How old do baby rabbits have to be to separate momma bunny from them

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Mommaof3

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Rowelsburg West Virginia
I’m new to this and I have 5 baby holland lop eared baby bunnies and I thought the appropriate age was like 6-8 weeks old but my sister said she seen when she looked it up that it can be at 3 weeks and I’m scared that if I give it to her at that age it won’t be able to make it on it’s own any help is greatly appreciated
 

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Mostly i take the boys away at 8-10 weeks (and max before 12 due to developing into fertile bucks, often straight into freezercamp), girls can be much later (have some 5+ months still with mom at the moment). I took one doe away from her litter at just shy of 8 weeks because sometime after that she is done and gets agressive. Her daughter does the same and since i would like to keep a doe from this litter i hope not having had this treatment means she'll be happy with some company for longer as well. With a limited number of cages being able to keep moms with daughters is usefull to me.
Minimum age for seperation would be 6 weeks, but i prefer 8+ weeks due to social behaviours that teaches all kinds of usefull lessons about being an adult bunny. For rabbits the age for weaning varies from 4 weeks to easily 6-7 depending on both doe and kits. Not only is weaning too young a risk for mastitis in the doe, but the kits also don't learn NO and there is more to being independant then not drinking milk. Esp. in rabbits where cecotropes and thus what the doe eats is so very important to get the kits a good start digestion wise on solid foods.
 
If mom dies, they will survive at 3 weeks AS A LITTER. They have the ability to live on solid food. This is like a human baby at 1 year old. Yes, they will make it, no, it is not ideal, and their siblings often help with comfort and stress reduction, as well as heat. A buck will even help, if he is mellow.

The earliest I would let one leave my hands is 5-6 weeks, and then only if you have a very experienced home--for instance my vet, who wanted to add a younger rabbit to her older rabbit family and was willing to take extra time and care with the early introductions. 8 weeks for a rabbit that is ready to feel independent and be alone.
 
Once they are 17 days old it is very easy to save kits as a litter.

For rehoming. What state do you live in? Many of them require kits to be 8 weeks old unless sold as a group.

I don't let kits leave younger than six weeks and it's very much on a case by case basis. Some kits aren't ready to leave at that age.
 

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