avarocks
Well-Known Member
I'm fostering a mother and her baby bunnies for my local humane society. She came in as a stray, and no one even knew she was pregnant. Thursday morning staff arrived to find babies. She made her own nest and is caring for them properly - I'm keeping an eye on that. She is with me in foster care until her babies can leave her, at which point they'll all go up for adoption. She had 5 kits, no stillborns, everyone is warm and everyone is fed. She permits me to check this.
A few questions that I can't find answers to:
Is it safe for me to give momma things like fruit or craisins, or will that go into her milk and be too much for her babies? I give that stuff here, and she smells my hand when I go in to give her some veggies, but I'm afraid of giving it to her in case it makes the milk too sweet for her babies. Sounds silly I guess but I want to be careful.
The big one, can momma spend time out of the cage when she isn't nursing? She wants to - tonight I went in to look in on everyone, I closed over the cage top and left just for a minute to grab her some veggies. When I returned she had jumped herself out of the cage and was hopping around. She resisted going back in, too, but I had some supper for her and anyway I wasn't sure if she should yet. Obviously she wants to. Since bunnies usually nurse in the night, can I allow her some free time during the day? Not tons, I know, but could I give her an hour or so a day? Maybe give her some snuggles? I have a good rapport with her, she lets me check her babies and licks my hand even. She no longer hops to protect her babies when I come near. I do have my own un-neutered male in the house, but, when he's in his own bed he's secure in there so there will be NO chance of the two getting together. I'm not even going to lift her up and let them sniff each other - forget it. I'm not sure at what point she can have free time out of the cage. I pet her inside the cage now and she likes that. After her stunt today it tells me she wants out.
A few questions that I can't find answers to:
Is it safe for me to give momma things like fruit or craisins, or will that go into her milk and be too much for her babies? I give that stuff here, and she smells my hand when I go in to give her some veggies, but I'm afraid of giving it to her in case it makes the milk too sweet for her babies. Sounds silly I guess but I want to be careful.
The big one, can momma spend time out of the cage when she isn't nursing? She wants to - tonight I went in to look in on everyone, I closed over the cage top and left just for a minute to grab her some veggies. When I returned she had jumped herself out of the cage and was hopping around. She resisted going back in, too, but I had some supper for her and anyway I wasn't sure if she should yet. Obviously she wants to. Since bunnies usually nurse in the night, can I allow her some free time during the day? Not tons, I know, but could I give her an hour or so a day? Maybe give her some snuggles? I have a good rapport with her, she lets me check her babies and licks my hand even. She no longer hops to protect her babies when I come near. I do have my own un-neutered male in the house, but, when he's in his own bed he's secure in there so there will be NO chance of the two getting together. I'm not even going to lift her up and let them sniff each other - forget it. I'm not sure at what point she can have free time out of the cage. I pet her inside the cage now and she likes that. After her stunt today it tells me she wants out.