# Baby bunny help



## pinkfairy18 (Mar 16, 2012)

Hi, I adopted two rabbits 2 days ago, a male and a female. To my shock today the female had kits. I am just a little worried because I have never bred rabbits before and I am just wondering if anyone can give any advise. The mother seems to have coped with the birth pretty well and has cleaned the kits but she has now covered them all over with her fur. Is this normal for her to completly cover them up?
Any advise would be muchly appriciated. Thanks


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

Hi

This is quite common unfortunately 

I hope you have now removed the male. Female rabbits can become pregnant straight after giving birth so you may find she has another litter in 4 weeks time. 

Leave the nest well alone mum knows best. 

You really are best to leave her well alone, just provide her with plenty of hay food and water. And clean her poo corner out regularly, but probably best to leave the poo for a good week if shes recently been cleaned out.


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## pinkfairy18 (Mar 16, 2012)

Her hutch was only made out on wednesday so it is still very clean, I cant get to the corner she goes the the toilet in because the nest is infront of it :s They had separate hutches from the start anyway because I wasn't planning on babies anytime soon, wanted to look more into breeding before letting them do it. Although I have now been thrown in at the deep end. They do say you learn more from practical experience than theory. lol. Mother and babies seem to be ok and all the babies are out of view because she has covered them in her fur, although you can clearly see the fur moving. I am planning on checking on them in the morning and see if she has moved them from under her fur, so i can visually check they have been fed and have all survived the night. My other half has covered the hutch with one of his high vis jackets because mum has not gone to her 'bed' yet and the temperature has dropped so we covered them to try and put her at ease and keep the draft off the cage.


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## swatton42 (Oct 29, 2011)

I doubt that she would have uncovered them at this stage. As has been said if you are a novice with baby bunnies you are probably better off leaving well alone. The most I would do is have a little feel to see how many babies are there and that they are all alive. Don't just go straight in with your hands, spend some time stroking Mummy bun or if all else fails rub yours hand well in the soiled bedding. If you go straight in the litter will smell differently and she may abandon them. 

Personally if you are considering breeding I would not breed with the two bunnies you have now. If you adopted them and the Mother is already pregnant IMO they have not come from a reputable breeder so I wouldn't trust the background health and lineage of the adults you have now.

Consider this as a learning curve, and do as much research as possible and find yourself a breeding mentor if breeding is really what you want to do.


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## pinkfairy18 (Mar 16, 2012)

Hi, thanks for the advise. They did not come from a breeder, the guy I had them off bought them as babies from a breeder who had been breeding them for about 12 years and he tried to breed them and basically gave up. He thought that she wasn't taking to the mating and basically got rid of them because they wasn't doing what he had originally wanted them for. He said he has papers with them but did not want to give them to me incase they breed (i think it a bit like sour grapes). 
I am having them both vet checked (and the babies of course) when mum is well enough and babies have grown enough to take them to the vet and I am also going to ask the vet to check the breed of the rabbits and see if they both are pedigree rabbits or if they are mixed breed. 
But from what my father-in-law has said (he used to breed rabbits) He thinks they are definatly pedigree from their colours (they were from different parents) and their build, and the look of the babies tey have produced.
I'm not sure because I'm still learning :s 
We will see what the vet says and what they advise. If they think it is safe to re-breed them, then i may let them try again in a few months, if not then i will keep them in their separate hutches until they have been neutured.


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## emzybabe (Jun 30, 2009)

Mum will ignore the nest in your presence as she doesnt want you to know its there. 

She also wont sleep where she poos as their sense of smell is so good. 

Rabbits can see in some colour and I would think this new smelly high vis jacket is scaring the crap out of her. 

If shes used to being outside she'll have a thick winter coat. Most rabbits sleep in the open compartment of their hutches so they can see whats going on better and always poo in the "bed" area


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