Five weeks old

Tuesday, May 17th, 2011

The babies are now five weeks old and miniature versions of their parents. It is still hard to tell who they will take after though as they are all so soft and so sweet. With a quick glance, they all look the same (different colours), but a close comparison, shows that they are indeed different, especially ear shape and length.

Cuddles and Babies

As the babies continue to grow so quickly, they were getting crowded in the "condo". Especially as they all wanted to be on the second "floor" with their mom. They were also constantly knocking over their food and hay. And with six rabbits in one cage, they make a lot of mess (even with daily cleaning), so I needed an area that was easier to clean up.

So, I set about redoing their enclosure, once again. It seems that every week now, I need to change or rebuild their area in order to keep up with their changing needs. Thank goodness for storage cubes and plastic zip ties. Of course, redoing their area, also means rearranging the living room as that is the hub of our house and where are four legged family members are located.


Step 1: double the width and length of their enclosure and use a new tarp as the floor. Place the food, hay and water back on the main level so that it will no longer be knocked down.


Step 2: Add in a second level, a ramp to the second level and cover it all up with a blanket until I figure out the "roof"

The second floor is holding for now and the babies are fine with going up and down the ramp, but Cuddles is not, so I need to do some more thinking on support and structure, as well as the "roof".


Cuddles has let us witness her nursing the babies on several occasions throughout the last five weeks; however, I have never had my camera close by to take pictures. This week though, I did. The kits are getting so big now that poor Cuddles is almost lifted off the ground by them. She will resist them chasing after her for a good five or ten minutes, then just gives in and let's them go to it. Usually around 8/9pm.

When she's had enough, she walks away and the kits are left trying to right themselves again.

Once she is done nursing them, most of the kits usually take a good five minutes to bathe themselves and each other.  One kit; however, usually takes off to explore, once again, after only a cursory bath.