The litter of nine is already almost three weeks old! Eyes are open and, now that the dismal weather FINALLY broke, they’re taking their first steps outside. We’ve caught them nibbling at hay and grass, so hopefully they’ll be transitioning to some solid food soon and giving mom a rest. The runt is even still going strong, tearing into its once-a-day dropper of kitten formula and just about keeping up with its litter-mates.
We’ve been handling them daily (really, who could resist?) to make sure they’re hand-tame. So far we’ve only had one nibbler in the bunch, and now that her eyesight is better, she’s stopped completely. I think I’ll bring batches of them inside soon to hang out while we go about our routine. The random smells, noises, and music should keep them from becoming skittish.
We’ve been marking the underside of the feet of any that seem exceptionally tame or unique, and then checking after handling sessions to see if the same ones keep standing out. We’re only keeping one or two, which makes the process of narrowing down eight adorable bunnies plus one hand-fed runt a true exercise in self-control.
Even though we won’t let any leave for new homes until at least eight weeks of age, I’m starting to think about listing them for sale soon. I’d prefer owners who think ahead for such a responsibility (not that they’re hard to care for, but we all know how many wind up in shelters). Not to mention, the younger they are, the cuter they are, AND the cuter they are, the more likely they are to sell.
Granted, any left-over in early July are going to “freezer-camp”, so there’s another incentive to try and get most of these guys to good homes. Oddly enough, we’ve had just as much inquiry for pet rabbits as we’ve had for meat. More to follow on that in another post.
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