Handling Baby Bunnies

[Heritage Homestead]

Hi,
Well, my first litter arrived today and with them a new set of questions .
My question right now is...
How often should I check on the bunnies? I mean as far as handling them? I take a peak at them whenever I am out there, but I don't want to handle them too much and upset the mama.
Also, I have a bunch of little folk who can't wait to see the bunnies. How soon do you think it would be safe to bring them in to the rabbit barn?
Thanks,

 

[Secuono]

I don't check the nest unless it's very cold, really windy or very hot. I count them a day after they are born and then leave them for a week. Leave them again until they are 3-4wks, unless they are too cute, then I kiss them and cuddle them after the 1wk mark. =D

 

[skysthelimit]

I bring all of my nest boxes in every time. I handle them a lot. They spend very litter time outside until they begin to crawl out of the nest box. (don't tell anyone, but I took them to work to show the kids, though the kids were not allowed to touch them). I put the box in twice a day. I have never had a problem with any doe.
Now the kits run to the cage and press their noses in my face when I go to feed them.


right now the lone ranger kit is in the box next to me.

 

[currituckbun]

I handle as much and often as I can find time for. I have learned that after about day 4/5 you want them to get used to human handling . It is so much easier to care for rabbits that like or are used to handling. The people that buy from me have commented on how calm ad nice my rabbits are. That is because we snuggle with them on the couch and have rabbit races down the hall as often as our schedule allows. (2-3 times a week)To me this is the best part of raising rabbits. As a rule we have not done this with the ones destined for the table. If I even think we might keep them around for breeding. We handle.
So , go ahead dive in and love on them. I think there is nothing cuter than a 2 week old. They are little balls of fluff and their eyes are generally open by then .
I

 

[ladysown]

i had them a minimum of twice a day. This way I know if anyone died or disappeared (like this morning my seven kit doe had only six kits.. she had seven last night so it's like where did it go??). It also gets them used to my scent so that I'm not startling them at 9 days when I clean out the box. It's no biggie since they are so used to me.

I like kits that are so tame and easy to handle.

 

[Heritage Homestead]

Thanks for the advice! I can't wait to hear anything more anyone else would like to offer.
Ladysown, did you find the liitle one missing?
HH

 

[ladysown]

nope, I have no idea what happened. If it died and momma ate it (aka cleaned up) usually I'd find a foot or something. But not a single thing. So I have no clue.

 

[Miss M]

We have had them out hours after they were born, to check on them, remove dead kits, and remove other stuff from the birth that the mama didn't clean up. I check them over, we cuddle them, and put them back. We often have them out every day for a while.

And then, my kids will often be found carrying one or two around with them when they're outside. :lol:

 

[trinityoaks]

I do a complete "pull and count" at least twice a day for the first week or two. That way I know fairly quickly if one "escaped", as well as to remove any soiled nesting material. There's an old wives' tale that if you touch the babies, the mother will reject them, but that's completely false.

 

[JessicaR]

I check my kits 1-2 times a day. Recently I had a problem with 1 kits genitals being blocked, if I hadnt checked on them he probably would be dead by now. I had to clean them off and he peed for a whole minute and lost the bloated look. He is now a happy 2 week old.

Also like others have said it is good to handle them because they are used to your smell and they dont freak out when you do handle them.

 

[grumpy]

Check the young shortly after kindling to remove any dead-young or expelled afterbirth that are in the nest. Keeping a clean nestbox is the first step towards healthy kits. Check at least once a day for the first week or so....youngsters die unexpectedly and their corpse needs to be removed quickly.

Grumpy.

 

[Cindi Davis]

I have a hard time NOT handling them as soon as I can depending on the doe. Bluebell is "TESTY" so I have to bribe her big time to see the babies. Lucky says Pleasssee take my kids ( they are 3 1/2 weeks ). Cant wait to see how my 2 new Moms do in 1 1/2 weeks.

 

[akane]

I've pulled kits out while the doe was still having them cause I couldn't wait to see what I was getting. :lol: I wouldn't do that with every doe though.

We do bunny check daily. My akita dog and I pull out every baby bunny unless it's too cold out and check it, then put them all back. In the subzero temps though out in the colony I sometimes don't see kits until they are 4 weeks old. The does make giant mounds of nests out of shavings and straw over a nest box or other object with plenty of hay for the kits to eat as they grow and just uncover enough to go in and feed them. I'll stick my hand down there to see they are alive sometimes but otherwise don't disturb those nests. Summer all they do is lay down some fur and plop kits on it so those are easy to check. It is interesting how versatile they become after a year or 2 of having kits in colony with options versus a cage with a nest box and the same limited materials every time.

 

[Miss M]

I've pulled kits out while the doe was still having them cause I couldn't wait to see what I was getting. :lol:

Wow, and I thought I was impatient waiting only a few hours (actually, like 15 minutes in one case )!

 

[siddsaysgimmie]

I almost always catch my does kindling, I wait until she jumps out then immediately take them out to check things out. Akane, I have also done that! hehe.

I handle my babies as much as possible. I cuddle with them when they're young and pat them all over. I don't like jumpy or nervous buns.

 

[akane]

Amako, the creme d'argent who never got named, and the 2 checkered crosses are just like whatever when it comes to humans and their nest boxes even during birth. Amai just watches me closely but continues laying there. She will charge other rabbits. Aoki is rather violent and it's best to stay 2' away from her nesting area she always uses unless you are armed with tools or yummy treats. Miyuki the champagne doe I never would have done it with because while she isn't as bad as Aoki I often had to use my foot in colony or a feed scoop to block her from the nest while I checked her kits. I did do a quick feel of Hana the high strung netherland's first successful litter while she was still having some because she hopped out and flopped in the corner between each kit which took 24hrs to complete the litter and she'd had 2 100% stillborn litters before so I wanted to know what was going on. Tsuya is so so. I probably wouldn't risk interrupting her but she's apathetic after her kits are a few days old.

 

[Diamond]

I was nervous about handling the kits, too. Have my first litter right now, and the doe is a first time mama. But I have found it is not that hard on mama to take a look in there at least daily. Mama keeps a close eye and might try a nip at me if I am not paying attention, but she hasn't rejected the kits or anything like that. In fact, it has been beneficial. I found an emaciated kit Sunday morning, checked again in the afternoon and it was dead, so I got it out of the box before mama had a chance to eat it or anything else. Also keeping an eye on their general condition. There is a runt, but it is still developing normally - just small and skinny. I also find it fascinating to watch them grow, being my first litter and all.

 

[AnnClaire]

:lol: YES - Handle them and PLAY with them!!! Every day and as many times as you can! That is the most special benefit of raising bunnies :lol:

I pull the nest box as soon as kindling is done, or the next morning as one doe has hers at night! I bring it in the house (where my work table currently is) and make a head count and clean up anything else that needs it. I also insert a pad of newspaper under the nest for easier cleanup in 2 weeks. I get a weight recorded for each and make sure during each daily check after that they are all getting fed. I will also "balance" out the litters ... mostly, I put the angora babies on the Satin doe as she has plenty of milk and it seems to be a richer milk.

At the end of the first week, I am bringing the nest box in starting with a couple of hours up to all day by the end of the week. The second week, when the babies are in all day, I will transfer the babies into a laundry basket lined with a towel and with another towel for the babies to cuddle under. At this time, I will wake the litter up and handle them several times during the day and have pellets, a pressed timothy block, and oats sprinkled about. This second week, the babies are still staying out with mom at night, but during the 3rd week, they only go out for a couple of hours at sundown (my does seem to feed then, rather than in the morning), then they come back in overnight. Lots more play time with them :lol:

As you can see, I am handling the kits daily and if one isn't doing as well as I'd like, I also bring the doe in and supplement the smallest ones in the morning. It doesn't take long for even the smallest to gain enough to fight for it's share, but one runt had to be supplemented the whole first two weeks and was still the smallest.

I am with Skysthelimit, there isn't anything cuter than a whole litter (or two :lol eager for you to be there and begging for handling and cuddling!

So, handle them gently the first week, handle them a little more the second week, and play with them to your hearts' content after that

 

[Heritage Homestead]

Thank you all! I am really anjoying watching them grow and can't wait for their eyes to open.
Thanks!