Most people don’t expect their pet rabbit to have babies. But sometimes they might accidentally buy a pregnant mother or put an unneutered male and a female together. A doe doesn’t take long to become pregnant, so their owners must learn what to do if it happens. In this guide, we’ll look at everything you need to know about caring for baby rabbits (kits) and their mother.
We’ll also identify preventative steps, so you can avoid this tricky scenario!
Let the Mother Take Care of Them
The key aspect of caring for baby rabbits is that there isn’t much need for human intervention. There’s a common misconception that mothers will eat their kits. This isn’t true except in extreme conditions. If the doe feels under threat from a predator or is suffering from severe nutritional deficiencies, she may eat her young. However, this shouldn’t happen if does receive appropriate care from their owners. You may not even realize the mother is pregnant until a couple of days before she gives birth because she’ll build a nest.
Many people mistakenly think that the mother is ignoring her young. She may indeed leave the kits in the nest for long periods during the day. But she will return for a few minutes to feed her babies. Rabbit milk is incredibly rich with nutrients, and the kits will drink up to 20 percent of their body weight in one sitting. After a couple of weeks, the babies will begin picking at whole foods. Meanwhile, the mother will finish weaning them completely after six to eight weeks.
Caring for the Babies’ Mother
Responsible owners should focus more on caring for the mother than the baby bunnies. It’s crucial to ensure she has enough food. This will give her the energy to feed her kits, as well as help maintain her body weight. Give her a good-quality pellet with a high protein content, plenty of hay, and leafy green vegetables. Hay is one of the most important foods for rabbits and should be a primary part of their diet. It’s essential for milk production. Don’t limit her food during the post-pregnancy period and keep topping it up as she eats. Minimizing her stress will minimize the chance of her eating her babies.
Finally, ensure that she has access to enough water. She’ll drink much more than usual while producing milk. Ensure you regularly fill her bowl or bottles so that she is happy and healthy. Return to a normal diet after she finishes weaning her kits, after about six to eight weeks. You can do this by gradually reducing the amount of pellets she gets.
Don’t Handle Kits Until They’re 10 Days Old
After 10 days, you can begin to gently handle the baby rabbits. This period of socialization is crucial because it helps the rabbits familiarize themselves with humans and become comfortable. Try to do this with each kit for a couple of minutes each day. Handle them gently, so you don’t accidentally hurt them. Supervise young children because kits are very delicate! One tip is to rub your hands with their clean straw, so your natural odor doesn’t frighten them. As they grow bigger, you can play with the rabbits, too.
Feeding Rejected Baby Rabbits: What to Know
Rabbits aren’t always good mothers, and they may sometimes reject their babies. It’s tough to tell whether a doe is truly neglecting a kit (or kits). In general, she won’t spend much time with her young as an anti-predatory instinct, but they should still get enough food. If a baby is cold and wrinkled, it’s a sign that they’re not getting enough food. You may need to take action yourself and try to feed them.
Kitten replacement formula is the best option because it is also nutrient-rich. Don’t give them cow’s milk because this can be toxic for pet rabbits. Use a syringe to drop the milk into the kit’s mouth and feed them twice per day. You’ll need to increase the quantity every couple of weeks as the pet rabbit grows bigger. However, be aware that there’s a high risk that this won’t work. You may take the correct steps, but the baby may still not survive. This is heartbreaking, but it’s not your fault.
Separate Unneutered Bucks and Does Immediately
If this was an unplanned pregnancy, you should immediately separate the doe from the buck. Ideally, owners should do this before the mother delivers her litter. A doe can become pregnant again within hours of having babies. Typically, she will have five to seven kits per litter and can have multiple litters per season. If you’re not careful, there could be 20 to 30 rabbits running around within a matter of months!
Still, when separating bucks and does, be sure to keep them within eyesight of each other. Rabbits are very social and form strong emotional bonds. Even experts can incorrectly sex rabbits, but they should check again at 12 weeks. Mistakes may still happen, but buyers should exercise extreme caution when buying a pair of adult rabbits! Responsible dealers will neuter the males at 12 weeks, too. However, stray rabbits may have unclear histories, so be careful introducing them to a hutch.
Plan Ahead for Rehoming Baby Rabbits
Some rabbit owners may reasonably say that they didn’t sign up for a litter of baby rabbits. It may not even be their fault that the doe was already pregnant when they got her. However, it’s important to find new homes for the rabbits the right way. Note: they should stay with their mother until they are about two months old. It may not seem like they have a close bond, but they do.
Ensure they are healthy and eating properly by themselves. Don’t forget to screen potential new owners before selling or giving away the babies. Some people may not be suitable candidates for pet rabbits, and you have a responsibility toward your doe’s kits. If you still have them after 12 weeks, you should neuter them so there’s no risk of them falling pregnant, too. Being related will not stop rabbits from breeding.
