How Do Rabbits Feed Their Babies?

holding a baby rabbit

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If your pet rabbit has given birth to kittens or kits as they are called. You may be wondering what you need to do to feed them or wondering if the mother will feed them?

Let’s reassure you and give you the information you’ll need to ensure your baby rabbits are correctly taken care of.

As a matter of fact, mother rabbits (also known as does) nurse their babies, starting from the night they’re born, until they are weaned around week 5-6. Does provide a marvelously rich, nutritious milk. This sustains the babies while their mother roams during the day, and she will return at least once every 24 hours to nurse the litter.

If you find wild baby rabbits that look warm and full-bellied, then you can rest easy that they are probably well-cared-for.

How Do Rabbits Feed Their Babies

How Do Rabbits Feed Their Babies?

Did you know that does stand over their babies to nurse them? They do not lay next to them, like a cat, or on top of them, like a hen. Once they are done nursing their babies, they will also often leave.

Between feedings, baby rabbits actually spend a great deal of time on their own! They will spend much of their earliest youth with just their siblings, in a nest or burrow.

How do rabbits feed their babies? They nurse them, at each 24-hour interval. Between feedings, the babies are sustained by the ultra-rich rabbit milk.

You should never assume that a nest of baby rabbits has been abandoned. Always be sure to double or triple-check. Baby rabbits have the greatest chance of survival when they stay with their mother.

How can you tell whether or not mama is around? One way is just by looking at the babies closely; do they look relaxed and warm? Is their skin tight and plump?

Are their bellies freshly rounded and full each morning? Then you know they are probably being looked-after!

When are Baby Rabbits Weaned from Their Mother?

Baby rabbits are born blind, and deaf. They are totally dependent on their mother. This does not begin to change until about 10 days when their eyes are fully open, and their ears have unfolded, as well.

It isn’t until about 3 weeks that baby rabbits are self-sufficient enough to be weaned, however. Until this point, they must continue to receive regular, 24-hour-interval feedings from their mother.

Once three-to-four-week-old rabbits are weaned, they are still considered family and allowed to hang around the nest for roughly another week. Soon, their mother will mate, and bring another litter into the burrow.

litter of newborn baby rabbits
Litter of newborn baby rabbits

How to Feed a Baby Rabbit Yourself

Just remember that mother rabbits often leave their young alone, and be sure to double-check. Are they crying? Are they cold and blue? Are they wrinkly (implying dehydration)?

To feed a baby rabbit, you will need to obtain some kitten milk replacer, also known as KMR. We found some here on Amazon ↗️

To make it even richer, you may add some heavy whipping cream to the milk.

You can also add some acidophilus, which is good for baby rabbits’ digestive tracts (located at most health stores). Baby rabbits are not generally receptive to bottles, and you will also need a syringe or eyedropper.

Final Thoughts

So, ‘how do rabbits feed their babies?’ Does nurse their babies, every 24 hours or so, with a super-filling and healthy milk. You can make a similar formula yourself, with heavy whipping cream, acidophilus, and KMR (Kitten Milk Replacer)!

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