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Mother Nursing the babies.

22 10:54:07

Question
My rabbit a mini rex just had 9 babies, I wanted to know how to tell if she is feeding them. And what i can do to make sure she is feeding them. Help me please i have lost one litter to another rabbit last week .

Answer
Rabbits only feed once or twice a day. 9 babies is a pretty large litter for a mini rex, so it would be a good idea to boost her caloric intake by adding Calf Manna (which can be found at most feed stores) to her diet. A tablespoon or two a day is enough, and it really helps with milk production.

As far as being able to tell whether or not she is actually feeding them, if they are active and not sunken looking, they are being fed. Baby rabbits get weak very quickly if they have not been fed for even on day, so it is pretty easy to tell. If you suspect she may not be feeding them, you can hold her in the box once or twice a day (probably twice since the litter is so large) until they have had a chance to fill up. Babies fill up very quickly, so a couple minutes is all they need. They should be plump but not so full that they look like a waterballoon about to burst. Too much milk can ferment inside the stomach before it digests, causing problems.