how to care for rabbits

Question
my rabbits is not feeding her young can i feed them with a bottle with cat milk?

Answer
Are you sure they are not being fed? Rabbits only feed their babies once or twice a day, and it is easy to miss them being fed. If you are sure they are not being fed, though, the best thing to do is place her in the box with the babies to let them nurse. Once they are full, you can let her go.

If she is simply not producing any milk, you will have to try to bottle feed them. A small syringe (without the needle, of course) works best. You can usually get them at feed stores.

FORMULAS FOR FEEDING ORPHANED KITS

From the ARBA Guidebook

1/2 Cup evaperated milk
1/2 Cup water
1 egg yolk
1 Tablespoon Corn syrup

FEEDING INSTRUCTIONS

Kits should be fed every 6 hours for the first 2 weeks, then every eight hours the third week, and every 12 hours on the fourth week. After that the kits should be eating a good amount of solid food, and they should be drinking water. If they seem to be doing well on pelleted food, discontinue the formula. Otherwise, feed once a day until they are six weeks old, or until they to well on solid food. Feed a good quality grass hay starting at four weeks, and do not feed any moist foods such as fruits or veggies.

The kits should be fed in an upright position using an eye dropper or a syringe (no needle) to prevent them from choking on the formula. It will take a few days for the kits and for your self to get used to the process, but since kits cannot go even a day without food, no matter how difficult it is for you, they must get fed. Slow down the feeding if the kit starts sneezing, coughing, or choking.

After the kits are fed, rub each kit's belly after it is fed to stimulate them to urinate. Using a cotton ball that is damp with warm water works best.

Offer pelleted food to kits when they are two weeks old, as they will start nibbling on it. Offer grass hay at 3 weeks.