Ok, I brought my rabbit from a pet shop and she just had baby rabbits. How long do they have to stay with there mom before the can be givin away..?
Answers:
Get an open topped box just longer and wider than mom and 6 inches deep at it's lowest point at the mouth of the box so mom can easily hop in and out but babies can't crawl out.
Put some wood shavings in the bottom. About an inch will do. Put hay on top of that. use enough hay to make a well or burrow with your fist for the babies. Make sure the babies can't crawl out of it.
Put the babies in the nest box along with any fur the mom has pulled out. If she has not pulled out any fur yet, give her some privacy and she will pull out her fur and cover up her babies.
Side note: Check the temperature of the babies with your hands. They shoud be warm and toasty. If not, place the nest box on top of a heating pad set on low. The babies will dig down closer to the heat if they want it. Make sure mom cannot get to any cords attached to the heating pad. Use the pad only if your babies are cool to the touch and only until they feel warm and toasty for about 30 hours or so.
Place the box in the mother rabbit's cage/pen. Don't worry about her not feeding them. She'll do it only once or twice a day for just a few minutes and on her own schedule. If you are concerned they are not eating, check them in 24 hours for round bellies. You may actually be able to see the milk in their tummies.
Check the nest box every morning for dead babies and remove any you find. Handling the newborns from day one is desirable for socializing the babies and will not keep mom from caring for them.
Give your mother rabbit a constant supply of fresh water in a water bottle or clean bowl. Give her a small handful of timothy, oat grass, or orchard grass hay every day. Give her as much pellets as she can finish off in one day. It's okay to give her the occasional treat of dark greens (one leaf) or small slice of fruit but only 3 - 4 times a week and only if the babies can't get to it (like when they're older and jumping out of the nest box).
I do NOT give baby rabbits greens until 4 months of age in order to prevent the number one killer of baby rabbits - enteritis (diahrea).
If your babies should develop soft stools, it is okay to give them one or two tablespoons of uncooked, old-fashioned oatmeal (not the quick-oats or instant) daily until their stool firms up again. That should only take two or three days max.
You don't need to worry about weaning the babies. Mom will take care of that. Weaning BEGINS at 5 - 6 weeks of age. Babies stay with mom and nurse and eat pellets and hay until 8 weeks of age. At 8-10 weeks of age they can safely go to new homes. Not sooner. They will certainly be ready by 10 weeks.
After you've read this go call your pet store and chew them out! Give them an earful and tell them that you just bought your last pet store bunny. Ugh.
Good luck and enjoy the babies and new mom!
at 4-5 weeks they should start to ween off milk and be eating solid food as in pellets, they should stay with momma till about 7 week atleast.
good luck with them, if you have trouble finding homes contact the pet shop where you bought momma and try them.
How Cute !! I just consulted a rabbit book that I have. It says that the babies should open their eyes when they are about 10 days old. As soon as they start moving around you can start them on pellets. They are usually weaned at about 8 weeks of age. and can be separated from the mother. If the rabbit is a larger breed, it may take a little longer. Good luck.
They can be given away at six to seven weeks... They should be in a group environment until that point though... And once they start hopping around and eating on their own, make sure you handle them, so that they get used to you!
You should probably separate boys from mum and sisters after they stop feeding off mum and start just eating solids... after about 4 and a half to 5 weeks!
Good luck!
ok what i would do is call the pet shop and see if they would buy them and if not call another one and se if they would buy them if not just ask them if they will take them off your hands but you have o wait at lest 6 weeks befor the can leave there mom
Bunnies grow quickly and are on their own about 4-5 weeks of age.
Just keep them in the cage with her and start handling them when they get fur and open their eyes so they can be good pets for whomever you adopt them out to.
6-8 weeks you can ween them and give them away
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