# What age do you think kits should leave their mother?



## CiaraPatricia (Feb 13, 2011)

I've had two litters so far, the first I sold at 6 weeks, but for the next litter I thought I'd do everything right and sell them at 8 weeks. But by 7 weeks the babies were huge and the mother was sick of them and was chasing them off, so I separated them and sold them at 8 weeks anyway. They were eating loads and the mother was really hungry all the time from feeding them anyway.

I'd like to keep my next litters til 8 weeks, just so I know I'm doing the best thing for them, and soI don't feel bad about it, or people don't think I'm weaning them too young. But I know they're a drain on their mothers then.


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## irishbunny (Feb 13, 2011)

You can wean them at 6 weeks if they are strong and healthy, and sell them at 8 weeks if they are healthy and eating well.


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## GorbyJobRabbits (Feb 13, 2011)

Everyone is going to tell you different. Honestly you can pull babies at 3 weeks that are eating well. Its not recommended and most people will complain. But generally at 10 days once their eyes are open they start nibbling food. And then they become pigs and eat the pellets all the time.


My last litter of Harlies I pulled at 5 weeks. They lived in the house and were watched all the time. They had stopped nursing themselves, and I was going through twice the amount of rabbit feed because they ate so much. The 4 I sold all the people keep in touch and they're all doing great....and the one I have is now outside and she's a fat healthy little monster. 

Just depends on your litter. You know when they can be weaned.


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## CiaraPatricia (Feb 13, 2011)

Thanks  That's a good idea, to wean them if I feel like I should but keep them til eight weeks to make sure they're healthy and all. I think I'll do that. I'll see how the mothers feel and all.

In the first litter two became bullies and had to be separated at 5 weeks, now that I think about it. They were chasing the others and biting them and even chasing they mother! They were a good bit bigger than the others so I wasn't worried about separating them.


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## Jaded (Feb 13, 2011)

If there eating and drinking 7 weeks is fine.


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## polly (Feb 13, 2011)

I usually separate around 6 weeks it depends on the doe and the litter tbh


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## Flash Gordon (Feb 13, 2011)

if i was going to get a rabbit from you i would want that baby to be feeding from their momma til 8 weeks....if i found out that they were weened earlier ..i wouldnt get a bunny from you..thats the opinion of a BUYING customer ...me.


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## woahlookitsme (Feb 13, 2011)

I agree with it really depends on the momma. I also wean at 6weeks and pull from moms. Especially on beyonce. Shes a smaller doe and it takes alot away from her. 

It would be totally downright evil for me to keep those babies on her till 8weeks. 

I think you should explain to the customer your reasons for taking them away at 6weeks and if they dont agree, its not their momma rabbit and explain how you were looking out for the moms best interest. But because of my breed I rarely sell babies under 5mos. So i say if you have room keep them till 8weeks to make sure they are healthy


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## polly (Feb 13, 2011)

Flash Gordon wrote:


> if i was going to get a rabbit from you i would want that baby to be feeding from their momma til 8 weeks....if i found out that they were weened earlier ..i wouldnt get a bunny from you..thats the opinion of a BUYING customer ...me.




That's fine in theory but if the mum gets fed up then she may well start nipping at the babies or trying to mate them for dominance which then stresses the babies out so for a lot of breeds 6 weeks is the norm as by then mum isn't feeding them anymore 

I have had nethie litters of 1 or 2 and mum is happy with them till 9 weeks I have also had nethie litters where mums got fed up and I have had to take the babies away at 5 weeks and that's me leaving them as 
long as I can!

The main thing would then be the keeping the babies on until they are at least 8 weeks to make sure they are happy and healthy


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## GorbyJobRabbits (Feb 13, 2011)

Also, don't remove all at once. If you have problem ones, take them away first and slowly remove the others. Suddenly taking away a whole litter leaves the mom full of milk and sore. 


Also, I tend to remove show ones first. They are no longer competing with momma and siblings for food. Less of a chance of them getting 'damage' on their bodies


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## CiaraPatricia (Feb 14, 2011)

Thanks guys. 

I understand that buyers might want them to stay til eight weeks, so I think I would keep them til 8 weeks and then sell them, also to make sure they're healthy.

But if the mom starts chasing them off, or seems like she has too many to feed and it's too much of a drain on her, I'll take some of them away from her early.


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## maxysmummy (Feb 14, 2011)

also a buyers perspective - i'd never buy under 8 weeks. i don't know much about the weaning process but i think breeders who sell under 8 weeks are just irresponsible. if i knew my rabbit was weaned under 6 weeks i'd be very very wary


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## twinkiez (Feb 14, 2011)

I had someone tell me it was illegal to sell rabbits under 8 weeks. Has anyone else heard this?
I've kept baby's with their mothers until 10 wks with no ill effects.


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## maxysmummy (Feb 14, 2011)

twinkiez wrote:


> I had someone tell me it was illegal to sell rabbits under 8 weeks. Has anyone else heard this?
> I've kept baby's with their mothers until 10 wks with no ill effects.



i think in a lot of places it is.


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## CiaraPatricia (Feb 14, 2011)

Yeah I would also prefer to buy a rabbit that was 8 weeks old.  But I wonder what the optimum age to wean at is actually. Like has it been scientifically proven that 8 weeks is best? 

It's the same with puppies, kittens and guinea pigs, people generally say 8 weeks, but some say different. I know a cat would nurse their kittens for a lot longer than 8 weeks, given the chance. But rabbits are fairly independant by that time, and a lot of mothers stop nursing before then it seems. 

I kept one baby with the mother for months because I kept that one, and she wasn't still nursing, but I've known cats to keep nursing their kittens til 6 months or so! Obviously rabbits are more independant younger, so it's interesting that they are usually sold at the same age. Also interesting for guinea pigs to be sold at 8 weeks, when the males are separated at 3 weeks or so anyway, so obviously do fine without the mother (but are kinda too tiny to sell IMO).


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## Sabine (Feb 14, 2011)

I am pretty sure pet shops are not allowed to sell rabbits under 8 weeks here. 
I only once had to pull babies out just before 6 weeks as the mum was getting fed up and started chasing the girls. I find with nethies and their small litters I get away with leaving them together until about 8weeks if I feel there is enough space and mum doesn't get fed up. I usually remove the boys first if there are more than one and leave the girl until they are sold or mum is being rebred. If I am heading for the winter I leave a girl (if I intend to keep her) with her mum.


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Feb 14, 2011)

Flash Gordon wrote:


> if i was going to get a rabbit from you i would want that baby to be feeding from their momma til 8 weeks....if i found out that they were weened earlier ..i wouldnt get a bunny from you..thats the opinion of a BUYING customer ...me.



I think we're all getting the word "weaning" confused, or talking about different things. I pointed out Flash's post to address it specifically, but this is in response to the original question as well.

Kits start eating pelleted food at about 3 weeks of age. Their mothers naturally wean them from milk between age 3-5 weeks. If they are kept with the mother, many kits will still sneak feedings. But they are completely fine away from their mother by 4-5 weeks, because they are weaned off of milk. So regardless of whether you buy a bunny before or after 8 weeks, they won't be nursing at 8 weeks.

Usually it's best to wean from the mother between 6-8 weeks because she does get burnt out from the litter.

And then it's best not to SELL them until after 8 weeks, to ensure that they are strong and healthy. But weaning takes place far before 8 weeks of age.


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## Flash Gordon (Feb 14, 2011)

by Dana Krempels, Ph.D. 
Unlike most mammals, baby rabbits have a sterile lower intestine until they begin to eat solid food at the age of 3-4 weeks. It is during this time that their intestines are at their most vulnerable: the babies need their mother's milk, which changes pH and provides vital antibodies that help the baby gradually adjust to his changing intestinal environment, to protect them against newly introduced microorganisms. Without mother's milk, a baby starting to eat solid food is highly susceptible to bacterial enteritis (inflammation of the intestinal lining), which can cause fatal diarrhea. 
Without mother's antibodies, complex organic compounds and proper pH environment her milk provides to help protect the baby's intestines, these babies are highly susceptible to over-proliferation of foreign bacteria. One of the most common culprits of runny stool in baby rabbits is accidental infection by the common human intestinal bacterium, _Escherichia coli_. This is transmitted from humans to baby rabbits during handling, since these bacteria are all over us, not just in our intestines. Handling an unweaned infant rabbit without properly washing and disinfecting one's hands is a good way to transmit these opportunistic pathogens. Even a loving kiss on a too-young baby rabbit's lips can kill. Until a young rabbit is at least eight weeks old, she should not be taken from her mother, as mama's milk affords protection against _E. coli_ and other bacteria until the baby's own immune system can handle them.


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## Skybunny11 (Feb 14, 2011)

Ive separated litters as young as 4 weeks, usually I separate at 6 weeks and sell at 7-8 weeks though. Usually if I have huge litters I will separate the bigger stronger ones first and let the weak ones stay just so they have that extra time with there moms.


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## Sabine (Feb 14, 2011)

I personally think it is sensible to wait till about 8 weeks before rehoming a baby rabbit as they are still so vulnerable and may not cope as well with the stress of moving to a new place, being torn away from siblings and maybe another change of diet in the new home.


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## maxysmummy (Feb 14, 2011)

Flash Gordon wrote:


> by Dana Krempels, Ph.D.
> Unlike most mammals, baby rabbits have a sterile lower intestine until they begin to eat solid food at the age of 3-4 weeks. It is during this time that their intestines are at their most vulnerable: the babies need their mother's milk, which changes pH and provides vital antibodies that help the baby gradually adjust to his changing intestinal environment, to protect them against newly introduced microorganisms. Without mother's milk, a baby starting to eat solid food is highly susceptible to bacterial enteritis (inflammation of the intestinal lining), which can cause fatal diarrhea.
> Without mother's antibodies, complex organic compounds and proper pH environment her milk provides to help protect the baby's intestines, these babies are highly susceptible to over-proliferation of foreign bacteria. One of the most common culprits of runny stool in baby rabbits is accidental infection by the common human intestinal bacterium, _Escherichia coli_. This is transmitted from humans to baby rabbits during handling, since these bacteria are all over us, not just in our intestines. Handling an unweaned infant rabbit without properly washing and disinfecting one's hands is a good way to transmit these opportunistic pathogens. Even a loving kiss on a too-young baby rabbit's lips can kill. Until a young rabbit is at least eight weeks old, she should not be taken from her mother, as mama's milk affords protection against _E. coli_ and other bacteria until the baby's own immune system can handle them.



^^ i'd tend to trust this advice.


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Feb 14, 2011)

maxysmummy wrote:


> Flash Gordon wrote:
> 
> 
> > by Dana Krempels, Ph.D.
> ...



Interesting article.

There are a few inconsistencies though, since like I said, mother rabbits wean their kits off of milk before the age of 8 weeks. I don't use any special sterile precautions around young rabbits and handle them a lot daily. I haven't lost any kits, despite that.

I definitely don't wean kits early just for the fun of it, and never sell them under the age of 8 weeks so I'm not arguing that or anything. I definitely think they should be kept until 10-12 weeks actually to ensure that they have transitioned well. But I have found that their natural weaning process from milk to pellets happens pretty early on.


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## maxysmummy (Feb 14, 2011)

OakRidgeRabbits wrote:


> maxysmummy wrote:
> 
> 
> > Flash Gordon wrote:
> ...



from what i've read weaning should occur no younger than 6 weeks but the baby still needs to be around the mother till 8? although i'm not sure what the reason is, perhaps for cecals or emotional reasons? are you able to shed some light on this? or is it simply because they are better adjusted for change at 8 weeks?


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Feb 15, 2011)

maxysmummy- I think there may still be a little confusion about the term weaning so maybe I can clarify. See, there are two weanings, really. The first is when the mother weans her babies off of her milk. At this point, the babies are not removed from the mother, they still stay with her. But when they try to nurse she runs away, or pushes them out of the way so that they cannot nurse and instead are encouraged to eat solid foods. She does this herself beginning around 3.5-4 weeks.

The weaning that people usually talk about is when you physically remove the babies from their mother. You are right, this ideally does not occur earlier than 6 weeks old. This allows the babies to be weaned off of milk at 4 weeks and then have a 2 week adjustment period before they are removed from their mother. Then, they are not sold until 8 weeks or later to allow one more 2-week adjustment period to living on their own.

Seldom do kits actually stay with their mother until 8 weeks. Even though 8 weeks is the youngest that they are sold, they have usually been living without their mother for about 2 weeks already.

However, in some rare cases, the mother passes away or becomes ill or starts getting aggressive toward the babies. So sometimes, it is necessary to do "emergency weanings" around 4-5 weeks old. Sometimes the kits have trouble, but most of the time, they are just fine with this change when necessary because by that time, they have already stopped eating milk.

In ideal cases, most people remove the kits from the mother at 6 weeks and then can sell them at 8 weeks. Hopefully the above helped to clarify that a bit.

Personally, I like to keep the kits with the mother as long as possible. Even though they can go earlier, I feel as though they benefit from being with mom even when not nursing. So I tend to not remove them from her until 8-12 weeks or sometimes even longer.


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## woahlookitsme (Feb 16, 2011)

Thank you OakRidge for your post! I hope people will read this and it will help clarify some of their opinions. In agreement and addition, it all depends on the mom. You are trying to do whats in her best interest. 
Example: I have kits about to be taken from mom at 5weeks old. With 5 babies she seems much more irritated and antsy. She also still feeds them from time to time and with her being on the skinnier side its only what is best for her. The babies will do fine without her at this age. Her past litters are great examples. Of course they'll be housed together so its not like they are totally alone
I also handle all my youngsters and never has one caught Ecoli?


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## CiaraPatricia (Feb 16, 2011)

Yeah, vets and books might say that staying with their mum til 8 weeks is ideal, but it doesn't always work out that way. If they mum is attacking the babies (well chasing them looking like she'll bite them like mine was after 6 weeks) then you kinda have no choice but to remove the babies.

Obviously the babies' well being is important, but so is the mum's.


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## Flash Gordon (Feb 16, 2011)

i thought that when u have a momma whos feeding babies that u should have a shelf so the momma can get away from the babies when she gets sore or tired of feeding..if she has no where to go to get away..its common sense that shes gonna get a little irritated trying to feed nonstop.


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## Sabine (Feb 16, 2011)

I often let the mom go out in the run for long periods during the day and only bring her back at night or a few times during the day when the babies were young. I think that way she gets a break.


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## woahlookitsme (Feb 16, 2011)

Once the babies eyes are open. and being that tans are a very curious breed and love to jump this definitely wouldn't stop the babies from trying to go up there. And i am in no interest of having any more babies with broken legs.

I wish i could let her run around for an hour or two out of the day but since Im in school an hour away from my home this would be my moms duty and her feeding and taking care of all the rabbits and then running the moms would be very tiring for her after a 7-4 job. I would if i lived at home though. I suggest this to anyone who would be able to


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Feb 16, 2011)

Flash Gordon wrote:


> i thought that when u have a momma whos feeding babies that u should have a shelf so the momma can get away from the babies when she gets sore or tired of feeding..if she has no where to go to get away..its common sense that shes gonna get a little irritated trying to feed nonstop.



The mother doesn't generally get aggressive because she is irritated with the babies. It's because of the natural weaning process that I was talking about. The mother will naturally start nipping at/pushing away the babies to wean them from her milk and move them onto solid food.

Most breeders do provide an area where she can get away from the babies under normal conditions, like you said.

In the cases where breeders need to wean the babies early, it is simply because the mother has either become ill or is just a bad mother. Sometimes they will get temperamental and start mounting the babies or things like that. In that case, it's not irritation, it's just hormones.


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## Flash Gordon (Feb 16, 2011)

*OakRidgeRabbits wrote:*


> The mother doesn't generally get aggressive because she is irritated with the babies. It's because of the natural weaning process that I was talking about. The mother will naturally start nipping at/pushing away the babies to wean them from her milk and move them onto solid food.


how do u know this ? 
.
ive watched the domestic rabbits for months at a park by me..
they dont stay with the babies at all,,,the momma is always away from them....they feed them twice a day ..as u prob know........but they fed them wayyy past 8 weeks.
why ??


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## woahlookitsme (Feb 16, 2011)

I do not mean to sound rude in any of this reply Sorry if it seems like that.

Wild or rabbits in parks do not go by the nests because they do not want to show predators where the babies are. That would be absurd. This is also why bunny mommas feed in the wee hours of the morning and just before dark. Most predators are nocturnal and come out at night. So feeding at these times the momma can hide herself and her babies will be full and happy so they can stay quiet and safe. 
Mommas naturally push the babies away. The babies have to grow up sometime they cant always depend on the momma. OakRidge has done a good job at explaining this process And i agree with everything she has said. 
Being a breeder you understand these processes and its hard trying to explain it unless you've experienced it. All the reasons bunnies do the things they do is in order to survive. That's what natures about. And just like with dogs some mommas don't want or get tired of pushing the babies away so they just let them nurse. Of course it isn't healthy for the mom and certainly not for the babies (they need to learn to provide for themselves!) but if you're in a confined area there's only so many times you can say no. This is why we take them away at 8weeks or sometimes even 6weeks. But of course Every mom is different and i havent ever heard of a rabbit still feeding after 8weeks, if anything wild rabbits would leave the babies as early as possible. Maybe the domestic rabbits in the park aren't a good sample to get opinions from.

Like i said if you don't breed rabbits sometimes you wont fully get this whole concept.


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## Flash Gordon (Feb 16, 2011)

ur not being rude at all..i just wanted to know HOW you know these things...but ur saying u just KNOW if u breed?....
im thinking id sway more towards facts...rather then hunches. im not trying to be rude either

i do know WHY the momma stays away from the babies when they are in the wild...my point is ..if the babies arent in the mommas face 24/7 then the momma feeds even longer then 8 weeks..


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## Sabine (Feb 17, 2011)

I am just wondering about those (domestic?)rabbits in the park.... How do we know they feed their young way after 8 weeks? Do they do it in public?
My first pet rabbit had an accidental litter under our shed and since she was allowed to free roam the garden we never knew she had babies until they appeared from under the shed at a few weeks of age. I would have never seen her nursing her litter and she did stop nursing them at around 5-6 weeks although she had plenty of space. Also my brood does are very discreet about nursing. It is hard to tell if they are still nursing or not once the babies are around 5 weeks.


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## jcottonl02 (Feb 17, 2011)

*OakRidgeRabbits wrote: *


> But when they try to nurse she runs away, or pushes them out of the way so that they cannot nurse and instead are encouraged to eat solid foods. She does this herself beginning around 3.5-4 weeks.



Loool my family breeds yorkshire terrier pups, and to see, at around 5 weeks or so, Lucy (the mother) streaaaking across the room desperate to get away and not nurse the puppies, and being immediately followed by this really fast patter of teeny feet followed by some bounding puppies, it's SO funny. 

And I never understood why- but I think you have just explained it! - it's natural!

Jen


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Feb 17, 2011)

Flash Gordon wrote:


> ur not being rude at all..i just wanted to know HOW you know these things...but ur saying u just KNOW if u breed?....
> im thinking id sway more towards facts...rather then hunches. im not trying to be rude either



Nah, it's not necessarily an innate quality of breeders. Or a hunch.

My first domestic rabbit litter was born in either 2002 or 2003 (seems so long ago now!), and I have had several litters a year ever since. You learn these things by observing the rabbits over a long period of time. You can find a lot of information on websites or in textbooks and consider it fact simply because it is in print and by otherwise knowledgeable sources (vets, for example). But there is a big discrepancy between how scholars observe or know rabbits, since their work is done in the field or at a distance. I'm right in my rabbit's community everyday, feeding, watering, cleaning, playing with them. I have known many of them since they were born and know each one on an individual level. When you observe rabbits this way (which I'm sure you know by having pets), you learn SO much more about them. Many of the things I have learned have been learned through having rabbits for about 10 years now. Trust me, I've read every website, every textbook, and every publication available to me. They all say the same thing and are a great overview. But that information pales in comparison to what I've observed myself over so many years of daily interaction with the bun buns.


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Feb 17, 2011)

jcottonl02 wrote:


> *OakRidgeRabbits wrote: *
> 
> 
> > But when they try to nurse she runs away, or pushes them out of the way so that they cannot nurse and instead are encouraged to eat solid foods. She does this herself beginning around 3.5-4 weeks.
> ...



LOL! Yeah, it's kind of sad to see the poor buns waddling after momma for more! So cute! I bet the Yorkies are such precious little pups...they are even cute as adults. <3


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## woahlookitsme (Feb 17, 2011)

lol about the yorkies! I can only imagine what that would look like 

And thank you OakRidge for explaining it better than i ever could


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Feb 17, 2011)

Thanks for your help too, whoalookitsme! I understand that certain aspects of breeding can be difficult to "get" when you're not really involved in that part of the bunny world. I think we explained well together though, not just me.


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## CiaraPatricia (Feb 17, 2011)

*Flash Gordon wrote: *


> i thought that when u have a momma whos feeding babies that u should have a shelf so the momma can get away from the babies when she gets sore or tired of feeding..if she has no where to go to get away..its common sense that shes gonna get a little irritated trying to feed nonstop.




By about 6 weeks baby bunnies are quite big and can jump on shelves too! I never provided a shelf, but they have a little house about 2 foot high that they all jump on, so the mom can't get away from them. If it was any higher then I'd be scared of the babies hurting themselves falling off . . . small baby animals can jump surprisingly high sometimes!

But they don't try to nurse all the time and annoy her, they just hop around and do their own thing, but she still tries to chase them off. I think it's kinda natural, her being "cruel to be kind" to tell them to go live their own lives.

When I separated my baby buns before, when the mom was trying to chase them off, I also had to separate two babies from the other babies, cos they were being bullies! So when I sold one of the bullies, I put the other bully back in with her mom and the mom was fine with just having one baby. So I think part of her problem with them, was just having too many babies around and them draining her. She also was fine living with her baby in another litter that I kept with her for a few months (though she wasn't feeding that baby anymore).



I don't know too much about wild rabbits (know some) but I imagine they are able to survive on their own (in the herd but independant) quite early as they just eat grass, etc. But animals like cats or dogs would still need their mother for much longer in the wild, since they can't hunt at 8 weeks. So it makes sense that rabbits might stop feeding their babies a little earlier.


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## jcottonl02 (Feb 17, 2011)

*OakRidgeRabbits wrote: *


> jcottonl02 wrote:
> 
> 
> > *OakRidgeRabbits wrote: *
> ...



Lol so true- and I never really understood fully why! But I do now, thanks to you!

And oh my you have no idea. Yorkies are pretty tiny (we have some mixed breeds along with some pedigree, so one is actually about 8kg- course we only breed from the pedigrees), so they are proper adorable as 'adults' but ommmdzzz the puppies are just so cute.
And NAUGHTY i might add! It's so funny. The way they run too...like unbelievably energetic and bounncccingggg over to you as hastily as possible. Not running, like one paw after another- BOUNNDDINNNGGGGGG lol. I need to upload some videos.

Jen


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## OakRidgeRabbits (Feb 17, 2011)

Awwww! <3 They are one of my favorite dog breeds. I wish they stayed puppies forever!


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## iluvdutchrabbbits90 (Feb 18, 2011)

99% of my does wean their babies at about 3-4 weeks. And i will take them out between 5-6 weeks because lionheads are so tiny it takes ALOT out of their mothers. Now i have one doe i kept and she is almost 4 months and i still have her with her mother, she was the only one in the litter. But my rabbits never leave before 8-10 weeks old.


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## TinysMom (Feb 18, 2011)

*Flash Gordon wrote: *


> if i was going to get a rabbit from you i would want that baby to be feeding from their momma til 8 weeks....if i found out that they were weened earlier ..i wouldnt get a bunny from you..thats the opinion of a BUYING customer ...me.


Well in that case - there are many reputable breeders you won't be buying from. 

I try to leave the kits with mama till they're 8 weeks old - some babies stop nursing before then - and some mamas wean the kits earlier.

I leave the weaning decisions to my rabbits and what is best for them - I could case less what the customer wants. I want what the rabbit is comfortable with.


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## TinysMom (Feb 18, 2011)

*woahlookitsme wrote:*


> But of course Every mom is different and *i havent ever heard of a rabbit still feeding after 8weeks*, if anything wild rabbits would leave the babies as early as possible. Maybe the domestic rabbits in the park aren't a good sample to get opinions from.
> 
> Like i said if you don't breed rabbits sometimes you wont fully get this whole concept.


I have had a couple of does that nursed past the 8 week mark. Two come to mind in particular....however that is two out of a large number of does.

I've had does that pushed their babies away at 5 or 6 weeks and I took the babies away together (but kept them here past the 8 week mark). 

I've also had does that were no where near ready to let those babies go at 6 or even 7 weeks.

I sat down and figured out recently that over the last 5 years I've had approx. 100 litters of rabbits. I can honestly tell you that no two litters were the same (even if they were from the same mama). 

I personally believe that the best breeders will know their does and watch their actions and be prepared to pull the babies earlier if mama is weaning them and doesn't want them around.


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## BlueCamasRabbitry (Feb 19, 2011)

I say 6 weeks, but I usually leave babies in with momma till 7 weeks of age. Then I separate bucks from does, and they get to see momma daily; then every other day, and so on, so by the time they're fully weaned, they're around the 8 to 9 week age mark. 

If Momma doesn't mind them in there, and is still nursing, then I'd say leave 'em in for as long as 8 to 10 weeks - especially the larger breeds.  

Most kits should be FULLY weaned by at least 10 weeks of age though...maybe 12 for the larger breeds. 
As far as selling age, I do NOT allow rabbits to go before 8 weeks, regardless if they are fully weaned or not, I just will not do it. I keep most kits past 12 weeks of age anyhow to see how they fill out.

Emily


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## CiaraPatricia (Feb 19, 2011)

That's a good point about the large breeds, that they develop a lot slower, and small rabbits develop a lot faster


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## MsBunBun (Feb 19, 2011)

Usually I hear 6-8 weeks is best. 
However if you feel that you really need to adopt a bunny at 3-5 weeks old (if it's parents are deceased or if there are no rabbit caretakers near you), make sure you provide them with *lots and lots* of attention, and also make sure you put something called Bene-bac in your rabbit's food.

What is Bene-bac? 


> A palatable, concentrated source of live naturally occurring digestive bacteria found in the intestinal tract. For any time an animal experience stress from changing nutritional or environmental conditions. For use in dogs, cats, rabbits and other small animals.


It is very important for a very young rabbit. Im sure that it's what helped my little bun survive (I adopted him at 4 weeks old, long story...)


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