How To Take Care and Feed An Orphan Domestic Rabbit
Baby rabbits are very tiny and adorable. They require a lot of care from their moms. But in some cases, a domestic rabbit refuses to take care of her kids. Then, the responsibility for the health and life of these furry cuties lies on you.
But what to do if a mother rabbit decided not to nurture her kids? How can you make the babies survive? In this article, you will find an answer.
No matter the breed of a rabbit, the instincts they have, cause the same type of behaviour. Both a Polish Rabbit or a wild rabbit builds a nest with fur or grasses, so the babies are protected from predators, cold or excessive sunlight.
If you have to take care of an orphaned rabbit, make a nestle for it. You can use a dark box and towels in order to nestle the area for a baby. But make sure, the temperature is not too high. The excessive heat can be very detrimental to the life and health of a rabbit.
If the room is cold, place the box closer to the heater. But don’t put it too close to it. Find the perfect spot in your house, where the baby rabbit feels good.
Don’t disturb the bunny too often. Not so many people know that rabbits’ mothers don’t take care of them 24/7 but only come from time to time to feed the babies. Therefore, if you move or touch them too often, they might feel stressed. The bunnies whose eyes are still closed need complete silence, lack of direct light, and have to be always calm.
When it comes to feeding an orphaned rabbit, you might need a syringe or an eyedropper during the first weeks. It might take some time for an animal to get used to this type of feeding. Be patient and caring.
Feed the rabbit only when it’s sitting upright, and point the syringe down towards the bottom of its mouth. It might be very difficult because the newborn bunny is very tiny, but it’s essential to make sure that the baby does not aspirate.
You can buy cat milk in any pet shop or use goat milk. Remember to feed the rabbit only twice per day only.
Here, you will find the normal amount of milk an orphaned baby rabbit needs daily depending on its age:
0-1 week - 2 cc/ml each feeding (remember to feed them twice per day)
1-2 weeks- 5-67 cc/ml each feeding
2-3 weeks- 7-13 cc/ml. Some bunnies are smaller and can take less milk, so it also depends on your pet. Usually, domestic rabbits open their eyes on the 10th day of life. After it, start introducing them pellets, timothy and oat hay, and water. But it will take them a lot of time to get used to it.
3-6 weeks- 13-15cc/ml each feeding.
After the 6th week, your baby rabbit is ready to be weaned. Don’t get surprised, but for a bunny is normal and even vital to consume cecotropes. In the beginning, you can mix them with goat milk. It will have a good impact on your pets digestive system and make sure it receives all the needed nutrients. One cecotrope per 4-5 days is enough.
As soon as the eyes of the rabbit are opened, you can introduce them to hay. There are different types of grass and hay they can start eating, for example, alfalfa, timothy, or grass hay. They are rich in nutrients needed for a baby to survive.
Make sure there is a source of water for your pet. Many people put a small water bowl for their rabbits. In the wild, these animals drink from the natural sources of water. So, it is the most natural way to offer water to a bunny. You can also get a special bottle for your pet. But rabbits don’t have a clear preference for where to drink from.
Give to your rabbit the water that you would drink too. Sometimes, the water full of calcium can make your pet have bladder and kidney issues. Therefore, if the water in your region is ‘hard’ you might need to switch to bottled water.
The Last Thing
Nurturing an orphaned animal is a manifestation of kindness and empathy. It is not the easiest task to make a rabbit which is abandoned by its mother survive. If for some reason you don’t manage to do so, don’t blame yourself. Also, if you understand that you don’t have enough time and patience to take care of an orphaned baby rabbit, it’s always better to give it to the family or organisation that will take it more seriously. Always be honest with yourself when you are responsible for the life of a tiny creature.