How to Make a Homemade Milk Formula for Baby Bunnies

Rabbits have been a valuable part of society for hundreds of years. Prized for their meat and pelts, rabbits can be found in nearly every country around the world. Humans began raising domestic rabbits bred from wild stock, making them much more popular. Breeding rabbits is not a difficult task, but occasionally litters need to be hand raised. Making your own formula can mean the difference between life and death for a litter of orphaned rabbits.

Things You'll Need

  • Container with lid
  • ½ cup whole goats milk
  • ½ cup kitten milk replacer
  • 1 ½ tbsp. freeze dried colostrum
  • ½ tsp. heavy cream
  • Electric thermometer
  • Small pan
  • Bottle and small nipple
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Instructions

  1. How to Make a Homemade Milk Formula for Baby Bunnies

    • 1

      Wash your container well. Use plenty of dish soap and very hot water. Scrub the container well to ensure it is clean. Rinse well and allow to air dry to remove traces of water that would dilute your formula.

    • 2

      Pour goats milk, kitten milk replacer and cream into the container. Close lid, shake well. Open container. Sprinkle 1 ½ tablespoons of freeze dried colostrum powder into the liquid mix and shake thoroughly. Colostrum is the liquid that mammals drink when they begin nursing. It is full of nutrients that boost the baby rabbit's immune system and helps them survive their first few days of life. Shake well to combine.

    • 3

      Warm mixture to 105 degrees, checking the temperature frequently with an electric thermometer to prevent overheating. The milk needs to be warm enough to mimic the body temperature of the mother rabbit, but not overheated as this will deplete a lot of nutrients. Heating a small amount in a pan over a low flame will help you warm it to the proper temperature.

    • 4

      Place a small amount of milk in a bottle and screw the lid on tightly. Amounts vary depending on the age of your bunnies, starting with 2 cc up to the age of two weeks and increasing by 5 cc every two weeks until weaning at 8 weeks of age. Bottles designed for hand-feeding kittens are small enough to allow your bunnies to feed properly. Wrap the bunny in a clean towel, holding him upright in your palm so that he nurses sitting up to minimize aspiration. Hold the tip of the nipple between your fingers and squeeze the milk out drop by drop to control the flow. As your bunny gets older, he will learn to latch onto the nipple and suck at his own pace. If your hands or fingers become fatigued from holding the nipple, rest for a few minutes between bunnies to avoid rushed feedings.