Mum looks ill, babies are 6 weeks

[Samgabby]

So looking for some advice.

Our rabbit are outdoor rabbits. They are in secure cages. When mum had babies, we bought mum and babies inside to keep them safe and warm. When babies were 4 weeks, we starting putting mum outside during the day, as suggested by vet to give her some space. She had 6 babies in total. She looks so tired and I just feel for her, she has done amazing. They are most likely all giant rabbit like dads and eat like no tomorrow.

We just worry it’s really taking it out of mum. I see different advice on when to separate mum and babies. We want to leave mum out tonight. To give her a break.

Any kind advice would be appreciated

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

What is mum and kits diet?

If she’s got six, large breed kits, she’ll need a lot more nutrients than the average pet bunny. Alfalfa hay, alfalfa pellets, oats etc

If you are worried about mums health, you can begin to wean the babies off onto hay and pellets (generally grass hay and alfalfa is best )

I’ve generally seen kits stay with their mums until they go to their new homes (one little bunny at a rescue I visited had her little ones with her until they were spayed and neutered (the boys were neutered at a young age, so couldn’t impregnate their mother). generally stop drinking her milk and begin eating solid food once they’re old enough (6-8 weeks is normal).

I’m not a breeder, nor do I have any breeding experience but this is just what I’ve learned. @SableSteel @JBun @Preitler might be able to help more
Also, pictures are mandatory

 

[Samgabby]

What is mum and kits diet?

If she’s got six, large breed kits, she’ll need a lot more nutrients than the average pet bunny. Alfalfa hay, alfalfa pellets, oats etc

If you are worried about mums health, you can begin to wean the babies off onto hay and pellets (generally grass hay and alfalfa is best )

I’ve generally seen kits stay with their mums until they go to their new homes (one little bunny at a rescue I visited had her little ones with her until they were spayed and neutered (the boys were neutered at a young age, so couldn’t impregnate their mother). generally stop drinking her milk and begin eating solid food once they’re old enough (6-8 weeks is normal).

I’m not a breeder, nor do I have any breeding experience but this is just what I’ve learned. @SableSteel @JBun @Preitler might be able to help more
Also, pictures are mandatory

So mum gets unlimited normal pellets and hay. Then when she Is with the babies overnight, she eats there alfalfa pellets which she loves and some of there hay. She gets a good variety. And gets a small amount of greens everyday.

The babies are pigs, they eat hay like it’s gone out of fashion and gets some pellets also as well as still milk from mum.

Tonight we learnt our lesson, we left her in her hutch outside and she started thumping and woke up neighbours at 2315 (embarrassing) Bought her in and she fed them straight away bless her. So that’s enough for us to know it’s too early for mum and them. I’ll just keep trying to fatten her up a bit more.

Enjoy the pictures

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

firstly, they are absolutely gorgeous!!! I’m in love

Poor girlie has made some absolutely (stunning) massive kits!! As they’re weaning off of mums milk, you may not need to do a lot of this, but I’d definitely recommend adding some alfalfa pellets and/or hay for her - feeding all those big babies must be tiring (but it sounds like she’s happy to do it haha)!

She definitely wanted to make it known to you (and your neighbours) that she wanted to see her children

 

[Samgabby]

firstly, they are absolutely gorgeous!!! I’m in love

Poor girlie has made some absolutely (stunning) massive kits!! As they’re weaning off of mums milk, you may not need to do a lot of this, but I’d definitely recommend adding some alfalfa pellets and/or hay for her - feeding all those big babies must be tiring (but it sounds like she’s happy to do it haha)!

She definitely wanted to make it known to you (and your neighbours) that she wanted to see her children

Thank you I am so lucky. For 6 weeks they are just so big already they bigger than my hands put together !

It did really make me laugh last night, not so much the neighbour I saw peeping out.

Thanks for you

 

[JBun]

If her normal pellets are a low protein grass based pellet, I would switch her completely to the babies higher protein alfalfa pellets, fed unlimited or close to. She needs all the extra protein and calcium she can get to keep up with nursing her kits.

Then soon I would start weaning the babies. Easiest on mom so her milk gradually can dry up, is separating a couple of babies from her at a time. So maybe at 7-8 weeks, pull out 2 babies. Then maybe 3 days later separate another two and put them with the two you've already separated. Then 3 days later wean the last two. This way can help prevent issues arising with mom from all of the babies suddenly being weaned and her stopping nursing. And separating 2 at a time means they are still with a buddy, so is less stressful for them.

 

[Lynne's Bunnies]

So looking for some advice.

Our rabbit are outdoor rabbits. They are in secure cages. When mum had babies, we bought mum and babies inside to keep them safe and warm. When babies were 4 weeks, we starting putting mum outside during the day, as suggested by vet to give her some space. She had 6 babies in total. She looks so tired and I just feel for her, she has done amazing. They are most likely all giant rabbit like dads and eat like no tomorrow.

We just worry it’s really taking it out of mum. I see different advice on when to separate mum and babies. We want to leave mum out tonight. To give her a break.

Any kind advice would be appreciated

I always take babies away at 4 to 5 weeks old,they don't need mum at that age as long as they are eating and drinking

 

[majorv]

I agree that it’s time to slowly wean them. I suspect mom was thumping that night because she was full of milk and needed them to nurse. Kits typically start eating mom’s pellets when they a few weeks old so by 6 weeks they should be fine.