# Baby bunnies



## werzal (Feb 20, 2013)

My rabbit is 2 years old and had babies last night, as far as im aware this is her first litter. ive only had her just under a month. unfortunately we found 2 of them dead today. ive read online that some rabbits lose all the first litter, is this true? ive had a very quick look and i think there are 2 more babies in the nest but i dont want to poke around too much.
has anyone got any advice on what i should do now please as i dont want to lose the other babies.


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## wacky (Jan 23, 2011)

yes it is true they can loose all there first litter just check the nest every day to make sure they are still alive but rub your hands on mum first do that for the first week then just leave her to it .after three weeks they should start coming out of the nest and nibbling mums food .after that they should thrive rabits are pretty good mums so they should be fine.


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## werzal (Feb 20, 2013)

Thank you, we have been leaving her to it because she seems quite defensive when we go near the hutch. I thought that was a good sign as it seems she is trying to protect her babies.


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## Guest (Mar 9, 2013)

She will be defensive as she has had a lot of change. I would leave her be and just poke your head in to feed and change water. Don't clean the hutch until the kits start coming out of the nest.

If you need to touch the kits at all (to put them back in the nest) then do as Wacky said but make sure mum is distracted or out in a run before you touch them. The excess stress could lead her to cull the kits if she feels they are threatened.

Make sure mum has plenty of hay to eat and use as nesting material, you can up her pellets (slowly) to give her the extra protein needed for milk production. If she has been getting veg up to this point then keep up with that, if she hasn't then I would be adding a small amount each day.

Mum will only feed the kits once a day so don't worry if you don't see her feed, if the kits are being fed you won't hear a peep out of them as all they do is eat and sleep for the first few days 

Your doe will either be a good mum or she won't, only time will tell.


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## werzal (Feb 20, 2013)

She has already made a very good nest for them and pulled out a lot of her own fur to make a blanket for them. 
I've got a small heat pad from a vivarium, would that do the job?


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Sorry. I didn't quite understand that, Betamakers. Are you suggesting they are moved away from the doe and the nest she has made?

As she is possibly a first time mum, I think that the advice given by Bernie good advice. 

The less stres she is under the better.

Feed her a good well balanced diet, so that she in turn can feed the kits, whilst staying healthy herself. Pile in plenty of hay, and make sure the hutch is draught free.

If they are outside, think about how you can weatherproof the hutch, as the temperatures are due to plummet again. Do you have a snugglesafe you could slide in under the nest? You could rotate a couple.

Then let mum get on with it - she only needs to feed them once a day.


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## Guest (Mar 9, 2013)

Betamakers said:


> Well my rabbits have been breeding since quite a while, so have got a good experience of handling them and their kits altogether. So I want to help you out. As its her first time so might unintentionally hurt the kits, u can distract her by giving her food and meanwhile relocating the kids separately. If you can arrange a small basket or box and layer it with cotton & hay and keep the kits in it. It would be perfect. If the temperature there is low then you may also arrange light to warm them up. You need to get the kits feed by your Rabbit twice a day for 4-6 minutes/day. and check if they are peeing normally or not. Hope they ll be fine. I m attaching a picture tooo as how I keep them.


You should *never* "relocate" kits until *after* they are weaned


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## Guest (Mar 9, 2013)

Betamakers said:


> yeah I understand that she must have pulled her hairs and made the nest, but I gave you the other option if you find your doe not taking care of them herselve. as I have 2 does and 1 is a good mother and the other is not at all she sometimes gets aggressive so its better to seperate them.
> 
> BTW both of my doe gave birth too yesterday . 7 & 4 kits...


Actually it would be better to not breed from an aggressive doe :frown2:


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## Tao2 (Sep 9, 2012)

I have to say that I think that moving them would not be wise as she has made them a good nest. She is already being defensive about the kits so the less stress the better. Are they outdoors? If so you need to make sure that the outside of the hutch is well insulated in case we have any very cold weather but without causing too much disturbance.
Good luck!! It's a not true that does always lose their first litters, some of them make brilliant mums right from the start.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Beta - I agree that only the owner knows when they can handle the kits - but I can't quite understand why you feel that your does are "very much dependent on _you _ to take care of the kits for them".

If Mum is a good mum, she needs no more from you than food, water, warmth and suitable shelter - and a knowledgeable eye to check that all is going well for her and the kits.

Of course it is exciting to have babies - and it is natural to want to be involved as soon as possible, but that is surely a personal need, not what the buns need?

The doe just needs peace to do what is natural at the beginning - and someone to watch over in case things go wrong.


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## Guest (Mar 9, 2013)

Don't have the energy, but I will say your does will have no desire to have you there when they are giving birth, if you are removing kits because the does won't care for the babies then you are breeding the wrong does and for the wrong reasons :frown2:


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## Guest (Mar 9, 2013)

Betamakers said:


> no offense guys! its not that they are separated..they are kept safe along with the mothers. My purpose is to save their lives. I m sorry if you guyz are not satisfied with the practice! no more posting here! u guyz enjoy!


The thing is, if you were breeding from the right does you wouldn't HAVE to step in. I see no valid reason for you to take the kits out of the nest, in fact the only reason I see is that you enjoy it :frown2:

Even if your does do trust you the most you should need to do is to do a quick check that none have died and that they are feeding well and for this you don't need to move the kits anywhere.

If all your does need you to help keep the kits alive then you are either being too hands on or you are breeding from the wrong does.

Out of interest why do you breed? Is it for pets, show or the other reason?


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## werzal (Feb 20, 2013)

I've checked in on the kits and I believe 2 or more are still alive in there. Its very warm in the nest area so I'll leave her to it and just keep her fed and watered. All your advice has been very helpful and I will keep you posted on our babies progress.

Thanks to all of you.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Glad you will be leaving mum to it werzal  - I didn't really want to post, but was very worried about the advice that the other poster was giving you. 

Good luck baby buns.


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## wacky (Jan 23, 2011)

look just do as bernie and i have said and leave her be never ever move the kits or she will abandon them just leave them in the nest and leave her to it


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## Wobbles (Jun 2, 2011)

Good luck op with your baby bunnies

I'm in no way a breeding expert, but I would have thought removing kits would be the worst thing you could do?:001_huh: Then again, I noticed the poster is from another country, so they might do things differently there.


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## werzal (Feb 20, 2013)

wacky said:


> look just do as bernie and i have said and leave her be never ever move the kits or she will abandon them just leave them in the nest and leave her to it


that is what I thought would be best. I'll check on her everyday and pop my head in on the kits every few days.

Thanks again


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## wacky (Jan 23, 2011)

good luck with them i think they will be fine


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## werzal (Feb 20, 2013)

Thank you all for the advice you have given me. 
it has been 11 days since the baby bunnies were born, i am sad to say we lost two babies but happy to say that we have two gorgeous little kittens growing quickly and looking healthy, mammy bunny is doing a wonderful job raising her babies.
Thanks again for all your help and advice.


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## gem88 (Jun 2, 2012)

sorry to hear of the 2 that died but so happy the others are growing well  xx


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## Lopside (Mar 20, 2012)

Did I read that beta said you have to make sure the kits are fed each day by overseeing the procedure?.  Crazy idea! And a sure way to treat your or like a breeding machine. Either the doe is a good mum or not. You can't once the issue. To do so is cruel and would cause stress. 

Otherwise I agree with everyone else's advice. Good luck with your babies!!


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

werzal, it's best to let nature take its course. It's very cold still at the moment but all that fur will keep them warm and they shouldn't leave the nest for a while if mum is feeding them.


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

I am glad t ohear that 2 babies are thriving!!


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## werzal (Feb 20, 2013)

The babies are now 16 days old still thriving but just lately the mother has started to use the bedroom as a toilet. She always used to go in the main area. Would it be safe just to clean that corner of the bedroom or should I wait until the babies start to come out?


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## Summersky (Aug 11, 2012)

Glad they are thriving.

It all depends on the doe really. 

Personally, we would just clean out that corner, without disrupting the nest, and put some fresh bedding in its place. Then put some of the used bedding in the place where she used to wee, in hopes that she will change back again.

If however she seems stressed by you going in, then just put more bedding on top.


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## werzal (Feb 20, 2013)

Ok, I will try and just clean that corner. I'll let you know how she goes when I do. Not long on and I'll be putting pics of the babies up.


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