How to Care for a Newborn Rabbit

Check out the newborn rabbit. The gestation period of rabbits lasts about 31-33 days. ^[12] Female rabbits do not need help in giving birth. Rabbits usually give birth at night or early in the morning. ^[13] This means you have to wake up in the morning to see the baby rabbits born. Immediately check which rabbits are no longer alive after being born. You need to get food to lure the mother rabbit away to get closer to the nest and then bring the dead baby rabbit out.

• You also have to clear the placenta in the nest.
• Don’t be afraid to touch your newborn rabbit because the mother rabbit is used to your smell.

Warm newborn rabbits if necessary. If the mother rabbit gives birth outside the litter, you must put them in the box. Newborn rabbits often get cold and need to be warmed up. To do this safely, you need to fill the bottle with warm water and place it under the towel and liner in the box. Do not let newborn rabbits come into direct contact with the water bottle because the heat generated will be too hot. ^[14]

Provide enough food and water for the mother rabbit. Mother rabbits need food and water to be available at all times so that they can eat whenever they want while caring for their cubs. ^[15] This is to ensure that the female rabbit has enough milk to breastfeed. You need to change and replenish the food every day and check the water regularly because the mother rabbit will drink more water than usual.

• Providing enough nutrients to the mother rabbit prevents the female rabbit from eating the baby rabbit. ^[16]

Watch for signs of lactation. Mother rabbits have a natural instinct to stay out of the nest most of the time, so don’t worry if you don’t see her nursing, as she will only do this once or twice a day. ^[17] Instead, you should look for signs. If breastfed, the baby rabbit will have a warm body temperature and a rounded belly. ^[18] They will also be quiet instead of meowing like a kitten if they are well fed. ^[19]

Contact your veterinarian immediately if the mother rabbit is not nursing. If the baby rabbit is too weak (less responsive to being picked up), the belly is sagging, and the skin is wrinkled (due to dehydration), the mother is not nursing properly, and you should see your veterinarian right away. instantly. ^[20]

• If the mother rabbit folds the litter on her own, especially if she pulls her hair, it means that the mother rabbit is paying attention to her maternal instincts. The problem may simply be that the veterinarian prescribes a small amount of oxytocin to help the mother to produce milk. ^[21]
• You should also contact your veterinarian if more than eight newborn rabbits are born, because the mother may not be able to take care of them all. If the female rabbit has more than eight children or abandons the newborn and does not breastfeed, your veterinarian will give you instructions on how to raise the newborn rabbit. However, the results are often unsuccessful as there is no such thing as a complete formula that is suitable for newborn rabbits. ^[22]

Keep the litter clean. Newborn rabbits will defecate in the nest until they are strong enough to climb out on their own. So you need to clean the litter every day, change the new towel to line the bottom of the nest and spread clean grass.

Use a newborn rabbit diet. Newborn rabbits will probably start nibbling on some pellets around two weeks after birth. ^[23] However, baby rabbits still need their mother’s milk until they are eight weeks old. ^[24] During this time, baby rabbits will reduce suckling frequency and increase pellet intake, but it is important that they continue to suckle as breast milk provides antibodies against the pathogen. cause disease. ^[25] If weaning is too early, the newborn rabbit’s immune system may not be strong enough to form antibodies.

• You should avoid giving your rabbit grass and greens for the first few months because potential digestive complications can occur. You can feed small amounts when the rabbit is two months old, but should stop providing immediately if there are problems related to the intestines such as diarrhea. ^[26] You can feed baby rabbits carrots, lettuce, and kale. ^[27]