How to feed baby rabbits without a mother rabbit?

Sometimes it happens that rabbits, having just been born, are left without mother’s milk and care. Then these concerns fall on the shoulders of a person.

Feeding baby rabbits without a mother rabbit is a serious and responsible matter, because the lives of the babies depend on the speed of decision-making and subsequent actions.

Is it possible to feed without a doe?

It is possible to feed the offspring of rabbits without a female, although the process will require time and money. Organizing such feeding requires purchasing some accessories, following schedules, and spending a lot of time with the babies.

The main difficulties occur in the first weeks of life of rabbits. As they grow older, the need for constant support disappears, the animals become independent.

Artificial feeding is considered undesirable unless absolutely necessary. Incorrect actions can reduce the survival rate.

External feeding and human care will not completely replace mother’s milk and care. Meanwhile, there are known cases when orphaned babies grew stronger, thanks to the hard work of breeders.

The procedure is required when certain problems arise:

1. Death of the female. Sometimes the female rabbit dies during or after giving birth. It is very difficult to predict the tragic outcome.
2. Atrophied parental instinct. Often happens during the first kindling of young individuals. The new mother does not want to feed her offspring. In most cases, the instinct can be awakened forcibly, by holding the female back several times during the process of feeding the babies. However, there are cases when no tricks help.
3. Craving for hunting. Restless female rabbits can abandon their babies within a day after giving birth. They start running around the living space, furiously looking for food. In such outbursts, the rabbits often die from being accidentally trampled by their own mother. A provocation is proposed to solve the problem. They mate with a male who is incapable of conceiving. After this, the female can calm down. If the attempt is unsuccessful, artificial feeding cannot be avoided.
4. Painful nipples. Also more often observed in young rabbits. Roughened skin does not allow milk to pass freely, the process causes great inconvenience to the mother and she stops letting the offspring in.
5. Pungent odors. Female rabbits are sensitive to foreign odors. The most unpleasant for them are shades of alcohol, perfume, household and technical liquids. Sometimes the smells of other animals living nearby play a cruel joke. Discomfort leads to the extinction of instincts.

In the above situations, if possible, you should try to place the babies with another mother. However, not every rabbit will willingly accept someone else’s offspring.

In addition, a large number of babies will lead to exhaustion of the female. Therefore, experienced farmers prefer to immediately take on the matter themselves.

Pros and Cons of Human Feeding

The benefits include:

1. Once accustomed to milk substitutes, the rabbits are unpretentious about food.
2. A good appetite leads to weight gain and growth of individuals.
3. The diet is adapted to the person and his capabilities.

Disadvantages of artificial feeding:

1. The nutritional value, vitamin and mineral content of the substitutes is significantly lower than in natural rabbit milk.
2. The inability to transmit antibodies, which means weakened immunity of the offspring.
3. Difficulty of getting used to a pacifier.
4. The baby rabbit may be injured during feeding.
5. The constant presence of a person near the children for care and attention.

What can I replace rabbit milk with?

It is recommended to feed newborn rabbits with high-quality substitutes. This is the only way they will be able to receive the maximum amount of nutrients.

The following options are considered acceptable:

Goat milk

Natural, fresh, it has an identical composition to rabbit. The difference is only slightly less fat. It does not need to be mixed with anything or diluted;

Milk substitute mixtures

Veterinary shops and pharmacies sell various mixtures for feeding animals. The best ones are milk replacers specifically for rabbits and for dogs.

In second place are cat species. Their composition is also not far from the native milk of the eared ones. Nutrients are perfectly absorbed;

Baby food

Formulas for human infants are acceptable if they contain a minimum of sugar and additives. In today’s wide range of products, it is not difficult to find such dry milk.

As for cow’s milk, opinions differ. Some farmers consider it absolutely unacceptable for rabbits. Other breeders claim that such a replacement is possible when there are no other options.

Cow’s milk differs significantly from rabbit’s milk in composition, fat content, and digestibility. In its pure form, it does not satisfy the needs of small rabbits.

Some suggest mixing whole cow’s milk with condensed milk (preferably without sugar) 4 to 1. But this mix is ​​considered emergency.

How to feed correctly?

The rabbits are born blind, without hair on their bodies, weighing about 60 g.

The first fluff appears on the 5th day, and the eyes open no earlier than the 10th day.

Without the ability to see and move freely, feeding skills are absent. Babies are completely defenseless, so the loss of a nursing mother is a very dangerous phenomenon for them.

A person must perform the functions of a rabbit. It will be necessary to master certain skills and acquire equipment.

In the first days of life, babies need a pacifier. This can be:

• large pipette;
• syringe without needle 20 ml;
• clean eye drop bottle;
• small baby bottle;
• special set for feeding animals.

Craftsmen improve the syringe and the bottle from drops for the convenience of feeding. The rubber cap from the pipette is put on the spout of the selected container. Several punctures are made in the rubber beforehand.

Store-bought kits include a special syringe and tips of different sizes.

As the rabbits grow, the devices can be changed, moving from a pipette to a bottle. From the 20th day, most babies begin to feed independently from a saucer.

Feeding should be built as close to the natural course as possible. The more accurately the details are copied, the faster the animals will acquire instincts.

Until the eyes open, newborns show weak reactions to the artificial nipple. Milk has to be poured into the oral cavity. It is important to squeeze out the liquid gradually so that the baby does not choke.

The first 2-3 days it is better to start feeding by smearing milk around the mouth. The baby rabbit will lick it off itself. For inactive individuals, the procedure is repeated several times.

If the baby rabbit perks up when it tastes food, you can move on to pouring in a few drops.

A blind baby can drink no more than 1 ml of milk at a time. The stomach should not be overfilled. Overfeeding threatens stomach disorders, inflammation of the respiratory organs.

The baby rabbit should be held vertically in your hand, without squeezing its body.

The liquid is stored in the refrigerator for no more than 72 hours, heated before the procedure to 37-38°C. The mixture is always prepared fresh.

The easiest way to determine optimal feeding times is by observing the behavior of the young.

Well-fed cubs behave calmly, quietly, and sleep a lot. When hungry, they become restless, try to move around in search of their mother, and squeak.

Feeding depending on age

At each age, rabbits require their own feeding schedule. The frequency is adjusted to the speed of digestion. Appetite increases along with the growing organism.

By the end of the first week, babies are already capable of overeating, so it is necessary to follow the norms for their health. Until the 30th day, the diet consists only of milk.

From birth to 5 days (daytime)

A newborn rabbit is given literally 1 drop of liquid. Over the course of a day, the number of drops is gradually increased in 5-6 steps. The animal does not yet have a good swallowing reflex, so special care is needed.

From the second day, it is enough to feed 4-5 times. By the end of the period, the baby should double its birth weight (120-180 g for different breeds). On the fifth day, food is given 4 times.

From 6 to 14 days (weekly-two-weekly)

From the 6th day, the rabbits are transferred to three meals a day. This regimen is maintained for up to 2 weeks. During this time, the weight of the babies reaches 200-260 g. The portions gradually grow along with the animals.

From 15 to 30 days

On the 15th and 16th day, the individuals are transferred to a two-meal diet.

Observe their behavior, if there is not enough food, add a little mixture as a third feeding.

From the 17th day onwards, the portions become impressive, the body is preparing for the adult regime, so two feedings are not exceeded. By the 30th day, the rabbits weigh about 500 g.

Depending on the breed, the weight may be slightly less or more. Weaning from the nipple begins at the end of the third week. Early maturing species are often ready for the introduction of other products already on the 20-25th day.

You can track readiness by behavior and condition of teeth. When baby teeth are almost completely replaced by permanent teeth, interest in solid food awakens, the animal is transferred to new food.

As they grow, the amount of milk increases. The larger the breed, the larger the single portion:

Per month

When the rabbits gain strength and their teeth become stronger, they begin to feed them solid food. Some farmers completely exclude milk by the 31st day.

Others prefer to leave it as a supplement in small quantities. Experts recommend leaving dairy food only if there is a lack of weight.

New food is offered to baby rabbits from the 3rd week of life. Even during the period of milk feeding, they are given small piles of hay. It is important to monitor the babies’ stool.

The slightest signs of diarrhea serve as a stop signal for additional feeding.

Gastrointestinal disorders are very dangerous for these animals, since digestion may not recover after them.

If the introduction was successful, gradually add fine grass, a few pellets of compound feed, a pinch of grated carrots. This way the transition to adult food is as smooth as possible.

The intestines of a month-old rabbit are able to digest food without stagnation. The basis of the diet now consists of granulated mixtures, greens and hay, oat flakes, vegetables, root vegetables. All food must be fresh.

Granulated feeds include the necessary vitamin premixes. Their size varies, so the portion per individual is considered 3% of the individual’s weight.

Carrots and cabbage leaves are chopped at first, then they are given in large pieces.

Beets, potatoes, and turnips are given only for fodder, no more than 1-2 times a week.

Dry food must be moistened, otherwise it irritates the rabbits’ respiratory tract. Animals should always have access to clean drinking water.

Only hay and water are left in the feeding area at all times. The rest of the food is added according to the schedule, and the remains are removed daily.

In winter, the norms are calculated according to the upper permissible limit. In summer, the amount of grass is increased, and granulated feed is reduced to a minimum.

It is forbidden to feed rabbits sprouted potatoes, wild herbs, branches of unknown trees. Many species are poisonous for these animals, it is necessary to study the permissible plants in advance.

Food with mold, rot, dirt, fungal plaque, and frozen areas can also cause irreparable harm to your pet’s body.

Introduction of fertilizers

The milk of a healthy rabbit can provide her offspring with all the necessary vitamins.

When artificially fed, newborn animals require help in the form of supplementary feeding. Ready-made replacement mixtures often already contain premixes.

In their absence, special preparations are added to natural milk independently:

Vitamins A and D

Fat-soluble oil drops are added to milk on the first day. Fish oil can be used as a source of vitamin A.

The dosage depends on the specific drug, so recommendations should be read in the instructions.

For older, weak individuals, to strengthen the body, they are given 1 g per day in courses as prescribed by a veterinarian;

Oat flour and oat sprouts

A source of dietary fiber, important for digestion. Also rich in vitamins E, B, PP. A small pinch is added to the milk mixture on the 5th or 6th day, mixed thoroughly.

For 31 days, the flour is replaced with sprouts, 50 g per day. Peas can also be sprouted for this purpose;

Salt, kitchen

Give from the 30th day of life to 1 year. Salt is dissolved in water, the granules are moistened with the composition. Half a gram per day is enough;

Bone meal and chalk

1-2 g per day are offered in the form of powder or a special sharpening stone for teeth. Give regularly from the 20th to the 25th day;

Branches of pine, spruce, birch

Sources of vitamin C, good material for strengthening teeth. For one rabbit from 30 days it is necessary 150 g per day.

Earlier, you can put 1-2 small branches per individual, so that the babies scratch their teeth. Some farmers replace 20-50 g of branches with acorns, but not earlier than from the 90th day;

Cecotrophs

The droppings of adult rabbits are in the form of balls in a mucous film. They contain a lot of proteins, fiber, vitamins K and B.

When breastfeeding naturally, females themselves give cecotrophs to their offspring as soon as they emerge from the anus.

Orphaned babies are deprived of this procedure. The balls will need to be taken from other adult animals. On days 10-15, 2 peas are dissolved in milk mixture once a day.

In the original form, 3 peas are given when introducing hay and vegetables. If the stool is liquid or like gruel, the courses are repeated until normal feces appear;

Acidophilus

A supplement rich in live cultures. It is essential for digestion and is added directly to the milk formula.

Sold frozen in health food stores and some veterinary outlets.

This type is preferable because it is absorbed without unpleasant consequences.

As a last resort, it is permissible to give a few drops of unsweetened yogurt with bifidobacteria.

In this case, you need to strictly monitor the baby rabbit’s stool. If the feces are liquid, stop giving yogurt.

Granulated feeds may also contain premixes. From day 31, you need to ensure that the total amount of feeding is within the permissible limits.

Experienced zoological specialists recommend giving the following mixture during the period of changing food:

• 4 parts hay or grass meal;
• 3 parts barley;
• 2 parts peas or corn;
• 2 parts sunflower cake;
• 1 part wheat bran.

All ingredients are ground into coarse flour and given a pinch from day 20. From day 31, this mixture can replace all or part of the granulated feed.

Conclusion

Fortunately, it is quite possible to feed newborn rabbits without a mother rabbit. But to do this, you should carefully follow all the important rules.

The main thing is to feed the babies until they are five days old. If they overcome this threshold, then the survival rate will be almost 100%.

The strengthened babies will actively suck milk or formula from the artificial udder, gaining weight. It is important not to forget to maintain hygiene to prevent infection with dangerous diseases.