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| Author | Topic: Early weaning? |
| Mark |
posted 7/17/05 5:16 AM
I rescued 2 rabbits that were loose in the neighborhood since mid winter...one is a mini rex and a buck...the other a doe and she is alittle smaller than him..kinda short ears..not rex..just reg fur...maybe somesort of dwarf mix? Anyway...one week later she kindled 7 kits...4 rex fur 3 regular fur... At 14days they started nibbling hard food....now at 3 weeks..they seem totally weaned...she wont let them and as of the last day or so..they dont seem to persue her much..but they constantly eat solids and seem very healthy. After she delivered I add the recommended table spoon of Calf-Manna too her feed...My question is..isnt this a little early for her to wean them? Mark |
| Mark |
posted 7/18/05 7:15 PM
Anyone out there? |
| Helene |
posted 7/19/05 1:57 AM
Hello, I posted a reply last night but this program crashed just as I hit done. Anyways. Mother rabbits usally feed their young in the dawn and dask. I usally never see my mother rabbits feed their young. Anyways baby rabbits will eat hay, pellet and drink water while still drinking moms milk. I've never weaned any babies before 6 weeks of age. The longer the babies stay with their mother the better. Not over 3 months thow. And I think it's easier on the mother to not loose all her babies at once. I usally leave 1 or 2 in for an extra day or two. Hope this helps. http://www.geocitites.com/mainebunnylady Cottontail's cabbage Patch |
| Mark |
posted 7/19/05 7:12 PM
Thank you for the reply Hellen...Seems like I read somewhere that dwarf breeds tend to wean their young early. Do you know if that is true? These kits eat solids all during the day, at least, thats for sure. |
| Helene |
posted 7/21/05 4:17 PM
Hello, dwarfs do mature faster. But at least in maine you can not sell the babies untill 8 weeks of age anyways. I have heard it before too that dwarfs can get breed a month earlier then other breeds. But that's still not healthy for them. I hope this helps but you might have to use your best judgement. I didn't have many litters with my dwarfs. But I always kept them with mom for 8 weeks anyways. http://www.geocitites.com/mainebunnylady Cottontail's cabbage Patch |
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