How to wean from bottle?

[PopcornPaisley]

How and when do I wean a 5 week old from the bottle? She will take Ensure from a sipper tube (the water bottle that hangs on the side of a cage) but only if I hold it. She can work it herself, but won't drink the Ensure from a bowl or inverted lid (I was afraid of her drowning since she likes to sit in bowls, so I used a lid because it's shallow.) She doesn't like water at all. When should I transition her to water (no Ensure) and is the correct way to water down the Ensure more and more until it's only water? Her background info is on the introduction page. No mother, found outside, irresponsible owners refuse to spay/neuter so they let weaned kits go as soon as they leave mother and then they reproduce on their own, this is offspring in destroyed nest found in backyard of my friend's new house. Thank you for your help!

 

[akane]

By 2 weeks a rabbit should mostly be eating solid food. They may continue to nurse for another 2 weeks before a doe would wean them completely but I've had orphans on solid food only before 3 weeks old. Just soak some pellets in the formula. Add more liquid until it becomes a consistency the rabbit will take. Slowly back off the liquid until the pellets are dry again. Make sure hay is in the cage. Usually in the nestbox they will eat hay and other materials the doe used for a nest before they even open their eyes around day 10. You may have to skip a feeding and leave the formula soaked pellets in there on a lid or small dish to encourage weaning.

 

[MaggieJ]

Does she have solid food available - hay, kitchen oatmeal, pellets? - and does she nibble those? At five weeks she should be ready to be weaned off the Ensure. If she is taking solid foods then I would water down the Ensure and also begin to decrease the quantity. You could also try putting the Ensure on the oatmeal (large flake/old fashioned oatmeal, like Quaker) and see if she will eat that. Just mix a bit at a time so you can discard it if she doesn't try it within a few hours and then wait a bit and give her fresh.

 

[PopcornPaisley]

Akane and MaggieJ~ Those are all great suggestions! I never would have thought of those. I will try them all. She loves alfalfa and eats a lot of it, but won't eat the pellets. She'll nudge the pellets and pick them up in her mouth but drop them. She loves the taste of formula so we'll see if she likes mixing it in the pellets and/or oatmeal. Thanks a bunch!

*update: She loves the dry oatmeal!