Baby rabbits need to stay with their mother until they are about 8 weeks old. Baby rabbits start nibbling on hay and pellets at about 2 weeks old. However, just because they start eating on their own does not mean they can be taken away from their mother.
We think that's because she knows her babies will be safer there from natural predators, like raccoons, skunks, or opossums. Smart mom! Remember that cottontail rabbits grow up really quickly – they leave the nest at about 3 weeks old.
Young rabbits disperse from the nest at 15-20 days old. By three weeks of age, they are on their own in the wild and no longer require a mother's care.
Weaning. A domestic rabbit feeds her babies for about 8 weeks, gradually decreasing the frequency of feedings until they lose interest. Your baby bunnies will start to nibble on pellets and solid food at about the age of two to three weeks, but this does NOT mean they are ready to be weaned.
Baby rabbits can then be rehomed to new families by 8 weeks of age, as long as they are fully weaned and eating solids well on their own.
Baby rabbits need to stay with their mother until they are about 8 weeks old. Baby rabbits start nibbling on hay and pellets at about 2 weeks old. However, just because they start eating on their own does not mean they can be taken away from their mother.
Newborn rabbits drink only milk for the first 10 days. From 10 days small amounts of hay and veggies may be offered.
By the time she reaches two weeks, your rabbit starts to eat solids. She will eat the same food as her mother by the age of four weeks. Despite this, she still needs milk up to the age of six weeks. This provides additional nourishment.
We suggest Oxbow Young Rabbit Food as the best option for young rabbits. Timothy Hay or Orchard Grass should be provided at all times and they should be hungry enough eat it during the day. Do not feed your bunny vegetables, fruit, or any fresh treats. Instead used dried forage blends while they are still young.
Keep the baby rabbit in a dark, quiet place indoors, in an enclosed or covered container. For most species, a cardboard box is perfect. If your home is small, a closet or a bathroom is an excellent spot. A basement, heated garage, or spare bedroom will also work.
Four to Five Weeks Old:Cottontails at this age should very much look like a small version of an adult. Fur stands off the body like an adult rabbit, ears stand straight up from the head, eyes are bright, and they should appear alert and wary of humans.
No. Rabbits are very specific about the location of their nest. Moving it even a foot or two away will cause the mother to abandon it. Mother rabbits are also one of the only mammals who cannot pick their babies up to move them to a better spot.
Baby rabbits leave the nest when they're 3 weeks old and about the size of a chipmunk. If you find a chipmunk-sized but fully-furred rabbit with eyes open, ears erect and the ability to hop, they are meant to be on their own. As small and helpless as they may look, they are not an orphan and don't need your help.
Mother rabbits do not abandon their babies under normal circumstances. She only feeds her babies once or twice during a 24-hour period, usually between dusk and dawn. You may never see her return to the nest. If the babies' eyes are still closed, they are under 10 days old.
Newborn rabbits are fragile, and can't cope with too much human contact. If you can check on the kits without picking them up, you should do so. Once the babies are three weeks old, you can begin to interact with them a bit more. You can pet them, allow them to hop into your lap and pick them up occasionally.
FEED TWICE A DAY ONLY for healthy babies, three times if low weight. It may be easiest to start with a 3 cc/ml syringe or an eyedropper. Feed only with the bunny sitting UPRIGHT, and point syringe down towards bottom or side of mouth, so if too much comes out, the baby does not aspirate.
Handling baby rabbits
Gentle handling of baby rabbits can begin when they're about ten days old.
Young Rabbits (up to 8wks old) drink milk from their mothers. They may also start drinking water from their mom's water bottle or bowl at about 3 to 4 weeks of age.
Young rabbits, under approximately 7-8 months old, should be fed alfalfa pellets and alfalfa hay free-choice; they need the extra protein and calcium as they grow. They, too, can have a variety of vegetables.
At four months you should begin reducing pellets, and if you are feeding a higher protein pellets changing over to adult pellets. If you've fed alfalfa, it's also time to start decreasing this in favour of grass hay. Your rabbit should be on an adult ration by 6-7 months old.
WHAT TO FEED THE BABIES. Baby rabbits should be fed Kitten Milk Replacer (KMR) or goat milk, which you can buy at pet stores, or sometimes even a local veterinarian's office. Because rabbit milk is the most caloric of all mammals, we add in one tablespoon of 100% heavy whipping cream (no sugar) to each can of KMR.
Can rabbits drink milk? You should not give rabbits milk to drink. Adult rabbits are lactose intolerant and milk products are bad for the rabbit's digestive system. Baby rabbits should also not have cow's milk because it is very different from the milk they get from their mothers.
Newborn bunnies
Rabbits feed their young only once (occasionally twice) daily. Mother rabbits will not stay with their young except for the brief period (perhaps 10 minutes) while they are feeding; often just before dawn. Mother is feeding the babies if their skin is not wrinkled and they are warm and in a bunch.