Rabbits Small Pets

How to Warm up a Cold Baby Bunny

Warm up a Cold Baby Bunny
Written by Arlene S. Lane

Warm up a cold baby bunny can be quite a task especially if this is your first time. It isnt very uncommon for rabbits to give birth outside of their nest. Despite the breeds of rabbits, even if it is the nest without tight doors, it is likely for the baby rabbits to fall out and expose to cold. If you are wondering what does a newborn rabbit look like then you will be surprised to know that, baby rabbits are born without any hair or vision. They are deaf and they usually have paper-thin skin which is why a little exposure can cause their death within a few minutes.

These newborn rabbits require constant heating or a setup where they could stay warm. Another problem is that if the newborn bunnies are born outside of their nests then rabbits cannot take them back to their homes without human hands. Don’t worry if you are thinking about this situation. There are several easier ways to take care of baby bunnies and if you don’t know how to care for newborn bunnies then continue reading the following for more information.

Why You Should Take Care Of Newborn Bunnies?

Even if there are rabbit mothers around, their presence won’t matter much because of several reasons. Such as they are generally terrible mothers. Because even if you have provided them a safe and warm place to live around they will still go outside (if there is a backyard) and will create a nest in there and get the job done. Often time, they will leave their bunnies or kits outside which is why you will need to warm up a cold baby bunny in such a situation. 

Also, these newborn rabbits are prone to fall from their rest as well. Also, it is more likely that the rabbit mother just didn’t care about her kit while feeding and one might have been stuck while feeding and just fallen out. This is why they may have fallen out so you will need to take care of them by yourselves.

Before You Start!

When you have decided to warm up a cold baby bunny or kit, first of all, check out if the baby bunny or kit is actually warm and moving. This is because he or she might fall off from the nest while moving and might need to be placed back. If you find that the kit is cold to touch then it isnt necessarily a bad sign because in this way these kits preserve energy in their body they will stop moving so they could live a little longer.

How To Warm up a Cold Baby Bunny!

If you are about to warm up a cold baby bunny then you will need more than just your body heat. There are different ways to warm up the kits or baby bunnies which include body heating as well. Here is more to know about.

Body warmth

This is perhaps the basic and most convenient way to warm newborn bunnies. When it comes to taking care of newborn bunnies, you can try this method as well to warm them up. All you need is to place the bunnies under your shirt and give them warmth to your body. Bunnies will immediately get warm up and you can even feel them moving as well.

Warm towels

In this method, you will need to warm some towels in the dryer. Just make sure they shouldn’t too hot. Once they are hot place the kit in them. If you believe that baby bunnies have been exposed and want to warm up a cold baby bunny then this method is a must. Not only just that, If you want to know how to care for newborn rabbits without a mother then this method can also be used to keep them warm. Keep a kit in a hot towel. Once the towel is cold use another warm towel and keeps doing it unless it is pink again and heat up without a towel.

Waterless warm water bath

The idea behind this method is to keep the newborn rabbits warm up without water touching them. You will need a specific baggie to keep the bunnies in them and put the baggies in warm water.  Keep it inside the warm water till the baby is warm enough. Make sure that the top is open so babes can breathe easily. 

Heating pad

Have you seen a flat loofa? If so then this is what does a newborn rabbit look like! Just like that piece of sponge the baby bunnies don’t have anything to protect themselves. Because of their thin skin, they cannot stay warm for longer. This is where you can use the heating pad to keep them warm.

Put the towel on the heating and keep the temperature lowest. Then start warming them and place the towel, pad, and young bunny inside a box. The idea is to keep the surrounding of the bunny warm so it will stay comfortable. This is the best way to Warm up a Cold Baby Bunny. Especially if there are multiple ones and you have no idea regarding how to care for newborn rabbits without a mother. You can keep more than one baby bunny warm.

What If Kit Stopped Breathing/ Death

Even with so much effort, you may find that the baby bunny just stopped breathing. You know you cannot do anything about it. In this case, you thought you could have warmed up a cold baby bunny. Mind the fact that you did what you could. Baby bunnies require intense care when they are just born. As a new pet owner knowing how to take care of a newborn bunny can be helpful. 

Hope you have got the point of this article. Make sure to follow our pet care blog for more rabbit care tips and tricks.

About the author

Arlene S. Lane

Arlene S. Lane is a veterinary technician and hospital manager with over 12 years of experience. Arlene has been contributed expert content to The Pet's Rise for over 10 years.
Arlene has worked in veterinary medicine since 2017. Arlene's veterinary experience ranges from routine wellness care and preventive medicine to emergency and specialty care, where she has performed duties ranging from specialized nursing to clinical administration.

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