The Second Week of Life

Little changes are evident each day of a baby bun's second week of life. The baby continues to grow and develop at a rapid pace. The bunny is physically larger, and the fur is longer. The color is usually discernable by the end of the second week, if not sooner.

The eyes, which are still closed at the beginning of the week, should be a bit "squinty" about Day 10 or 11 and fully open by Day 12 or 13. Sometimes we have to gently wipe their eyes with a warm wash cloth if they seem to be stuck shut. We don't open them, but help to loosen any gunk that may be keeping them closed longer than normal.

Another huge change is the baby's ears, which had been flat against his/her head for the first week. By the end of the second week the ears begin to lift and are usually upright by the end of the week.

They are stronger and are able to explore, even when they can't see where they are going. They're more independent while awake and wriggle in different directions. At this point they belly crawl around, rather than hop. They sometimes manage to fall out of the nest box during their exploration and end up huddled against their mama for warmth until we pop them back into their nest box. When they remain in the nest box, they still cuddle up with each other and sleep for long periods of time.

The babies also get hiccups, which are incredibly cute. They jerk rapidly for a few moments and then the hiccups pass and the baby relaxes again. Their wee nails continue to grow and they "smile" while they sleep, so we can see their little teeth. A not-so-great age marker, is that they continue to urinate on each other, even more copiously, as their bladders get bigger and they drink more during meal times. At this point, we need to clean the nest box every day to keep the babies clean and from developing any health issues from unsanitary conditions.

We see more and more of the babies' personalities each day. We can get a feel for if the baby is calm and snuggly, adventurous and independent, or somewhere in the middle. Is one baby inseparable from another baby? Perhaps they are cuddle buns who would prefer to have a friend to bond with in the future. The older they get, the more we learn about each of the babies and how they are becoming unique individuals.

Coming up: growth and developmental changes in the third week of life!