I have a raising rabbit question

[bhazell123]

Ok soo I got surprised with 9 baby bunnies yesterday morning, and now I was wandering how do you know the momma is feeding the babies?

 

[sourland]

As long as she has constructed a nest and they are all huddled together, chances are that she is feeding them. Does tend to be private in their nursing. I would guess back to the days when they had to be wary about leading a predator to their nest.

 

[bhazell123]

well she didt really pull any hair out or try to nest till i found them and i put a box and her hair from her last litter in with the babies. and i threw in some newspaper which she shredded and put in the box too . and it is kinda warm here

 

[Bunnylady]

My does seem to pull fur according to the weather. When it's warm, they pull less than they do during cooler weather, so you can't really go by that.

Does typically feed their babies at dawn and dusk. They jump into the box, and stand over the babies. It is up to the kits to crawl under her and latch on. After a few minutes, she leaves. If a kit has nursed, the belly will look fuller, with a noticeable white blob right behind the rib cage. A first-time doe may not have much milk for the first couple of days, but one that has nursed before usually has plenty from the get-go. A doe with a good milk supply will have babies with very round, full tummies. If the tummies look slack, you have a problem, either because she isn't feeding them or because she has no milk (I have had this happen a couple of times).

 

[bhazell123]

Ok that helps a bunch il check tomorrow for fuller bellies and this is her fist litter too survive Past birth so she is still learning

 

[hollyk]

Little round bellies and you will see pronounced developement in the kits over the course of a few days. Congrats on the bunnies

 

[bhazell123]

I checked on the lil ones this morning and they definatley seemed to have rounder bellies, and some even seemed to have a lil more hair on them all ready