There are situations when rabbits die during childbirth or in a few days after them. In this case, the question arises of what to do and how to feed rabbits without a rabbit. The problem can be solved with the help of another female who recently gave birth.But it’s not always possible, what if there is no other provider?
- Reasons for the switch to artificial nutrition
- What to feed rabbits without mom
- Cow’s milk
- Goat’s milk
- Mixes
- How to properly feed the little rabbits
- When and how to feed the
- It is important to remember
- Conclusion
In order to feed the pets without a mother, it is necessary to take into account the different nuances. The first thing they pay attention to is the age of the rabbits. Monthly is easier to feed than weekly, because the older the fluffy, the easier it is for him to make a ration.
Reasons for switching to artificial food
Can rabbits be fed without a rabbit? Yes, but it’s worth knowing why such situations arise. Most often, farmers transfer rabbits to artificial nutrition due to the fact that the mother does not have enough milk or she refuses to feed them. But there are a number of other reasons why you have to introduce artificial nutrition:
- The onset of hunting, which can begin immediately after childbirth.During this period, the rabbits behave aggressively and may even trample their rabbits. It is necessary to prepare in advance a place where to put fluffies.
- Another reason may be the rough skin of the nipples. For some reason, such a problem is observed in many females.
- Some rabbits refuse to feed rabbits because of extraneous odors in their cage.
- A young mother may refuse to feed rabbits, because she does not feel that these are her children. This behavior is often called the absence of maternal instinct.
- Least of all you have to feed rabbits without a mother, because she died during childbirth.
In any of the situations they try to get mom to feed if she is alive, or they transfer to another recently born female. If this is not possible, then the rabbits are transferred to artificial food.
It is worth noting that such food does not guarantee that all offspring will survive. Most often, survival is affected by the age of motherless rabbits. It’s more difficult to feed recently born fluffies, but if everything is done correctly, it’s quite possible.
How to feed rabbits without a mother
Experienced breeders recommend feeding two-week-old or newborn rabbits with special mixtures or milk substitutes. Cow or goat milk can be used as a substitute.
Cow’s milk
In order to feed small rabbits, breeders often use cow’s milk, but it needs to be bred. The fact is that the rabbit’s milk is very different from cow’s milk in its composition, so you need to prepare a special mixture. To do this, take 3/4 of milk and add to 1/4 condensed milk, and then warm the mixture to 70 ° C for an hour. After this time, the mixture should be cooled to 37 ° C.
Goat’s milk
Feeding small rabbits can also be done with goat’s milk.
It is very useful for pussies who are left without a mother. The advantage of goat milk is that it does not need to be bred, you can safely give it in its pure form.
Goat milk in its composition is very similar to rabbit, so for small rabbits this is an ideal option. It is perfect for rabbits that are just a few days old from birth, as well as for older babies.
Mixes
There is also a special artificial product with which you can feed babies. This is milk powder. Its main advantage is that it contains only useful substances that are well absorbed by the small tummy, which is only two weeks, or even several days.
Daily and weekly rabbit should receive the mixture 3 times a day for 5 ml per 1 dose.A rabbit that is already more than 7 days old at a time should receive 20 ml of the mixture 2 times a day. Monthly should be given 60 ml 2 times a day. With the right dosage, healthy offspring will grow.
How to properly feed the little rabbits
Not only what is used for feeding plays an important role, but also how it is done, therefore observe dosage and time of meal. Only in this case will good offspring grow.
When feeding, attention should be paid to the age of the animal. A daytime rabbit should receive less than a two-week mixture. It’s better to feed babies with a pipette or a syringe.
You should constantly look at the rabbit’s tummy: it should not be crowded, because babies who are only a few days old have no idea of satiety, and therefore are able to eat without a break, so that they should be given as much food as is recommended for their age.
There are situations when babies do not recognize artificial feeding. Do not force them and press them on the mouth so that they open it. You just need to take a finger to dip in milk and anoint the baby’s mouth with it. He licks it and starts asking for more.
It is also worth remembering that little rabbits do not have an instinct for emptying, so they need to regularly massage the abdomen until the baby goes to the toilet. Only with all these rules, you can be sure of the health of the kids.
When and how to administer feeding
Feeding is administered to rabbits from 3 weeks.
To begin with, you can give a little hay, but do not stop feeding milk. If the baby has diarrhea, you need to stop feeding, otherwise the animal will die at a young age.
If the rabbit’s body has normally taken up the hay, after a few days you can also introduce carrots. When the baby is 2 months old, he can already be given greens, grain and water.
With proper feeding, a good and healthy rabbit will grow. The main thing is to comply with all the above recommendations, because not only the animal’s health, but also its life depends on it.
It’s important to remember
If it happened such a situation that the kids were left without a mother, you need to know not only how to feed them, but also to monitor their general condition. Rabbits that are breast-fed should have an elastic and convex tummy. If he is sunken, this is the first sign that eating is not suitable for him.
Kids should be active and at the same time calm. If they move a little, it says that they do not get enough food. The bad dream of the pussies hints at the same thing.
It is worth paying attention to the color of the feces. In healthy babies, it has a greenish color. If the litter has turned brown, this indicates problems with the intestines.
It is known that rabbits are nocturnal animals, so they must have a dark corner for relaxing in the daytime. You don’t need to turn on the light at night, all they need is a warm heating pad, it will replace the mother’s warmth. Also worth all the equipment that is used for feeding, to disinfect. This is necessary so as not to introduce the infection into the body of babies.
It is recommended that milk or the mixture be heated only in a water bath so that it does not burn.In order to check the temperature of the mixture, you just need to drop a drop on your wrist: if it’s not hot, then you can give it to rabbits.
Conclusion
Raising newborns is very difficult for rabbits, because each must be fed separately. But it is quite possible, just have to be patient. From babies who were fed, they can make good adult rabbits.
Rarely do breeders take care of two-day babies, because it is much more difficult to do than when a rabbit is several weeks old. But if the challenge has already been accepted, we must go to the end. The reward of care will be delicious meat and good fur.
