How to Nurture a New Born Baby Bunny Rabbit

With bunnies exhibited at fairs, festivals and petting zoos, it̵7;s easy to understand why so many children ask their parents to get one as a family pet. Everyone loves the softness and cuddliness of baby bunnies, but caring for these newborn bundles of rabbit hair is a big responsibility. In order to nurture and care for baby bunnies, you have to consider where to house them, what and how to feed them and which techniques can to used that best mimic the mother rabbit̵7;s cleaning and nurturing skills.

Things You'll Need

  • Box for nesting area
  • Eye dropper
  • Cotton balls
  • Towels
  • Heating pad
  • Kitten Milk Replacer
  • Acidophilus capsules
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Instructions

    • 1

      Designate a nesting area for the newborn bunnies. This may be indoors or outdoors depending on the season and climate. Baby bunnies must stay warm so they don̵7;t burn too many calories. Babies also need to stay dry. Make sure any outdoor nesting area is away from the elements.

    • 2

      Set up the bunnies̵7; nesting box. A nesting box can be made with a wooden or cardboard box or a cat litter box. Layer the bottom of the nesting area with towels. Using a bunched up towel on top will give the bunnies a place to snuggle. Nesting wool, found in pet stores, can also be used on top of the towels. Keep babies in the dark by covering the box with another towel. Confirm that enough air is circulating in the nesting area to keep the bunnies from suffocating.

    • 3

      Check the temperature of the nesting box location. Whether indoors or outdoors, the ideal temperature is 68 to 72 degrees F. If cooler, you may want to place a heating pad on low under one-half of the towel, providing the babies a warm and cool place to rest.

    • 4

      Separate the mother bunny, if applicable, if she appears to be neglecting the babies. She may hurt the baby bunnies if left in the same nesting box. Neglect can be determined by evaluating the bunnies̵7; health and appearance. A mother rabbit taking proper care of her young will supply them all the necessary food in their first two weeks of life. You must feed the babies no more than twice a day if they don̵7;t have a mother or are lacking proper care from a mother.

    • 5

      Prepare the baby bunnies for feeding by placing them in hand towels and laying them on your lap. They should be on their backs for feeding to mimic how they feed from their mother.

    • 6

      Determine how much food the bunnies need according to age. Use an eye dropper to feed the bunnies Kitten Milk Replacer, available at pet stores and some veterinarian offices. Add a tablespoon of cream to mimic the calorie count of rabbit milk. Buy acidophilus from a health food store in capsule form, and add it to the KMR for feeding. This combination gives your bunnies the best survival rate due to its ability to maintain the babies̵7; stomach bacterial balance. Newborns should receive 5cc of KMR and one-half cc (one-half of a capsule) of acidophilus each day. At one-week, increase the bunnies̵7; intake to 10 to 15 cc.

    • 7

      Use a wet cotton ball to stimulate the mother rabbit̵7;s behavior by wiping the bunnies between their front legs towards their anal area. This encourages them to go to the bathroom, which helps keep their digestive tracks in order.

    • 8

      Clean the nest box and the newborn bunnies daily. It is important to remove any wetness from the nest box. Wipe any milk excess from the bunnies̵7; mouths and hair.

    • 9

      Offer hay and rabbit pellets to baby bunnies over 10 days old whose eyes have opened. Use a shallow dish for drinking water so that the bunnies can̵7;t drown.

    • 10

      Keep newborn baby bunnies away from predators and other rabbits that may harm them.