How to Raise Baby Dwarf Bunnies

A dwarf bunny is a variety of pet rabbit. Dwarf bunnies can make excellent family pets if they are raised and cared for properly. Like all rabbits, they have basic needs that must be met, such as shelter, food and water. Baby dwarf bunnies also need very clean places to live and nest, safe areas to play and exercise and considerate owners who understand how to correctly handle them, as they can be fragile because of their smaller size. They require the same type of care as any other pet rabbit. With the right preparation and education, raising this breed of bunny can be fun and rewarding.

Instructions

1

Provide a rabbit hutch for the bunnies that is clean and large enough for plenty of movement. The hutch should be at least four times larger than the adult mother bunny but should have no gaps, holes or other dangerous places that a baby bunny could get trapped in, hurt by or fall out of. Avoid having bunnies living directly on wire flooring; insert an untreated wooden plank or woven grass mat to serve as the bottom of the hutch. The living space should also be protected from the elements, from extreme temperatures and from other dangers, like predators. Ideally, baby bunnies should be housed indoors where climate and environment can be better controlled.

2

Prepare the hutch for the mother and baby bunnies. Line the bottom of the living space with a bunny-friendly litter product, which is one that is free from pesticides and chemicals. Place Timothy or alfalfa hay over the litter. Insert a nesting box into the hutch. Use a gravity water bottle to provide fresh, clean drinking water at all times, and place rabbit chow pellets into a feeding bowl. The mother bunny should have access to pellets at all times and should be given half a cup of fresh, raw vegetables every day. Supplement the diet with a vitamin-enriched salt lick.

3

Care for the mother first. Proper care of the mother is the first step in caring for happy and healthy baby bunnies, as the mother bunny will be the sole provider of their needs for the first two weeks. Supervise the baby bunnies to ensure they are nursing (after the first day -- it is not unusual for babies not to nurse the day they are born). Watch the mother bunny for any signs she is unwilling to care for them or that the babies need attention. Check that the baby bunnies are warm enough and have been able to nurse (they will have slightly rounded stomachs). Observe the situation if the mother constantly tries to distance herself from them or will not nurse. If the mother's behavior continues for two days and the babies have slightly sunken stomachs, human intervention may be necessary; consult with your vet. Place a mild heating pad in the hutch for the babies if the mother is not keeping them warm, ensuring that no bunny can get to the electrical cord. Keep the babies safe from cold, wet conditions, adult bunnies that are not the mother and other animals that could harm them.

4

Check that the bunnies' environment is not too dirty or damp. A week after the babies have been born, clean the hutch. Transfer the babies to a towel-lined box that they cannot get out of while cleaning the hutch. After two weeks, baby bunnies will begin trying the food the mother is eating. Increase the amount of food offered to the bunnies to ensure that both mother and babies are able to eat a healthy amount. Baby bunnies will continue to nurse until they are about four weeks old, in addition to the increasing amount of solid food they will eat.

5

Give attention to the bunnies and handle them often, but with caution, so they will be socialized to humans. As baby bunnies grow and mature, ensure they have enough room to live, play, exercise and sleep. Separate living conditions will have to be arranged when the bunnies are four months old, as they begin to sexually mature. Males should be separated from females. Some males may have to be kept away from other males, as well, as they may spar for dominance. Treat bunnies with kindness and respect, and give them proper care. Bunnies that have been raised well will grow into great family pets.