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Baby experience needed

M

Mari

New Kit
Hello, I have a set of problems that I would like to run past experienced owners and/or breeders.

I adopted a lost rabbit after an attempt to find it's owners failed utterly. I've kept rabbits before and had a few good-sized hutches. It was only small so I put it into a guinea pig hutch temporarily (They're all still in the lean-to for the winter) But a week ago six little rabbits appeared in there with her. I've never encountered a pregnant rabbit before so I've been doing a lot of reading! But I'm a little worried, she's in a small cage that's got no run access with babies that are still going to be in the nest for a few more weeks.

Can someone please help me with the little problems of her getting enough exercise/keeping her clean/ greens versus solids/when I can clean the bed out/ and just generally what to expect from a new mother and her babies. I would be very grateful for any help or suggestions.
 
:D I've not had baby bunnies, but I would guess that whilst they are still in the nest, it's probably for the best that they are in a smaller space as it will be safer for the babies for now.

You wont need to clean the nest area out, so once she's ready to let you near her, you can just clean her litter area and any soiled bits. She will be so busy looking after her babies that she mightn't have time for exercise right now!! :lol:

Re food, if you don't know how she is with greens, it may be best to avoid them for now in case they upset her stomach, but she will need extra food to keep her strength up! :D

Plenty of people on here will have advice for you!!!
 
Hiya!

Firstly CONGRATULATIONS on you new arrivals!!

It's generally safe to clean out the nest when the babies begin leaving it, which is usually when they are two or three weeks old

If Mum Bun is handleable you can put her out into a run for roughly an hour each day

While she's feeding her babies let her have as much food as she wants, basically continue feeding as you already are just increase everything, since Mum will need more nutrients

Good luck and keep us updated!
 
She's amazingly friendly considering she's only known me a few weeks and doesn't seem to have any problems with me pottering around in the cage (I initially heard squeaking in the bed area halfway through carting away a dirty living area!)

She's eating everything I give her at the moment; two bowls of dry a day along with carrots, cabbage, broccoli stalks and large handfuls of fresh pulled grass.
 
Mum will take care of the babies. I would just feed her a bit extra of what you have been giving her before, not advisable to add any food to her diet just now.

I didn't clean the nest area out for about 3/4 weeks I think.. the babies were certainly leaving the nest before I touched it.

This is my original post when I found my little surprises and there's some great advice on there

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/viewtopic.php?t=16346&highlight=
 
You seem to appreciate pictures here, so I shall try and put in one of the little ones. It's not a fabulous camera but it comes across well enough I think. If I can upload it right.


Babies.jpg
 
Gorgeous as they are at this stage I don't think I can manage another six. I just don't have the space or the budget. She's being such a good mother though and I have another two months to make sure I can find them places to live. I don't know if I should postpone their move back outside or not though.
 
mum will feed the babies only twice a day (first thing in the morning and last thing at night) so its fine to put her in the run for a few hours during the day.
the kits will start to sample solid foods from the age of about 3 weeks. at this point they can join mum in the run (as long as weather is warm) in my opinion since rabbits have evolved to eat grass, its the best thing that they could start to munch on.
make sure that mum and babies have a plentiful supply of hay. once they are out and about you give the whole hutch a good clean too :wink:
 
It would be best to keep them inside if they were born inside, right now the weather is far too cold to put young bunnies outside
 
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