what is the earliest kits can be removed from dam?

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todd131

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i am curious how early the kits may be removed from the dam. everything i have read would suggest 8 weeks. why is that? i have read that rabbits are weaned in about 23 days, is that correct? if so, is there a reason the kits cannot be removed from the dam then? the reason i am asking is diet. i would like to feed the kits a diet that is different from the dam's diet.

thanks for any help!
 
The longer they stay with mom, the more opportunities there are for antibiotics to be passed to the kits via the milk.

Once they're off milk entirely (which I don't think is until six weeks), they still need to get through a gut conversion that I do believe is done by eight weeks.

And I do need to refresh my info on this one, but I think they need inter-species contact to be able to better handle socialization, stress, etc., and maybe more immunity issues.

Thus eight weeks in the family circle is not only strongly recommended, in some states its against the law to sell them any younger than that.


sas :bunnydance:
 
Thanks pipp I think that may answer my question. Because of the high fat content of flax seed it is not suitable(according to the posted study however, they only supplemented with 16% max) for the dam to eat flax seed at a 40% ratio of feed. I will not be selling any of my rabbits so the laws you mentioned are not applicable. I may use a mixture of flax and sunflower to add the necessary protein while keeping them healthy.
 
I only had time to glance at this study, but its with 16% the tested safety level, and apparently some effect on lowering the fiber counts, not sure why you'd one to hike it up to such a level? I'd be concerned about the fat levels, too. And I'm pretty sure flax seeds are connected to folates or B vitamins or something similar that can be detrimental in too-high amounts, although I don't recall what I've read. It could have been connected to the plasma being delivered to the kidneys or something heart related? I forget.

It definitely needs more research. A lot more research. (And with all the research already done on rabbits for just about everything, including agricultural, pretty sure if it was a good idea, it would be in play).


sas :twocents:
 
I mentioned the law as a 'btw'. I think the issue is the mortality rate up to that eight week window.

Higher protein is going to be found in the immature hays and grasses, and of course alfalfa and clover. The key will be providing a wide variety of food with an emphasis on these elements for the moms and growing kits, no?

I'm not anti-seeds like many here, but there are strong recommendations about not feeding them things like nuts and beans, which are very high protein, so there are two sides (or more) to things that appear beneficial.

ETA: I'm not suggesting you were considering nuts and beans, just pointing out that there are a lot of elements to balancing diets. (And note that they call it 'balance' for a reason).


sas :bunnydance:
 
Silver Star Rabbitry wrote:
There are some people that wean at 4 weeks though.
Click to expand...

Its horribly common, yes. :( This forum is VEHEMENTLY opposed to the four week practice, seeing as we're always getting a close look at all the long and short term health issues promoted by the practice.

Breeders and pet stores who are party to this should be shut down. :X

I'd hazard a guess that this has a great deal to with the perception that rabbits are fragile pets. They ARE fragile when snatched away from their mothers and families, stressed and given sudden diet changes. The effects may not always be immediate, but I'm sure the life average life expectancy drops like a rock over the course of the life span. Many will end up with less resistance and more digestive tract issues and food sensitivities

Breeders interested in the rabbits' welfare should keep their rabbits in a family group as long as possible and feed a variety of food to enrich their lives (even if short) and best prepare them for uncertain futures.


sas :expressionless
 
I also think it is wrong to let them go at 4 weeks.

I got a lionhead buck when he was 4 weeks old (i thought he was older) i had some problems with him the first week then he was fine.

Mine are weaned at 8 weeks and i dont let them go until 9-10 weeks.If some are bigger and doing really good at 8 weeks i will let them go.
 
Mine are weaned gradually at six weeks and sold no earlier than eight weeks.
By gradually, I mean, I'll remove the first pair, usually the two largest, and follow up by removing one each day, leaving the runt with the mother the longest. I think this gives the smaller ones a better chance at the milk and allows the dam to dry up gradually, instead of all at once.
 
8 Weeks of age is minimum sale age in Pennsylvania.

However, 8 weeks is really too long to leave kits suckling on the dam. They should be weaned well before this time, especially if they are going to be sold at 8 weeks. (You don't want to pull them from the dam and immediately sell them - too stressful). Leaving a litter with the doe this long can also be stressful to the doe and she may become aggressive towards the kits.

A 6 week weaning age is generally accepted bymost breeders. I prefer this weaning schedule, butunder extenuating circumstances have weaned as early as3 weeks.

Litters can be weaned as early as 28 days. Milk production has already begun to decline by this time and kitsare well into eating solid foods by 14-20 days.
 
I also like to wean at about 6 weeks. This last litter, I wound up having to wean at 4 weeks, but that was beyond my control. I was having other issues, and needed to seperate the dam from her litter at the time. The babies are now almost 6 weeks old and doing just fine.

I didn't like that I had to do this, and it is not a common thing with me, but things happen.

Normally, my schedule is to wean at 6 weeks, and sell the pet quality ones at 8 weeks. This way they have had a couple of weeks away from mom to adjust, and I have had time to keep an eye on them to make sure they are doing well before they go to their new homes.

Melinda
 
I have weaned some as early as 4 weeks, but that was for the safety of the dam and the kits, mom had gotten sick and I was treating her with antibiotics and I didn't want the kits getting the anitibiotic, but under normal circumstances I wait until 6 weeks to wean.
 
Pipp wrote:
I only had time to glance at this study, but its with 16% the tested safety level, and apparently some effect on lowering the fiber counts, not sure why you'd one to hike it up to such a level? I'd be concerned about the fat levels, too. And I'm pretty sure flax seeds are connected to folates or B vitamins or something similar that can be detrimental in too-high amounts, although I don't recall what I've read. It could have been connected to the plasma being delivered to the kidneys or something heart related? I forget.

It definitely needs more research. A lot more research. (And with all the research already done on rabbits for just about everything, including agricultural, pretty sure if it was a good idea, it would be in play).


sas :twocents:
Click to expand...

excellent points, i agree. my reasoning would be to weight on fast. i am trying to increase protein to 18% in the overall diet,without using soy. alfalfa hay only has 16% protein. my math could be wrong please check it. (off topic, i know)

if the alfalfa pellets are 15% protein and the flax seeds are 23% protein would the equation be:

23%(2/5) + 15%(3/5) =
.23(2/5) + .15(3/5) =
.46/5 + .45/5 = .91/5 or
.182 or 18.2% protein.

which also equates to 40% flax seed in this model (i just want someone else to make sure i am figuring this correctly. i believe flax seed could be part of the diet now i need another source for my 'bowl food.'

i am feeding timothy hay currently, i will change to alfalfa hay to increase the protein in that part of the diet to 16%.

sorry for hijacking my own thread. :)

OAN i would like to thank all of you for the information on weaning, it has been extremely helpful for my understanding!

 
I being weaning youngsters at 6 weeks, and usually by the time they are 8 weeks old, they are fully weaned. I won't let my weanlings go until 8 weeks of age, so even if they are weaned quickly at 7 weeks, they stay until 8 weeks of age. ;)

Emily
 
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