Weaning Babies

[Traci]

Hello!

My female lionhead had 4 baby bunnies almost a week ago. We will be keeping all 4 of them and I was just wondering, since we're keeping them, do we HAVE to wean them from the mother or can they stay in the cage with her until we're able to get a different cage for them?

 

[Preitler]

No, you don't have to wean them. At one point the doe decides it's enough, sometimes one of mine nursed to 15 weeks. A big cage/hutch is a good thing then, so she can get away from the mob if she wants.

You'll need to remove the bucks at about 9-12 weeks though (the smaller the breed the earlier) until 6 weeks after their neuter (except when you can neuter them early at 8-10 weeks). I always keep the doelings with mom and the second adult doe in that hutch for up to 20 weeks.

If you seperate them, reintroducing can pose problems, when they are always together the pecking order is already established - troubles aree rare but sometimes conflicts can pop up, depends on the rabbits characters - some simply don't get along well.