About my baby rabbits....

Question
Hi. I have a question about my baby rabbits. Can you tell me when do they start eating regular food? My babies are 17 days old. They are just starting to come out of the nest. They are all white with red eyes, can you also tell me what breed they are? Thank you for your time.
  Sign,MaryIsabel....

Answer
Dear MaryIsabel,

Many different breeds of rabbits come in the color you describe, which is albino.  That's not a breed, but a color.  So without more information or pictures of the parents, I can't tell you what breed they might be.

The babies will start to nibble solid food at this point, so provide a bowl with plain alfalfa- or timothy-based pellets, as well as unlimited, fresh timothy hay for them to explore.  This is the most critical time for their intestinal system development, so they need mama's milk more than ever now--with its antibodies--to protect them from new bacteria they will encounter and incorporate into their systems.

They must get mama's milk for a full 8 weeks to become healthy adults.  Don't wean them sooner than that.  For more information, please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/surpriselitter.html

Provide the babies with a spacious play pen that's covered with 100% cotton mats or other surface to provide traction.  Slippery flooring such as tile, linoleum or hardwood can really cause serious and permanent damage to their little developing joints; they always need a surface for good purchase.

Please also read:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/breeding.html

Hope that helps.

Dana