My rabbit's nipples are red/hot. Should I separate her from 22-day kits?

Female rabbits have 4-5 pairs of mammary glands on their ventrum/underside. The most common issue with rabbit mammary glands would be mastitis in nursing does which would present as mammary glands that are painful, red or hot to the touch. If any of these symptoms are noted, a trip to your veterinarian is recommended for an antibiotic that is safe for rabbits (not all of them are). Oxbow Critical care for Herbivores would be beneficial for supportive care as well. If you have a different question re: rabbit mammary glands, please let us know!

Ideally, Nadine's kits should stay with her until at least 8 weeks of age. The can be weaned as early as 6 weeks if necessary. If you still have them at 10 weeks of age, separate males from females to prevent breeding. The kits will not be stressed as their littermates are adopted.

That's fine, as long as they are kept warm. Does (female rabbits) typically nurse once or twice daily. The kits (bunnies) will begin munching on hay within the next few days. They can eat alfalfa (until 7 months of age), timothy hay or oat grasses and fresh vegetables in addition to a commercial pelleted diet.

This is a very severe infection and she should see a vet because many antibiotics are not safe for rabbits and they can cause the intestinal tract to stop moving all together. Also, if she is still nursing the kits, the antibiotic must be safe for them. So please consult with a local vet to get some antibiotics for her - enrofloxacin or trimethoprim sulfa would be a good choice.

Does are usually great mothers and will take excellent care of their babies. Keep in mind that baby bunnies can safely go 1 - 2 days before getting a full ‘meal.’ This is a protective mechanism since in the wild the doe might need to stay away from the nest for a while to avoid leading predators to her kits. Mother rabbits only ever feed their kits once a day, rarely twice, and that for just 5 to 10 minutes. In this short time frame, the kits get their whole day’s milk supply. So, if you never see the doe go near the nest box, but the little kits have round tummies, everything is fine. You don’t need to help nature along. The doe is doing her job while you’re in bed asleep. If you find that she is not feeding them at all after 2 days then refer to this link to an article on how to raise orphan bunnies. There is a recipe you can use in their to make formula. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

It is quite common for mothers to abandon a baby if there is a significant birth defect that may limit survival. It may b worthwhile attempting to bottle feed but success rate is very poor in rabbits even without additional complications

It may be inflammation and/or infection due to urine scalding. Ideally, he should be examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits for diagnosis and treatment. You can use plain, unscented baby wipes or pet wipes to gently clean his abdominal area. Do not bathe him as it can be stressful and may complicate any underlying condition. Use the wipes and dry him thoroughly afterwards Keep him on clean, dry bedding or soft towels and change them frequently.