My family recently bought a baby rabbit for my bother. Like most of the animals in the house i have ended up taking care of it. I am worried that it was given to us too young. It is only 4 weeks and i heard this is a critical stage and not the proper time to take the rabbit away from its mother. So is there anything that i should be doing to ensure its health. At the moment it is actign very healthy and friendly, but from experice of other animals i know this is not always a sure sign of good health. Any help would really be appriciated.
I agree that 4 weeks is a bit young. Rabbits at this age have very sensitive digestive systems. To minimize the chance for problems, DO NOT feed fresh fruits or veggies to the bunny. I recommend adding about 20% of old fashioned oatmeal to a balanced pellet (16% protein) diet until the bunny reaches 6 weeks of age. You can also offer a good grass or Timothy hay 2-3 times per week.
Once your bunny passes the 10 week marker, you can safely introduce fresh fruit and veggies (no iceburg lettuce , cabbage, broccoli, or cauliflower) SPARINGLY. (No more than what the rabbit can clean up in 10 minutes.
Good luck.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
Charlice has given excellent advice.so i will just say 4 weeks is too young too be away from its mother.it is illegal in my state too sell bunnies under the age of 8 weeks.Pa.please do not encourage these people by buying bunnys from them.bluebird
Guys thankf for all the help on this one. Im a very big animal rights actavist and if i was actually involved in this decision in the first place i probably would have spoken against it. Though then again reptiles are my area of expertice. Anyhow i have another question. Although he seems to be doing fine i know most small mammals are social so would it be a good thing to introduce another rabbit in with it. And if this would be soemthing positive shoul;d a be an adult mother, a foster mother for that matter...or youngish rabbit. Also what sex the baby i believe is a male.
Rabbits are social, but they are also territorial, so if you decide to get a companion for you new bunny, introductions should always be supervised.
I suggest getting a rabbit of similar age (in your case that would mean waiting a bit as you don\'t want to get another 4 week-old). As for sex, I would probably recommend another buck, but as these are pet rabbits, you should be prepared to have them neutered. In the long-term, the rabbits will be healthier and happier. If you should decide on a doe, you should get her spayed as well (even if the buck is neutered). Again it is both a health issue and will minimize behavior problems that materialize with the hormones.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com