When it comes to the offspring of rabbits and their rearing, there is a lot to consider! Rabbit breeding requires a lot of specialist knowledge and a high sense of responsibility.
The article provides information about the development phases of the offspring and the tasks of the keeper in raising rabbits.
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The offspring and rearing should not be underestimated!
The offspring and rearing of rabbits require a high sense of responsibility and a great expertise about rearing, its prerequisites and genetic factors.
Responsible breeding must be distinguished from haphazard propagation.
Propagation happens without background knowledge, mostly for selfish motives and produces a great deal of animal suffering. They result in disease, genetic defects, and rabbits that don’t find homes and end up in shelters (or as snake food).
Danger: The article is intended to provide information on the subject of offspring and the rearing of rabbits. It is not intended to be used to guide rabbit breeding. These propagations are responsible.
Owners should have their male rabbits spayed to avoid unwanted offspring and a prevent uncontrolled proliferation. If rabbit owners and enthusiasts want to see the long-eared rabbits growing up, they can contact a competent and reputable breeder.
The stages of development of the offspring
While rabbits are completely dependent on the warmth of the nest and the care of their mother for the first few days, they start exploring the enclosure from the age of two weeks.
At four weeks old, they are already agile and frolicking with their siblings. During the sixth and eighth week they are weaned by their mother and are independent to this extent.
The first days
Rabbits are so-called nest stool. This means that for the first few days they are completely helpless and on the are dependent on their mother for care. you will be born blind, deaf and naked. As a result, they are also dependent on the warmth of the nest. To do this, they cuddle with their siblings and lie together in a “heap”.
After birth, the young rabbits are suckled with colostrum, which is important for building up the immune system. The rabbit mother suckles the young animals one to three times a day. This usually happens in the evening or early morning.
The rest of the time is Mother usually not near the nest to see. This behavior is completely natural and results from instincts to keep potential predators away from the nest.
From the second to third day, the first tips of the fur can be seen in the young rabbits. The coat color can already be guessed from this pattern.
Day seven to ten
From about the seventh day the boys have a first, short fur.
On the tenth to eleventh day open your eyes.
The second week of life
Already in the second week of life the young rabbits leave the nest for a short time and walk around. They can’t hop yet. The rabbits are also in the second week of life still dependent on the warmth of the nestas they are not yet able to maintain their own body temperature outside the nest.
This keeps them sleeping and snuggling in the nest for most of the day.
In the second week of life, the little rabbits start nibbling on the food. As with human children, rabbits also have what is known as an «oral phase» in which they want to put everything in their mouths.
In fact, the hatchlings are starting to do that to eat fodder. Feeding twigs, vegetables, fruit, hay, dried herbs and grasses is recommended.
They do not tolerate dry food or feed containing starch. Although the rabbits will start eating fresh food, they will continue to suckle from the mother.
In addition to the «oral phase», young rabbits also have a «scratch phase». Here they scratch themselves to protect their own to train coordination and balance.
The fourth week of life
The little rabbits are from the fourth week of life agile and on the go. They explore their enclosure, play and hop around.
They could now survive by eating green fodder, but still need their mother’s milk for continued health and development.
From the fourth week of life, the babies eat such large quantities that they could survive on it. Nevertheless, breast milk supplementation is crucial for the further development and health of babies.
Week Six through Eight
The young animals are usually between the sixth and eighth weeks from the mother weanedsome young are suckled up to the tenth week.
At that age, the little ones continue to enjoy cuddling with their mother or other rabbits in the group.
Before they are given, they should be at least 14 to 16 weeks old.
Duties as a keeper
The tasks of the keeper when raising rabbits include preparing them and the right environment, regular nest checks, getting used to people and medical care for the animals.
There are also a few things to consider when handing over the rabbits.
The preparation
In order to provide the mother animal with the best possible support in rearing her offspring, owners should provide her with the following options:
- A large house or an open nest as a whelping box
- Sufficient nesting material (e.g. hay)
- High-energy, varied fresh fodder and green fodder
- Supplementary feeding of dried herbs, seeds, oatmeal, hay
- Sufficient retreat from the young animals (e.g. raised platforms)
Of course, water should always be available.
Tip: The milk supply of the mother can be increased by the administration of pure herbal teas and fruit juices. Feeding dandelion, fennel, turnips and, above all, lots of green fodder also stimulates milk production.
The right environment
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The The dam’s enclosure should be as large as possible as they will instinctively stay away from the nest during the day to keep predators away. An enclosure that is too small does not provide these opportunities and leads to stress for the mother. Any form of stress should be avoided for the mother, so that a calm environment is recommended.
Unless there are aggressive, dominant, or potent males in the group, the mother should remain in the enclosure of her rabbit group. The Growing up of the young animals in the rabbit group has advantages for them as well as for the mother: For the mother is the Group rearing more relaxedsince the other rabbits usually lovingly take care of the offspring and take care of them.
The young animals, on the other hand, like to play and cuddle with the other rabbits, including the adults. So they are trained directly in the social skills for rabbits.
Social, tolerable rabbits, on the other hand, can be more easily integrated into another group (e.g. when the animals are handed over).
The Nest Control
The nest control should once a day as well as directly after birth be performed. A good time to do this is when the mother is away from the nest and is distracted. The young rabbits can touched become, they will not be cast out by the mother. Hands should be clean and warm for nest inspection.
When checking the nest, the Condition of the young animals as well as you stay in the nest to be controlled.
Just after birth, dead animals, the afterbirth and blood are removed from the nest.
Size differences in the young animals are not critical. They are in good condition when they are warm and clean in the nest with their bellies bulging.
On the other hand, the keeper has to react to the following problems when checking the nest:
The nest was not built sufficiently by the mother
Here the owner himself has to prepare a nest for the young animals. Young rabbits cannot control their own body heat, so they risk dying of cold if the nest is inadequate.
Tip: The holder can put a hot water bottle under the nest. This must not be too hot and must be wrapped in a cloth or similar.
The young are poorly cared for by their mother
If the young rabbits are not adequately cared for by the mother, the young animals should be placed on the mother’s teats.
Poor care of the young animals is expressed by:
- A restless behavior of the rabbits (burrowing, making noises, wanting to leave the nest)
- A decrease in body weight (rabbits should gain weight every 24 hours)
- A stressed mother
The young rabbits are not in the nest
The owner has to put the rabbits back in the nest and warm them up. The keeper should then carry out nest inspections two to three times a day to ensure that all the birds are healthy and still in the nest.
Getting used to people
In order to enable the rabbit boys to live a relaxed life in dealing with people and to be able to handle them calmly (e.g. for medical examinations), they should already be provided by the owner used to humans early become.
For the first few days, it makes sense to clothingwhich smells like the keeper, to put next to the nest.
Practice early namely! Already in the first week(s), the contact between humans and rabbits has an effect on their future trustworthiness. During the nest inspection, the keepers can carefully(!) stroke the rabbits.
A sensitive, mindful and patient approach is necessary to get the young animals used to humans and not to disturb or stress the mother animal. The interaction between humans and animals should always be loving and caring be such that the rabbits have only positive connections with it.
In the fourth to sixth week, young rabbits are also very curious and sensitive, so this phase is also a good time to have as much positive contact with the owner as possible.
Medical care
At the age of four weeks, the young rabbits can be vaccinated against myxomatosis. Vaccination against RHD is recommended from six weeks. Males become sexually mature early (at twelve weeks) and should be castrated as early as possible (at eleven weeks). Arrangements must be made for this with the treating veterinarian.
Delivery of the rabbits
Owners should only breed if they can ensure that all rabbits find homes with responsible owners.
To ensure this, it is advisable to get to know the future owners. Pre- and post-checks can also be carried out in the new rabbit home to ensure species-appropriate feeding and housing.
Rabbits should not be allowed until they are…