When baby rabbits begin to open their eyes and leave the nest, developmental stages

Growth and development of rabbits

This can happen due to the negligence of a female who jumps out of the nest with sucklings clinging to her.
If the hypothermic baby rabbit is still alive, there is hope for saving it. Each breeder has his own techniques for warming up baby rabbits. Try one of the methods suggested below.

As soon as the baby begins to show signs of life and move its limbs, return it to the nest with its siblings - the temperature there is optimal and this will increase the likelihood that the affected baby will not miss a feeding. How to transfer baby rabbits to an adoptive mother There are really important reasons for transferring baby rabbits to another female. Here are the most common:. How to give baby rabbits to another rabbit? Just take the baby rabbit, mark its ear by putting a dot with a permanent marker of a color unusual for rabbits, such as lemon or green, and place it in a new nest.

There is nothing extremely complicated or requiring enormous preparation in this. From time to time, or better yet every day, update the point. These marks won't be of much use if you forget which litter the colored bunnies came from, so write down the date, litter numbers, and color of the markings in a notebook.

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Take into the habit of writing down all the more or less significant events, since it is human nature to forget and valuable information may be lost, and complete confusion will reign on the mini-farm.

It is best to transfer newborn rabbits to a new mother; the older they get, the more difficult it is to do. But there are situations, for example, when a female dies, when it is necessary to add grown cubs up to 14 days old.

This idea can be successful if the chosen rabbit is calm and experienced enough. Before placement, the female is removed from the cage and the orphans are placed with her siblings. In most cases, everything will go well, the worried female will soon come to her senses and begin to feed the suddenly increased offspring. If you are unsure about your female rabbit and want to try her out as a foster mother, try alternate feeding.

Possible problems when raising young animals

When dealing with newborn rabbits, farmers must be prepared for various difficulties. Often dead babies are found in the nest immediately after birth. They are immediately removed from there.

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Damage to the limbs and wounds on the baby rabbit’s body indicate a difficult birth. The female rabbit, trying to remove the baby from the birth canal, grabbed it with her teeth. Such cubs have almost no chance of survival.

Jigging

Beginning rabbit breeders often wonder when is the most suitable period for weaning furry rodents from their mother? The withdrawal is gradual. Stress should not be allowed for the female rabbit or young animals. Complementary feeding and created conditions will help to place the baby rabbits without unnecessary problems.

Conditions under which experienced farmers carry out planting:

• healthy young animals;
• good increase in brood weight;
• switching to balanced plant foods;
• The rabbits are at least 40 days old;
• strong immunity of young animals.

Each condition predetermines the resistance of young animals to diseases that affect adult rabbits. Broods that remain in nests for too long will not be able to withstand threats or dangers on their own.

An experienced farmer or a novice rabbit breeder should be patient and take care of the female rabbit, because it is always not easy to raise whole offspring on your own. To protect the rabbit, a separate enclosure with proper nutrition is set up. Vitamin supplements will support the immunity of the mother and the young. During epidemics or mass poultry diseases, the placement of rabbits is postponed until adult animals have fully recovered.

Caring for young rabbits

Sometimes they emerge from the queen cell ahead of time. A common cause is stuffy conditions. Therefore, in summer the cage is placed under a canopy or a well-ventilated room.

If the nest with the little rabbits is too stuffy, then the cage needs to be darkened or moved to an open barn (protected from drafts)

In winter, they are separated from the mother no earlier than 45 days. It is also important to create the right diet for young animals: hay, straw, high-calorie feed, clean water, supplements.

All the most interesting things about newborn rabbits

We can assume that when the rabbits were born, the hardest part was left behind. Now they will be cared for first by their mother and then by the farmer, helping them grow up. Newborns are born defenseless, bald, blind, and deaf. Their eyes are closed, they are guided by the smell of their mother.

Immediately after giving birth, a caring female begins to lick her cubs, as instinct tells her. This is beneficial for newborns, it calms them down after suffering stress and stimulates the onset of the protective action of the immune system. A kind of massage starts the work of the still weak intestines.

The temperature in the cage must be at least 20°C, which must be monitored by the breeder. The required temperature regime is also ensured by the down with which the still pregnant female carefully lines the queen cell. To keep warm, babies cuddle together. The fur of baby rabbits appears after 5-7 days, but quickly becomes thick.

In the first month, their life depends on the availability of sufficient milk from the mother

Therefore, you should pay special attention to it. It is necessary to provide an increased amount of food, always fresh, and constant access to clean water

The diet should be dominated by succulent food with plenty of greens. Vitamins must be added to food. You should also protect the nursing mother from infections. By caring for the female, the breeder automatically takes care of the newborns.

In addition, after the birth, he must remove stillborns from the cage and isolate the sick and weakened. Before this procedure, you need to wash your hands with laundry soap. This is necessary so as not to leave a smell on the babies that could alert the female. It is advisable to transfer the rabbit to another cage during the examination, since mothers react nervously if they begin to touch her babies.

Development of baby rabbits after birth

From the first weeks of life, babies intensively acquire new capabilities. Rabbits begin to open their eyes 10-12 days after birth. Before this, they use their sense of smell to navigate. Young animals are becoming more and more independent. But, since their nutrition is still mother's milk, the rabbit must continue to be provided with decent care.

Development of baby rabbits by stages

Small and defenseless at birth, rabbits gain stability by three months. Before this they go through the following stages:

1. First week. A coat of fur is formed. Intensive weight gain begins, which doubles after seven days.
2. Fourth week. With open eyes, babies begin exploring the world around them with curiosity.
3. Two month. Grown-up rabbits are separated from their mothers into separate housing for young animals.

Deplantation is highly stressful and must be carried out with all precautions. New foods are introduced gradually

It must contain all the necessary substances, vitamins and mineral supplements. The intestinal flora is still weak, which can cause disorders, so the quality must be high.

Basic manipulations with newborn rabbits after birth

Experienced farmers recommend minimal contact with newborns so that the wary female does not abandon the entire brood. As long as they are close to their mother, no additional care is required. Small animals depend only on the well-being of the female and the degree of her responsibility for her maternal responsibilities. The main role of the breeder during this period is to maintain normal temperature.

Over time, the animals will have to leave their nest, but for now they can only make small forays. Tired kids quickly return back. In order for them to finally leave their first home, the breeder needs to create the necessary conditions.

Preparing for birth

Pregnancy in rabbits lasts about a month. At one time, a female rabbit can bring up to twelve cubs. A signal that the rabbits will soon be born is the behavior of the female, which should be carefully observed.

The female rabbit begins to pull out fluff from her chest and belly, which she will then use to insulate the nest. You can help the expectant mother build a nest. Wooden boxes with straw are quite suitable; they need to be placed inside the cage, after which the rabbit will arrange it to her own taste. Wood is the best material for making queen cells due to its environmental friendliness, which cannot be said about plastic containers, which are often offered for use as the base of a rabbit nest. Plastic can cause allergies, and animals can get poisoned or injured if they chew (and this happens) a product made from non-natural material.

Nest (or queen cell) for rabbits

Considering the peculiarities of the nervous system of rabbits, their characteristic timidity, it is important to provide comfortable conditions during childbirth - silence, peace, lack of lighting. Birth usually occurs at night and no additional assistance is required. The female rabbit bites the umbilical cord herself and licks the newborns. Rabbits from the first litter may be injured due to the inexperience of the mother at the time of gnawing the umbilical cord.

How to feed a newborn rabbit if the female refuses

This happens quite often. This may happen for the following reasons:

1. The female has no milk.
2. The animal experiences stress, which is triggered by the appearance of offspring.
3. Her nipples hurt when feeding.
4. Hormonal imbalance.

How to determine if the queen has abandoned her babies

If a mother feeds her children, then they have dense and rounded tummies. Otherwise, they are sunken.

If the baby is hungry, then his skin will gather in folds due to dehydration of the body. The offspring becomes weak and stops responding to the environment and to the breeder’s touch.

What to feed

For feeding, a milk formula should be prepared, which includes:

• skim milk powder - 50%;
• coconut or sunflower oil - 10-12%;
• whey protein or egg yolk - 30-32%;
• fortified supplements or minerals - the rest.

Also, many feed rabbits with cow's or goat's milk, but the latter is better suited for feeding.

How to feed baby rabbits without a rabbit: pacifier or syringe?

Artificial feeding can be done using a syringe, but without a needle. However, the most comfortable and safest method is a special pacifier, which can be purchased at a pet store.

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The baby needs 5 ml of milk per day

Feeding frequency

One baby needs 5 ml per day. milk or formula.

You need to feed about 3-5 times a day. The frequency of feeding depends on the individual characteristics and needs of each baby.

How to feed

To feed your rabbit, you need to hold it in one hand and the pacifier in the other. In this case, the baby should be held horizontally downwards. The front part of the body can be raised slightly or turned to one side. You can also feed him in an upright position.

When the rabbit grows a little, you just need to support it with your hand, without making sudden movements.

"Artificial feeding of rabbits and abdominal massage"

Newborn rabbits cannot cope on their own. If the mother does not refuse them, then she licks the babies, thereby stimulating muscle contraction, which makes the process of defecation and urination easier.

To prevent the rabbits' bladder and intestines from becoming full, the owner needs to massage the abdomen.

To do this, you need to rub it, touching the anus area. Movements should be soft but confident. The breeder needs to stimulate the tension of the abdominal muscles.

This should be done with your finger, which is moistened with warm water in advance. You can also wrap it with a damp cloth or use a cotton swab, which also needs to be moistened in water.

The massage lasts from 15-30 seconds to several minutes. You need to finish when your bladder has emptied.

The breeder should be careful and patient, because some rabbits will not be able to cope on their own for quite a long time. It happens up to several weeks of age.

Do not rub or press too hard on the tummy, as this may cause redness and irritation of the baby's skin. If this does happen, then you need to anoint your abdomen with soothing calendula ointment.

Some newborns die

Advice for rabbit breeders when refusing to feed their offspring with rabbits

Sometimes female rabbits refuse to feed their babies. This behavior of animals can lead to the rapid death of rabbits. To prevent this from happening, experienced breeders advise:

• Keep the rabbit's home and queen cell clean and tidy.
• Maintain optimal temperature, humidity, and make sure there are no drafts.
• Monitor the availability of clean drinking water in the drinking bowl.
• Feed animals correctly.
• Replace bedding in cages in a timely manner.
• Protect animals from noise and do not disturb them unnecessarily.

If, after all, the newly-made long-eared mother refused to nurse, she has no milk or the female died during childbirth, there is no need to despair. With some effort, offspring can be raised in other ways: by forcibly placing the baby rabbits with the mother, transferring them to another lactating female, or resorting to artificial feeding.

Moving in with another female

This is one of the most optimal ways. A more experienced rabbit with a pronounced maternal instinct can easily feed her own and “other people’s” babies, without even paying attention to the change in the number of offspring. In order not to frighten off the female, it is better to carry out the replanting procedure when the eared one is absent from the nest.

The baby rabbits are transferred to the nest with clean, washed hands and gloves, preventing foreign odors from coming into contact with their skin.

Force feeding

If the rabbit has milk, but simply due to inexperience does not feed the babies, then you can force lactation at first. In this case, the rabbit breeder will need an assistant. It is most convenient for one person to lay the female down for feeding, hold her, and another place the baby rabbits to the nipples.

As babies become full, their bellies swell a little and their bodies become more elastic. This signals the saturation of the animals. Forced feeding is recommended until the rabbit herself takes the initiative to feed the children.

Artificial feeding

Of course, artificial feeding is a very labor-intensive method. It is resorted to only as a last resort, when it is not possible to use other methods. It is worth remembering that not all milk is suitable for rabbits. The best are considered to be special substitute mixtures for rabbits or goat milk.

Food should be fresh and heated to a temperature of 37-38 C. A diet and food dosage are mandatory, the volume of which increases according to age. Rabbits should not be overfed. The owner will constantly need to massage the tummy of the “artificial” to establish peristalsis.

After how many days do baby rabbits leave the nest?

The average time that baby rabbits spend constantly in the nest, which is necessary for them to become sufficiently strong, is about 20 days. A sufficient period of adaptation is the key to health. Even in one litter there are rabbits with personality traits. The most courageous and inquisitive ones are the first to carry out reconnaissance at three weeks of age. Leaving before this time can provoke aggression.

Staying the brood in the nest for too long pampers the young and does not develop qualities that will help withstand the difficulties of independent life. When the rabbits leave the nest, it is time for the first feeding, consisting of grated carrots. Gradually they become more confident and stay outside the queen cell for a longer time. This serves as a signal to gradually expand the diet and begin to accustom him to adulthood.

In addition to mother's milk, small animals are able to feed themselves:

• hay;
• vegetables;
• small pieces of root vegetables;
• corn.

Complementary foods must be introduced gradually. Delicious new food serves as motivation for the moment when the rabbits leave the nest. It must be remembered that the ingestion of adult food intended for a rabbit can cause harm to the fragile organism. Therefore, feeding the young animals must be carried out in the queen cell, where they can already move. It is imperative to ensure that there is constant access to fresh water. Feed should be given 4-5 times a day with intervals at night.

After 40 days after birth, small rodents are able to completely switch to adult food with a high content of vitamins and minerals. Therefore, the final placement of healthy rabbits with strong immunity is carried out on 40-45 days. It is recommended to carry out this over several days. They start with the two strongest ones, and after a couple of days they plant several more. Individuals with aggressive behavior are isolated from others. This method is gentle for the whole family.

You should be understanding of the increased fearfulness of small animals and remove them carefully and with clean hands.

Why do baby rabbits leave the nest early?

The normal period of stay in the nest is three weeks. If children begin to strive for freedom earlier, this does not indicate their independence. The most likely cause is malnutrition. The rabbit may not have enough milk for everyone or its quality cannot be called good. After fruitless attempts, the cubs will begin to look for food outside their nest.

Lack or insufficient milk supply may be due to physiological reasons or postpartum stress, especially when there are large numbers of stillborn and sick babies. The diet of the lactating female and her living conditions should be reconsidered. It is quite easy to check lactation: the nipples should look swollen. When stroking and lightly pressing, milk should be released. There should be no inflammation on the nipples. The skin around them should not be overgrown with hair so that access to food is convenient.

What to do if the rabbits are born prematurely?

Malnutrition can be determined by the appearance of babies. When everything is in order, their tummies are round, but the formation of folds indicates malnutrition and dehydration. This is indicated by restless behavior and squeaking. To make sure of your guesses, the rabbits should be weighed. If they are underweight for their age, you will have to start feeding them formula milk. To maintain sugar levels in the body, you can give a drop of jam, jam or molasses.

For feeding, use a mixture of the following composition:

• 250 grams of milk;
• chicken yolk;
• a couple of drops of vitamins;
• a little sweet.

Feeding occurs using a pipette. After the babies have eaten, you should lightly massage their lower tummy. This will promote the release of excrement. Oxytocin, which should be administered by a veterinarian, helps stimulate the activity of the mammary glands.

Another way to solve the problem is to transplant to another lactating female. In order for her to accept them calmly, you must first remove the foreign smell of leftover fluff, sawdust, and hay. If lactation is normal and there is enough food, then you should not take the initiative to take the rabbits or start feeding them.

Photo gallery

Photo 1. Baby rabbit in arms

Photo 2. Babies in the nest

Photo 3. Baby rabbits in the queen cell

Photo 4. Babies sleep in the nest

Photo 5. A brood of baby rabbits in a nest

Photo 6. Grown-up rabbits in a cage

Features of development

Young rabbits can begin to leave the nest even if the enclosure is dry and warm. The strength of the immune system and their overall health in the future depends on how animals eat at this age. The female takes care of the offspring during the first few months, then the rabbits gain independence and can be removed.

From the third day, the rodents' eyes open, and they begin to slowly explore the world. Around the same time, the training of the rabbits begins, which consists of the female showing containers for food and water.

It is worth considering that newborns are characterized by caution and timidity, and therefore they will be very reluctant to contact people

From the moment their eyes open, the young animals become more independent and begin to move around the enclosure without the help of a female rabbit. Despite the fact that the period of feeding with milk is not so long, it is extremely important for building the immunity of animals. If for some reason the female refuses to feed the cubs, they will most likely die. Farmers have long found a way out of this situation: you can warm the baby rabbits and feed them from a pipette, but this will not guarantee a successful outcome. A newborn rabbit is very weak and easily susceptible to various diseases.

On average, the body of a young animal can be considered stronger 20 days after birth. In the third week, the most fearless rodents begin to crawl out of the uterine house. It is common for naturally curious animals to get acquainted with their surroundings and get to know the territory where their life will pass. If leaving the nest ahead of time, this may become a provoking factor for aggressive behavior in the future. From day 20, rabbits are able to feed themselves and eat food intended for adult animals.

When can weaning take place?

At the age of one and a half months, a new life period begins for baby rabbits - they switch to the diet of adult livestock. It is most optimal to place the young animals in other cages as soon as they reach 45 days of age. At this point, rodents are able to obtain the necessary vitamins and microelements from plant food, and they no longer need breast milk. Young animals need to be fed up to 5 times a day, with a break at night.

Experienced livestock breeders recommend giving rodents special feed containing milk powder and antioxidants in the first weeks of independent life.

Every farmer must remember that it is necessary to introduce new food to young animals gradually and begin complementary feeding several days before the rabbits begin to eat on their own. The weaning period is very stressful for rabbits, and therefore it is recommended to minimize all negative factors:

• changing the cage;
• food base;
• temperature regime;
• excess noise.

To reduce anxiety in animals, it is best to use nesting jigging. First of all, you need to separate the strongest and strongest pair of rodents, after another couple of days, add the next ones, and so on until all the rabbits move to new habitats.

Rabbits ready for weaning

The weakest animals can be left for fattening and subsequent slaughter. The strongest are expected for the replacement herd. It is also worth considering the gender of the rabbits: males and females should sit separately from each other. If aggression is detected within a group, animals with a bad character are recommended to be separated and then culled.

Artificial feeding of abandoned offspring

If the rabbit abandoned her children, then they will have to be fed artificially if there is no other nursing female. To do this, you need to take a syringe without a needle as a substitute for a natural nipple and goat's milk or a mixture for rabbits (a formula for cats is also suitable) as a milk substitute. At first, the cubs may ignore the fake nipple, but over time they get used to it, because it determines whether they will live or not.

You need to drip a little into the oral cavity, and for safety reasons you can even lubricate it just a little. Every week the doses taken should increase.

At first, the baby rabbit also needs to be helped to empty its stomach and bladder. To do this, rub a cloth over the lower part of the body, without pressing too hard on the stomach. This must be done until the little rabbit completely goes to the toilet.

Important! A rabbit may diarrhea if its diet is not balanced. Keeping babies in an open cage in winter is undesirable.

This is only permissible in the summer when it’s hot. The reason is that they can freeze in the cold season

Keeping babies in an open cage in winter is undesirable. This is only permissible in the summer when it’s hot. The reason is that they can freeze during the cold season.

Raising rabbits is never an easy task, but the time and effort that will be invested in their development will one day pay off. You must strictly follow all the steps and recommendations described above, then the rabbits will grow up truly healthy and beautiful and will not die. There is no need to be scared if something goes wrong and the rabbits begin to get sick and die. All comes with experience. It’s just worth setting aside time to deal with rabbits. They, like all living beings, love affection and care. Then you will be able to become a successful rabbit breeder, raising animals for the sale of ring meat and skins.

Winter offspring

No matter how strange it may sound, the hardiest individuals are often born in winter. Such rabbits can withstand lower temperatures better than those born in the summer heat. However, winter calving differs in some nuances:

• for breeding, the most experienced rabbit is chosen, preferably a dairy one;
• if the litter is very large, you should leave as many babies as the mother has nipples, and ideally one less, to ensure a greater degree of survival;
• it is necessary to feed the female abundantly;
• You should drink only warm water;
• if there is not enough fluff, cotton wool is placed in the nest so that the newborns do not freeze.

What do newborn rabbits look like?

They are very small and fragile. They need care and attention. Their further productivity indicators, as well as the feasibility of their breeding, depend on this.

Development of newborn rabbits after birth

Although newborn rabbits are very helpless, they grow very quickly. On the second day, their fur begins to appear. At the end of the second week, the fur size will increase to 5-6 mm. This process is completely completed after 30 days from birth. After which age-related molting begins. Primary fur begins to change to secondary.

Eyes open after 3-4 days

When do they open their eyes?

Babies are born without the ability to see or hear. After a week, they begin to develop hearing. And after another 3-4 days, the eyes gradually open, so the animals become more independent.

When do you start eating on your own?

When the babies are already 20 days old, it is necessary to start feeding them.

The owner needs to carefully introduce new foods into the rabbits’ diet and monitor their body’s reaction.

If any negative reactions occur, then you need to stop giving them the corresponding product.

Although babies are still fed with mother's milk, they can already be given chopped carrots, small fresh hay, grass pellets and sprouted grains.

As soon as they are 30 days old, they should start feeding on their own. By two months they will gradually switch to eating adult food.

What to do if the baby rabbits leave the nest prematurely?

Most often this happens due to the fact that they do not have enough milk. In this case, each cub must be weighed. If any of them is underweight, then they must be supplemented with formula milk.

You also need to review the rabbit's diet and improve it to solve this problem.

Possible problems

Leaving too early is a cause for concern. Experienced farmers understand that if young rabbits that are not yet strong enough get out of the nest, they have too little milk. If you have such a situation, you need to assess the condition of the rabbit:

1. The female's nipples are examined and inflammation can be detected.
2. As a test, you can easily squeeze one and see if milk comes out.

Females who receive balanced food give a lot of milk. On average, a female rabbit feeds 8 rabbits, but only if she has enough variety of food. If the offspring is larger, then the strongest animals will receive most of the milk, and the rest will eat the rest. They remain hungry and leave the queen cell too early.

So, if the baby rabbits leave the nest early, they are malnourished. This problem is solved in two ways:

1. Weak rabbits are transferred to a dairy female with a small litter.
2. Babies are fed kitten formula or goat's milk. One week old rabbit is fed 5-10 ml of milk per day, when it is 2 weeks old - 10-15 ml per day, at 3 weeks - 15-20 ml of the mixture.

Gradually they are accustomed to the usual food that is given to adult livestock. It’s good if it is possible to feed the young rabbits feed.

What is coccidiosis in rabbits?

Coccidiosis is caused by a single-celled parasite of the order Coccidia of the genus Eimeria. Therefore, the second name of the pathology is eimeriosis. These parasites are specific, settle only in the body of rodents, and are harmless to other farm animals. In the rabbit body they capture certain organs:

• coccidia living in the small intestine - Eimeria intestinalis, media, magma, calcicole;
• settling in the liver – Eimeria stiedae.

Outside the host’s body, coccidia are in the form of cysts, that is, they have a shell that protects them from temperature fluctuations and other negative environmental factors. Having penetrated the rabbit’s body, the parasite loses its protective shell, begins moving through the digestive tract, and settles in a suitable organ.