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The subject of intentional breeding or meat rabbits is prohibited. The answers provided on this board are for general guideline purposes only. The information is not intended to diagnose or treat your pet.  It is your responsibility to assess the information being given and seek professional advice/second opinion from your veterinarian and/or qualified behaviorist.

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Forum DIET & CARE HELP! With 2.5 week old baby

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    • BunnyLover26
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        Recently (almost a week ago) I acquired a baby bunny from someone off craigslist.org At the time I got the baby (not sure if its a boy or girl yet) it was 2 weeks old exactly. Right away I went to Petco (after calling my vet and getting advice on hand feeding) and bought the largest container of KMR I could find. Since that day I have been hand feeding the baby every 2-4 hours around the clock. So far “she” is doing really well! Just started to hop like a bun vs crawling like a kitten lol. She just started running and doing BINKIES ! I love her so much already! I want to be absolutely sure that I am doing right by her so I have a few questions. I was told that normally bunny mums only feed twice a day but the vet told me to feed every 2-4 hours.. My little one has quiet the pudge going on lol.. What do you all recommend for hand feeding? So far she eats 2 to 4 tsp per feeding. Has begun munching on grass, veggies, and mixed fruit and veggie baby food. I was told to offer pellets at all times along with hay. I was also told that she should be getting alfalfa vs timothy right now..? and I also heard the opposite? CONFUSED  I am! At what age should I start weaning and how do I start to wean? What stuff from outside is OK to give my baby? Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks a bunch!!!  


      • litheandgraphic
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          I can’t help you with the timing of feeding, but HRS says they should be fed twice a day (http://www.rabbit.org/care/babies.html). You may also find this site helpful:
          http://www.mybunny.org/info/caring-for-newborn-baby-rabbits/

          As for the pellets and hay, you will want to start giving nibbles of alfalfa hay and alfalfa pellets once they reach 3 weeks.

          Once they get to 4 weeks until they reach 7 weeks, you’ll want to give them constant access to alfalfa hay and pellets, and once they reach about 7 weeks or if you start seeing uneaten cecals, then you’ll want to start switching to Timothy hay pellets and hay.

          Alfalfa hay is best for babies because it helps them gain weight.

          Good luck!

          PS. sexing rabbits is hard enough, and sexing babies is near impossible. Bring them to a vet for help. Or wait until they reach 5-6 months of age. If it’s a male, it will be obvious, otherwise it will be a female. Either way, you will want to start planning on getting them fixed by a rabbit-savvy vet.


        • Deleted User
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            WOW! Good on you! I have NO idea, but wanted to say ‘well done’! Not that many of us have experience with tiny young bub’s, but maybe someone who has can offer some guidance soon. In the meantime, check out FLR’s suggestions on sites that may be of help, and don’t ever hesitate to phone your vet to verify that your doing it right. If you trust your vet, go for it! I trust mine and never second guess him. But we have all heard of some vets that let down the team…. why I get the apprehension. Wishing you both all the best. Keep us up to date, and how wonderful are you! Good for you!


          • Roberta
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              Follow your vets directions… With Mum they would only eat once to twice a day but as you are hand feeding the amounts will be different as will the quality of the milk so the more frequent feeds would be necessary. Ask your vet when to start adjusting the timing or have a look at some of the sites recommended especially the HRS one. Weaning usually occurs at 8 weeks but they will start eating solid food from approx 4 weeks.


            • Cottontail
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                When Pete was that small we fed him kittenmilk (mixed at home each feeding) with vitamin drops in it. Feedings were every 3-6 hours during the day, depending on how hungry he was. We used a little dropper and he would suck it down pretty quickly. As for how much? We’d rub his sides and tummy in-between droppers and monitor how he was filling up. When he was 2-3 weeks he would keep sucking it down and beg for more after he was already full, even pulling the dropper out of my hand! lol

                He had access to fresh grasses (from my parents yard since they don’t use poisons) and a little bit of hay each day even though he only used it as bedding at first. There was young grass, clover, alfalfa, timothy, bluegrass, and dandelion wild in their backyard so we were lucky. He gradually started eating more and more of the grass and hay until he lost all interest in the formula feedings. We also started putting a couple drops of apple juice in the water bottle and bowl until he got used to drinking from something other than a dropper. He quickly decided he preferred the bowl.

                If you have a vet that is knowledgeable about baby bunnies, that’s great. They grow so quickly at that age and professional knowledge is both reassuring and important. Definitely stay in contact with them and let them know any concerns you have about changes in behavior, weight, etc.


              • BunnyLover26
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                  Great advice so far thanks! When I first got her I was doing the twice a day feedings but didn’t at all care for how skinny she stayed so I switched to every 2 to 4 hours and am now pleased with the way she looks. She LOVES! stiff grasses and has begun to eat bunny treats and try some pellets. Sometimes I hold a pellet for her and she will munch on it a very little bit but does not seem to care for it very much. Could it be the brand of pellets? I bought a large bag of Kaytee Supreme Pellets (couldn’t find a suitable juvenile rabbit food at the time). Should I take back the bag and get a different brand? It seemed to meet all of the nutrition requirements for bunnies.. Can anyone recommend a tried and true brand of pellets? She seems to go nuts over everything else I have offered but I would really like to see some more interest in the pellets. Thanks a bunch!!


                • Roberta
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                    Not all buns like pellets… As she is very young it will probably be a while till she really takes a big interest in them, it’s quite nromal for them to have a bit of a nibble, once she gets to the two month mark her interest will probably increase.


                  • BunnyLover26
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                      OK, that makes sense lol.. for when she is ready for pellets.. is there a brand that is best? After doing some reading I have seen that there are a lot of good remarks for Oxbow brand pellets.. I don’t mind buying a different brand.. is Kaytee Fortified a good brand? I have seen mixed reviews after doing some further research.


                    • Deleted User
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                        I’ve only ever used the Oxbow brand, no other brand is available to me. I am super happy with Oxbow and gave Henry the ‘young’ rabbit food till his last bag started to run out when he was about 6/7 months old. Then I bought the ‘adult’ rabbit food and mixed the two till the young ran out. He happily transitioned to the adult with no issues. The other reason why I would use Oxbow even if I could choose another brand…. I never have to worry about trying to understand the label of ingredients (I’m hopeless with that! Lol!) as Oxbow has a wonderful reputation and is highly recommended by the majority of BBer’s…. ahhh peace of mind! Cheers BL26.


                      • BunnyLover26
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                          A big thanks to everyone who has given advice and suggestions thus far! “She” is doing very well! Getting so big and fat.. I LOVE IT! I have taken the feedings back to every 3 hours and will continue to insert an hour between feedings until she is weaned. She is also getting a dark leafy mix of greens and some fruit on occasion. I am going to setup a water bottle and some pellets this evening and see how she does I have a vet appointment for Friday so fingers crossed that the sex will be determinable by then  After much thought, deliberation, research, and two separate conversations with the vet I have decided to switch to Oxbow brand bunny pellets. Of course I will be selecting the young rabbit formula until between six and seven months of age when I will switch to the adult diet. I know that many people suggest that babies are freely fed pellets but I think I am going to start out with .5 to 1 cup a day for now. My reasoning is that she gets unlimited amounts of grass and alfalfa hay, 1 to 2 cups of veggies per day, and she is still nursing. I don’t want to over feed and end up with an obese bun. Any input?


                        • JackRabbit
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                            Talk with your vet about the veggies since those aren’t usually introduced until @ 12 weeks. Also, ask your vet about the pellets and hay — Oxbow is great; the junior version is alfalfa based vs the adult version being timothy based. Some schools of thought say that alfalfa pellets plus alfalfa hay may be too much calcium and calories and that alfalfa pellets and timothy hay provide a good balance for baby/junior buns.


                          • BunnyLover26
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                              I was surprised to hear about veggies and fruit (occasionally) at this young age but too but I was told on two separate occasions that I should start introducing all of these foods now. I was concerned about her getting diarrhea with the getting veggies at this young age but so far so good I just got back from a wonderful store (Mud Bay, local to where I live) and bought two 5 pound bags of Oxbow brand young rabbit food. On a few separate occasions Oxbow was suggested by the vet. Plus after doing some research and comparing brands I have decided that Oxbow would be the best for us! I was also given quiet a few congrats (some by vet staff) as I have heard that nursing bunnies by hand is difficult, that if they make it through the first 48 hours without Mum they have a good chance of surviving. Is this true? Just curious.. Oh, does anyone know if there is such thing as a supplement or some sort of food and or water additive that would aid in digestion or a good general multivitamin that would help multiple systems?   


                            • Roberta
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                                All of my oopses and rescues had greens from a young age. Being with Mum they just naturally ate what she was having.


                              • JackRabbit
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                                  Roberta — that sounds completely logical. Unless mom was separated for salad time, it would be almost impossible to keep them away once they started showing interest in solid food. So why all the recommendations about waiting until 12 weeks, introducing veggies slowly, etc.?


                                • Roberta
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                                    I think it comes from intentional breeding situations JR where in many cases the poor buns never see any kind of food but cheap pellets in their little prisons.


                                  • JackRabbit
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                                      That’s so sad.


                                    • BunnyLover26
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                                        Intentional Breeding Situations? I assume you mean those whom are unreasonable?


                                      • BunnyLover26
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                                          Intentional Breeding Situations? I assume you mean those whom are unreasonable?


                                        • DethronedbyQueenB
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                                            I agree to follow vets advice.

                                            Everything I have read says bunnies feed 2x a day but my babies mom feeds 4 times and she only has 3 babies. (About every 6 hours.)

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                                        Forum DIET & CARE HELP! With 2.5 week old baby