must act quickly to ensure the mother rabbit feeds her offspring. Delaying this can severely compromise the kits' health. Regularly checking if the kits are adequately fed is a fundamental task for rabbit owners. Wellfed kits typically sleep peacefully, have round, full bellies, and rosy skin. On the other hand, underfed kits will constantly move around and emit "chirping" sounds. Owners can use these signs to determine if the kits have had enough to eat.
2. Implement Proper Heating and Cooling Measures. During winter, it's vital to maintain warmth and prevent freezing, while in summer, effective cooling is necessary to ensure the survival rate of the kits. Owners should use materials with good insulation and moisture absorption, such as softened straw or wheat chaff, as bedding for the birthing box. Additionally, lay rabbit fur on top for extra comfort. It's important to keep the temperature in the birthing box suitable and adjust it according to the internal temperature changes.
3. Be Aware of Rodent Threats. Rodents are a common cause of kit deaths, especially since newborn kits have no fur, making them highly attractive to pests. Therefore, owners must prioritize rodent control measures.
4. Schedule Regular Feeding. It is generally recommended to feed the kits twice a day, in the morning and evening.
5. Start Complementary Feeding Early. From the 18th day of life, owners should begin introducing complementary feeding by offering the kits a small amount of easily digestible and absorbable baby rabbit feed.
6. Implement a Scientific Weaning Process. The weaning process is a critical step for kits to transition to young rabbits and grow healthily. There are two common methods: onetime weaning or gradual weaning. If all the kits in the litter are growing uniformly and are robust, onetime weaning can be used. However, if the kits vary in size, strength, and development, it is advisable to consider gradual weaning, which involves weaning the stronger kits first and allowing the weaker ones to continue nursing for a few more days before weaning.
These are the rabbit rearing and management methods summarized by Oxygen Pet Doctor. We hope this sharing can be helpful to you!
