Key Points for Raising Unweaned Baby Rabbits Carefully
Key Points for Raising Baby Rabbits
1. It is crucial for baby rabbits to consume their first milk within the first 6 hours of birth. After that, they should be fed once daily.
2. In cases where a mother rabbit has ample milk but refuses to nurse, she must be gently restrained, and the kits should be placed near her teats to encourage feeding.
3. If the mother rabbit's milk supply is insufficient, you can supplement her diet with 15 to 20 cooked soybeans daily until her milk production is adequate.
4. Maintaining a warm and dry nesting box is essential. The temperature should be comfortable, with the kits' body temperature ideally a few degrees warmer than that of a human hand.
5. While the kits are nursing, monitor their feeding. If any are not getting enough milk, consider topping up with additional feedings at night, prioritizing them the next day, or using soy milk as an alternative.
6. Regularly inspect the nesting box for cleanliness. If any waste or分泌物 is found, clean it immediately. When changing the bedding, do so gradually to avoid startling the mother or kits with new odors.
7. After nursing, promptly separate the kits from their mother to ensure each has had enough to eat. Place the kits in the center of the nesting box for warmth and cover them with bedding.
8. By the 18th day, begin introducing solid food to prepare the kits for weaning and to support their growth and survival rates. Start with small amounts of fresh greens.
9. Implement a balanced feeding method for the kits, which involves separating kits born within a twoday window and feeding them separately, based on size.
10. Generally, rabbits are weaned around the 35th day of age, provided they weigh at least 1.2 pounds. Wean the kits that meet the criteria first, allowing the others to continue nursing until they reach the required weight and are ready to be weaned.
These are the essential guidelines provided by Oxygen Pet Doctor for raising baby rabbits. There are many aspects to consider when caring for kits, and it requires a lot of attention and care from the owner to ensure their healthy growth!
