Rabbit babies

Extract from Rajis book 'Milking babies from rabbits'

With Rajis permission I am going to list some does and don'ts of rabbit babies, breeding/nursing does, nest box and weaning.

Rabbit babies DO's

1. Put in a nest box on the 28th day of pregnancy
2. Make sure the nursing doe has plenty of fresh water to drink
3. Fill the nest box with dry grass
4. Check the nest box 24hrs after she kindles and remove dead rabbit babies if any
5. Check the rabbit babies daily to be sure they are being fed and to be sure the doe does not need help feeding the kits.
6. Clean and disinfect the cage two weeks after birth, just before the babies start coming out of the nest box.
7. Feed the young babies dry grass/feed and fresh water once they start eating hard food until they are 4 months then you can introduce fresh green and vegetables.
8. Separate the rabbit babies from the doe at 3 months in Extensive breeding or at 4 weeks in intensive breeding.
9. Separate males from females at 3 months old
10. Fatten the males for slaughter from 3  to 5months (2 months)

Rabbit babies DON'Ts

1. Don't touch the babies immediately after they are born.
2. Don't put the nest box in too soon.
3. Don't use hard objects as nesting material.
4. The nest box should not be move from it original position.
5. Kids should not be allowed to handle the litter/litter box without supervision.
6. Too much or loud noise around the does hutch should be avoided
7. No stranger should be allowed close to the maternity  hutch without supervision.
8. Do not leave the buck together with the doe before, during and after kindling.
9. Scattered baby rabbits should not be left on the hutch floor. Pick them up, warm them up, place them in the nest box and put the nest box back to where the doe is.
10. Male and female rabbit babies from the same doe should not be allowed to stay longer than four months together.

Rabbit kits

8:45am 05/09/17 languidly I unlocked the door and walk in. As I dragged my feet towards the hutches with sleepy eyes, there were lose fur on the floor and in the nest box of one of the cages and blood stain too. I realized the first doe had kindled (given birth to) her first kits. It was truly a mixed feeling at that moment.

Phone dialing moments later...

I: Hello Raj... one of my rabbit has kindled, I guess it was during the night. There is blood stain in the hutch... will the rabbit  be okay?

 

Raj: That's good news. Have you counted the kits?

 

I: No. I don't know what to do next...

 

Raj: Don't touch the kits yet if you have a strong scent on you - the rabbit will perceive the scent and may abandon the kits. Also pick the rabbit up gently and check her downside to see if she is still bleeding.

 

I: Okay... I don't have any smell on me... and there is no blood on the doe

Raj: Check if all the kits are in the nest box

 

I: There are no kits outside the nest box, the are all in the nest box. The mother pulled fur to cover them.

 

Raj: That's good. You can count the kits. But if you are not sure, you can place a drop of deodorant on the rabbits nose before touching the kits.

 

I: Okay...

 

Raj: Be sure the nursing rabbit has enough pellets, hay and water... That will be all for now. We'll talk later. Don't be late for work.

 

I: Thank you Raj. See you later.

 

I hurriedly went back to my room and brought a roll on deodorant and rolled it a few times back and forth on the rabbits nose before gently pulling the nest box out of the hutch. The kits had burrowed to the bottom when I removed the fur that the rabbit coverd them with.

 

1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. There are 8 baby rabbits in the nest box, no death and the kits looked plump and were hairles and blind.

 

I returned the fur I removed over them and returned the nest box back to its original position in the does hutch.

 

Tic-tac the clock tiking. Few munites left. I filled the feeding bowls with their morning ration, except that the the rabbit with kits will be having more today onwards to help her produce more milk and get back to shape ealier.