How to independently feed newborn rabbits without a mother rabbit
There are situations when female rabbits die during childbirth or a few days after. In this case, the question arises of what to do and how to feed the rabbits without a rabbit. The problem can be solved with the help of another female who recently gave birth. But there is not always such an opportunity, what to do if there is no other wet nurse?
How to feed bunnies without a bunny
In order to feed pets without a mother, you need to take into account different nuances. The first thing that pays attention to is the age of the rabbits. Monthly ones are easier to feed than weekly ones, because the older the fluffy, the easier it is for him to make a diet.
Reasons for transferring to artificial nutrition
Is it possible to feed rabbits without a rabbit? Yes, but it's worth knowing why such situations develop. Most often, farmers transfer rabbits to artificial feeding due to the fact that the mother does not have enough milk or she refuses to feed them. But there are a number of other reasons why artificial nutrition has to be introduced:
- The onset of hunting, which may begin immediately after childbirth. During this period, the bunnies behave aggressively and may even trample their bunnies. It is necessary to prepare in advance a place where to put the fluffs.
- Another cause may be rough nipple skin. For some reason, this problem is observed in many females.
- Some rabbits refuse to feed rabbits due to odors in their cage.
- A young mother may refuse to feed the rabbits, because she does not feel that these are her children. This behavior is often referred to as a lack of maternal instinct.
- The rabbits are least likely to have to be fed without a mother, due to the fact that she died during childbirth.
In any of the situations that have developed, they try to force the mother to feed if she is alive, or they are transferred to another newly born female. If this is not possible, then the rabbits are transferred to artificial nutrition.
It should be noted that such nutrition does not guarantee that all offspring will survive. Most often, survival is affected by the age of rabbits left without a mother. Feeding newly born pussies is more difficult, but if done correctly, it is quite possible.
How to feed rabbits without a mother
Experienced breeders recommend feeding two-week-old or newborn rabbits with special mixtures or milk replacers. As a substitute, you can use cow's or goat's milk.
Cow milk
In order to feed small rabbits, breeders often use cow's milk, but it must be bred. The fact is that rabbit milk is very different from cow milk in its composition, so a special mixture must be prepared. To do this, you need to take 3/4 of milk and add to 1/4 of condensed milk, then heat the mixture at 70 ° C for an hour. After this time, the mixture must be cooled to 37 ° C.
Goat milk
Small rabbits can also be fed with goat milk.
It is very useful for pussies who are left without a mother. The advantage of goat milk is that it does not need to be diluted, it can be safely given in its pure form.
Goat milk is very similar in composition to rabbit milk, so this is ideal for young rabbits. It is great for rabbits that are only a few days old and for older babies.
Mixes
There is also a special artificial product that can be used to feed babies. This is milk powder. Its main advantage is that it contains only useful substances that are well absorbed by a small tummy, which is only two weeks old, or even several days old.
The daily and weekly bunny should receive the mixture 3 times a day, 5 ml per dose. A rabbit that is more than 7 days old at a time should receive 20 ml of the mixture 2 times a day. The monthly should be given 60 ml 2 times a day. With the right dosage, healthy offspring will grow.
How to feed little rabbits properly
An important role is played not only by what is used for feeding, but also how it is done, therefore, the dosage and time of eating must be observed. Only in this case good offspring will grow.
When feeding, you should pay attention to the age of the animal. A daytime rabbit should receive less mix than a 2 week old rabbit. It is better to feed babies with a pipette or syringe.
You constantly need to look after the rabbit's tummy: it should not be overcrowded, because babies who are only a few days from birth have no idea of satiety, and therefore are able to eat without interruption, so they need to be given as much food as recommended for their age.
There are situations when babies do not accept artificial feeding. Do not force them and press their mouths so that they open it. You just need to take a finger to dip in milk and anoint the baby's mouth with it. He licks it and starts asking for more.
It is also worth remembering that small rabbits do not have the instinct to empty, so they need to regularly massage the abdomen until the baby goes to the toilet. Only if all these rules are observed can you be sure of the health of the kids.
When and how to carry out feeding
Feeding is introduced to rabbits from 3 weeks.
For a start, you can give a little hay, but do not stop feeding with milk. If the baby has diarrhea, stop feeding, otherwise the animal will die at a young age.
If the rabbit's body has accepted the hay normally, after a few days, you can also introduce carrots. When the baby is 2 months old, he can already be given greens, grain and water.
With proper feeding, a good and healthy rabbit will grow. The main thing is to follow all the above recommendations, because not only the health of the animal, but also its life depends on it.
Important to remember
If there is such a situation that the babies are left without a mother, you need to know not only how to feed them, but also monitor their general condition. Baby rabbits that are bottle-fed should have a firm and bulging tummy. If he is sunken, this is the first sign that the food is not suitable for him.
Toddlers should be active and calm at the same time. If they move a little, it means that they are not getting enough food. The fuzzies' bad dream hints at the same.
It is worth paying attention to the color of the feces. In healthy babies, it has a greenish color. If the droppings turn brown, this is a sign of intestinal problems.
Rabbits are known to be nocturnal animals, so they must have a dark corner to relax in during the day. There is no need to turn on the light at night, all they need is a warm heating pad, it will replace mom's warmth. It is also worth all the equipment that is used for feeding to be disinfected. This is necessary so as not to introduce an infection into the body of babies.
It is recommended to heat milk or mixture only in a water bath so that it does not burn. In order to check the temperature of the mixture, you just need to drop a drop on your wrist: if it is not hot, then you can give it to the rabbits.
Conclusion
Raising newborn rabbits is very difficult, because each must be fed separately. But this is quite possible, you just need to be patient. Bottle-fed babies can make good adult rabbits.
Rarely do breeders undertake to take care of two-day-old babies, because this is much more difficult to do than when the rabbit is several weeks old. But if the challenge has already been accepted, you have to go all the way. Delicious meat and good fur will be the reward of care.