How many times a day does a rabbit feed rabbits: frequency and features

How many times a day does a rabbit feed her babies? Depends on a number of factors - from 2 to 5 times a day. It is not easy to catch this process - animals prefer the dark time of the day for feeding. Yes, and disturbing the nest during feeding is undesirable - for confident growth, rabbits need peace. Whereas the extra noise and groping of newborns can stress them out, resulting in stunted growth.

How does a female rabbit feed newborn rabbits?

Preparation for feeding begins even before the baby rabbits are born. A week before the onset of childbirth, the expectant mother begins to build a nest.The materials used are hay and the rabbit's own fluff, pulled out by her around the nipples from the abdomen. This is done not only to create a warm and cozy place, but also to facilitate access to nipples and milk. After all, newborn rabbits are blind and naked - they are completely helpless.

The mother starts breastfeeding shortly after the end of the birth. It is desirable that the number of rabbits correspond to the number of nipples. Then the rabbit will be able to feed all the babies with milk herself. In case more are born, the process should be arranged so that several females give birth at the same time.

Then from a very prolific rabbit it will turn out to put the rabbits to a less "productive" animal.

Feeding problems

A rabbit may refuse to take care of her rabbits. You can understand this by squeaking, crawling and disheveled appearance of the latter. Otherwise, rabbits have a smooth skin and a full belly.If problems are found, their cause should be de alt with. Most common:

1. Low milk. The most likely reason is the wrong diet. It is solved by adding juicy root vegetables, scalded nettles, dried parsley, dill and carrot tops. Dairy products are used to stimulate lactation, as well as regular milk.
2. There are more offspring than a female can feed. This is where pure physiology comes into play. The solution is to move a rabbit to a smaller one, after wiping the foundling with fluff taken from its new nest.
3. No feeding. Occurs due to violent hunting. In most cases, mating helps. Force-feeding may be necessary to awaken the maternal instinct in the young. This involves holding the rabbit while putting the babies in.

How many times a day?

Newborn rabbits should consume 5 milliliters of milk per day. This diet is consumed for 2-5 feedings per day. It often seems that the rabbit does not do what she should - she can sit, feed, do nothing. This often causes groundless concern - it is necessary to monitor the kids. At nightfall, the female will dive into the nest and start feeding the rabbits.

Detached behavior has to do with instincts. Rabbits living in natural habitats have a strong smell.

In order not to attract the attention of predators, they try to move away, hide under the shade of trees, and feed there, without losing sight of the mink. On the day, the rabbit needs to eat enough to produce 50-170 milliliters of milk. If there is no concern from babies, there is nothing to worry about.

How long will she feed the cubs?

Average 45 days is enough. If frequent mating is practiced, the rabbits may be weaned earlier. For boilers, the period is extended to two months. At the same time, it is important to prepare them for independent living.

After about 10 days, the baby's eyes will begin to open. The rabbits will begin to move around the nest and even the entire allotted area (a special case - a cage). In the third or fourth week of life, roughage is acceptable in their diet. But the exclusion of milk from it at this stage is contraindicated. The young should be resettled when it is already formed and well oriented, although if the milk is gone and does not appear for 3-4 days, then lactation cannot be returned.

How many babies can one rabbit feed?

Universal formula - as many as nipples. There are a number of exceptions here - a dairy rabbit can feed more than 10, with problems with lactation - up to 6.In everything you should know the measure. If a female has brought 15 babies, the probability that she will be able to cope with them tends to zero.

Why, even if the female can provide more rabbits than there are nipples, it is desirable to share with another rabbit? This is due to the fact that good nutrition will be available only to the strongest, who will trample the weak.

And this applies not only to the offspring itself - even the mother herself can be the cause of death. Indeed, with large births, mainly weak rabbits are born.

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