Rabbits are one of the favorite animals of humans to be kept or raised. Under various conditions, there are sometimes newborn rabbits that are not cared for directly by their mothers, for example because the mother rabbits are stressed after giving birth and do not want to take care of their own children, the mother rabbit dies, etc. .

In these conditions you have to take care of them so that the baby rabbits can survive. Also read about how to care for rabbits in the rainy season.

Motherless rabbit care certainly requires intense attention and the right steps where rabbits are vulnerable to various things such as starvation, cold weather, stress and predators.

Here are 13 ways you can apply for the care of small motherless rabbits:

1. feeding milk

Rabbits are one of the mammals that need milk when they are newly born. In rabbits milk should not be given directly from birth, at that time the rabbit is in a position to use the reserve food that it still has stored while it is in the uterus, two days after birth milk can be given to the rabbit. Rabbits do not drink large amounts of milk, about five minutes a day is enough to cover their needs. Give milk with a special pacifier or using a syringe.

Giving milk to rabbits should be done with patience and diligence, rabbits are not capable of drinking large amounts at one time, they should be given milk slowly with very few additions until the 5th day of bunny breeding. At the age of 5 or 6 days the baby rabbit’s stomach has begun to stabilize in order to increase the amount of milk. Give milk until the age of 2 weeks. Also read about how to care for angora rabbits.

2. Types of milk that are good for rabbits

Not all types of milk can be given, there are several types of milk that are suitable, including:

• Milk for kittens, you can buy it at the nearest pet store.
• Formula milk for human babies from 0 to 6 months that does not contain lactose (sugar), the label usually says “lactose free”, because the baby rabbit’s digestive system is not perfect, so if it is given milk with sugar it will cause bloating and diarrhea. , even leading to diarrhea.
• Goat’s milk (etawa) Dilute the milk with warm water before giving it to the rabbit.

3. Nutritional intake

After 2 weeks, start feeding soft leafy foods such as celery or grass; at that age, it is fine for the rabbit to be placed outside the cage to start playing and foraging. Milking was stopped at the age of 3 weeks, the age at which the rabbits had begun to be able to eat grass even in small quantities. Also read about how to raise rabbits at home.

4. Forbidden foods

Grass and vegetables are good for rabbits, there are several foods that should be avoided to prevent harmful things for your rabbit including:

• Foods that contain a lot of water, such as cabbage and collard greens, will affect the rabbits droppings where there is a lot of water and gas which can cause bloating.
• Coarse-textured foods such as elephant grass are feared to harm rabbits, either externally or internally.
• Foods that are too sweet, such as tomatoes, corn, potatoes. The reason is as explained in the previous point that rabbits should avoid sugar so as not to risk bloating or diarrhea.

5. Stimulate to get rid of dirt

Gently massage the baby rabbit’s belly with a cotton swab given warm water, do this after you have finished feeding it. After 5 or 6 days of age, there is no need to massage again because the baby rabbit will be able to defecate on its own. Also read about how to treat rabbits.

6. Cage status

Before 7 days of age, there is no fur to protect the rabbit’s body, making it very vulnerable to hot or cold weather. For the cage where he lives, it should be a soft box or a small box filled with straw, he should not be given a cotton pad, most likely, he will often replace it when there is dirt attached to the cotton.

Make sure to place the cage in a place protected from rain and direct sunlight. The cage should also always be kept clean to prevent various bacteria or germs from growing.

7. Air circulation

Provide air circulation in the rabbit’s cage, do not put it in a completely closed box so there is no room for light to enter. In addition to cleanliness, rabbits also need good air circulation.

8. Explanation

As explained above, newborn rabbits don’t have fur, so they can’t protect their bodies from cold weather. Provide lighting for your rabbit’s cage and turn it on in cold weather or at night to keep the rabbit warm.

9. The correct way to hold

Holding in this case is when you pick up or move the rabbit. Baby rabbits are easily frightened and stressed because they are not used to their surroundings. Do not hold it harshly, for example by lifting its ears, of course it is not justified because it can hurt the rabbit, hold it gently with the palm of your hand as a pedestal. Don’t forget to wash your hands before and after handling the rabbit.

10. Protect from predators

Baby rabbits may be the target of prey by other animals such as cats or dogs, place them in a safe place that is not accessible to predatory animals.

11. Stay out of the water

Bathing is one of the causes of death for rabbits, rabbits should only be bathed at the age of at least 3-4 months and even then with lukewarm water and soft towels. Do not bathe rabbits under 3 months.

12. Pay attention to health conditions

Continue to monitor your baby rabbit’s weight, if the weight drops add a small portion of food, it doesn’t need to be too much. In infancy, rabbits are still susceptible to diseases, so special attention is needed for the rabbit to adapt to how to survive, given the absence of the mother.

13. Understand the characteristics of a healthy rabbit

Signs of a healthy rabbit are if the rabbit’s stomach is round and full, feels warm, healthy fur is pink or dark in color, not wrinkled, and sleeps peacefully. Sick rabbits are characterized by having wrinkled, cold, bluish skin, constantly crawling and not being able to sleep peacefully. Take him to the vet right away if this happens to your rabbit.

This is how to care for motherless rabbits, rabbits are like newborn babies that need special love and care. Loving animals is also one of the things that God likes and plays a role in maintaining the balance of the environment.

Always treat gently, animals usually understand and feel more comfortable interacting with the humans who care for them. Watching rabbits grow up healthy for your role will certainly be a treat in itself. So I hope it’s helpful.

So the information that can be transmitted, hopefully can be useful. Also read how to herd pigeons.