Bunny Growth and Development: Week Four

Once baby buns turn four weeks old, the changes aren't as noticeable as they were in previous weeks. They continue to grow and are physically a bit larger and heavier than during Week 3.

If the ears hadn't begun to lop the previous week, they usually do so by the fourth week. Late "loppers" tend to take a bit longer to fully lop, so it's a process that can take anywhere from three to eight days. Some Buns will always have wonky airplane ears that stick out, or poor ear control, where an ear raises part of the way when the bunny is curious or startled by something. Although not approved under the breed standard for showing, we find the rabbits with wonky ears to be quite endearing and love that their feelings/reactions to things can be gauged by the movement of their ears.

The babies are still chasing their mamas for milky snacks and we love to see them on their backs under her, with their little legs kicking away as they nurse. When she feeds all her babies at the same time, it's reminiscent of a car being up on jacks, with all those chunky babies underneath her, lifting her up.

The kits dive into the hay and nibble happily. It's usually at this point that they begin eating food pellets with gusto, and often find a kit or two sitting in the food bowl, crunching and munching away. We check the bowl several times each day to make certain there is plenty for mother and babies to eat. Water bowls are in need of frequent washing and replenishing, as well.

This is also the age that most kits begin to eat their own cecotropes, which is eaten as it is expelled from their bottoms. Rabbits digest the cecotropes to fully gain all of the nutrients available in their high-fiber diet before expelling them again as the typical bunny poo balls which are wonderful for garden compost. Cecotropes look rather like clusters of grapes, have a shiny appearance, and a distinct odor. This is something all rabbits do throughout their lives and is perfectly normal and necessary for healthy digestion. Some bunnies rarely leave visible evidence of cecotropes behind, while others may leave a little pile here and there. This typically happens when a bunny is receiving extra nutrients from other sources (like treats or fresh fruit and veggies) so they only ingest a smaller amount of cecotropes to keep their tummies functioning properly.

With the addition of pellets to their diets, we check the babies' bottoms a couple of times each day, as poo ball clumps can begin to form and get stuck on their bottoms. We clean their tushies when needed, to keep them clean and tidy, and from developing skin irritations from having a messy bottom. This stage typically passes within a few days.

The babies are more alert and playful. Their increased muscle development leads them to work on zoomies and binkies with increased success. The babies with more extroverted personalities learn to show off to their more reserved littermates, sometimes encouraging them to join in the fun. The babies provide a great deal of entertainment at this stage, because they are more independent and we can see their minds working as they try out new things and begin to learn about cause and effect reactions.

The quieter babies are very photogenic at this time, while the more energetic babies usually have blurry photos since they rarely sit still long enough to take a clear image. We tend to groan frequently when trying to find usable pictures of the mischief-makers to post on our website.

At the end of the day, they still love to cuddle close to their mama and littermates, dreaming of the new things they will learn and do tomorrow.