There is something so exciting and amazing about having baby rabbits. Finding them in their nest box, all curled up with each other, sleeping as they wait for Mamma to come back in the box for feeding time.
Holding them and petting them, and watching as they grow their fur and open their eyes for the first time. When they first jump out of the nest box, when they run to sniff your hand, or play in grass for the first time. It's so wonderful getting to experience baby bunnies.
But even though their mother does pretty much all the work, you'll have to help her out so you can insure a healthy and happy litter.
A doe (female rabbit) usually has her babies around day 31. Sometimes a day earlier, or a day after. About day 28 is when you put her nest box in, what's a nest box? There are a few different styles, but it's basically a box with pine shavings at the bottom, and some hay on the top, enough so that she can make a nest. I have attached a picture of one of our nest boxes below, our doe Alice had begun making her nest in the hay.
Usually your doe will have the natural instinct to make a nest, but leave extra hay outside of her nest box so she can use it to build a nest. Our doe Alice made her very first nest an amazing one, she made a wall of hay and spent all day setting things up like she wanted, I kept having to give her more hay because she used everything I put in there. Our doe Flopsy did the same thing, but tunneled into the back of her nest box and made a hole in the back to tuck her babies away in. Our doe Coco has never made a nest, she pulls fur before she gives birth, but doesn't make a nest of hay. Does will do different things, if your doe won't nest, you can make your own nest and hope she either catches on or uses what you have built. Otherwise, you'll have to check your doe a lot around her due date to make sure that when she has her babies, you can make her a nest.
Make sure your doe has food during her pregnancy, she'll need extra food to make sure her milk production does well.
When the time comes for her to give birth, she'll probably have her babies at night. Chances are, you won't see her give birth, but she feels safer that way, you should never have to intervene during your rabbit's pregnancy. We have found all of our babies in the morning except for one time when our doe had them around breakfast.
After she has her babies, you can give her a treat and while she munches on that, check her babies. Count how many there are, make sure there are no dead babies, and make sure they aren't hurt. Then tuck them back in, cover them up with the fur she pulled and leave her to take care of them.
Check on them twice a day, once in the morning and once in the evening for the first few days, after that, checking on them once a day will do. The first few weeks are vital, if they can make it to 3 weeks, then they should be good from there.
Having baby bunnies is a wonderful experience, but it can be hard, you have to be prepared for the case that some of the babies might die. They can overheat, freeze, and starve, among other things, but as long as you properly take care of your babies, they should be good.
If it's hot outside, take them in during the day and put them out a few times to feed. Then leave them outside during the night. If it's cold, tuck a towel under all the pine shavings at the bottom of the nest box to keep things warmer. If your doe gives birth on the wire a lot, try lining the floor with hay to try and keep them a little bit warmer. Babies can be born on the wire or fall out from their nest box, that's why you have to check on them so much, to make sure they are ok.
If the mother isn't feeding them and they are all wrinkly, try getting a formula for them, or if you have another nursing doe with babies, try fostering them out to her if she doesn't have to many kits to care for.
Things can still happen, your kits can still die, but caring for them can help prevent that. Do research before you breed, take notes when your does have babies.
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