Infant Rabbit Care

Now, we've all heard the saying "They multiple like rabbits!" or "They breed like rabbits!".   And anyone who raises rabbits will know only how true that saying really is.  However, while lots of females have their babies and take care of them; there are quite a few different situations which might cause something to happen to your baby rabbits.

 

First off, infant rabbits are actually called 'Kits'.  As I've mentioned before, the kits are born blind, deaf, and bald.  This means they are extremely vulnerable and helpless. 

Quite a few times if your pregnant female isn't in a hutch when giving birth, there are bound to be a few babies who were born on the wire and not in the nesting-box.  At this point, the kits lose heat rapidly and can also get stuck in the wire. 

Kits need to be kept around 90 degrees at this stage in life.  On the wire, they will freeze extremely quickly. 

You will need to know a formula that you can give to the kits while they're away from their mother.

Always remember though, you are NOT taking over the position of the mother with feeding the babies, therefore never give the kits a lot of formula.

You still want the mother to be the main provider of milk for the young kits. 

If the kits eyes are still closed (meaning they are younger then 10 days)  then you should only give them a few drops of formula at a time.  Kits stomachs are very small and therefore are easily and quickly filled.  Over-feeding the kit could cause the kits stomach to explode and the kit would die.

A good formula that has worked for us every time we needed it was the following recipe:

   1 C. Evaporated Milk

   1 Table spoon Corn Syrup

   1 Egg Yolk

Mix that up and you've got the perfect formula to feed your kits. 

As shown in this picture, the mother should have built a nest for her kits out of her fur and/or whatever else you've given her to help add to her nest. 

Once your kits hit 10 days old (or when their eyes open) they are then no longer considered infants, but 'toddlers'.  And well, once you hit that stage, you no longer have infant rabbits to care for. 

So to recap; only help the mother feed with a syringe/straw and only a few drops for each kit.  Make sure they stay warm and when feeding them, it's always helpful to hold them in a towel of sorts so that you can keep them from wiggling out!