What to Feed to a Newborn Rabbit

If your pregnant rabbit gives birth but is not feeding the kits, first confirm that the mother is definitely not taking care of her young. If she isn't within the first 48 hours of their birth, take over feeding them. Feed a newborn rabbit a kitten formula and introduce solids as it grows.

  1. What to Feed

    • If the mother rabbit is not feeding her kits, you may need to take over feeding. If after two days of the rabbits being born you are certain the mother has not fed them and the baby rabbits are making a noise like a kitten meowing, the mother may not be nursing. Feed the kits a canned kitten milk formula, available at pet supply stores, using a kitten feeding bottle with alterations. Cut the thick rubber off the end of the bottle and make the hole bigger until the bottle emits a fine spray of liquid when you squeeze it. If you feed the babies within 48 hours of their birth, they will be able to keep their suckling instinct. You can add some Lactobacillus Acidophilus to the formula, which you can buy from human health food shops, which may help the babies.

    How Much

    • Feed newborn babies 5 cc of kitten formula and 1/2 cc of Acidophilus, week-old babies 15 to 25 cc of formula and 1 cc of Acidophilus, 2-week-old rabbits 25 to 27 cc of formula and 1 cc of Acidophilus and 3- to 4-week-olds 30 cc of formula and 2 cc of Acidophilus per day. You can feed them in two large feedings or several small feedings. If the kit doesn't eat all of the formula at feeding time, wait for a few hours and then finish feeding them. Do not force the formula into the rabbit's mouth, as it can go into the lungs and the rabbit can suffocate. Feed slowly and allow the rabbit to determine the pace it feeds. Wash the kits' faces and bottoms very gently with cotton and warm water after feeding. This will encourage them to eliminate the food.

    Weaning the Rabbit

    • When rabbit babies reach 4 weeks old, their consumption of formula will level off and they can be weaned off the formula. However, you shouldn't rush weaning them. Let the rabbits nibble on alfalfa and rabbit pellets when they are about 10 days old. They will become interested when they are ready to eat these things. Set a shallow, small dish of water in their box, ensuring that they cannot drown in it.

    Wild Rabbits

    • Feed wild newborn rabbits the same formula as you would for a newborn domestic rabbit, increasing the amount of formula in the same way. If you are caring for wild rabbits, do not introduce pellets. Instead, give them pesticide-free greens and oat hay. Only take over feeding newborn rabbits is you are certain that the mother is not taking care of the kits. Place a piece of string over the opening of the burrow in question and wait overnight to see if the string has been disturbed by the mother the next day.