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This article was co-written by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott is a veterinarian with over thirty years of experience. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 and worked as a veterinary surgeon for 7 years. Then, Dr. Elliott worked as a veterinarian in a clinic for over a decade.
There are 21 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 13,309 times.
Rabbits are famous for giving birth, but mother rabbits still need to be cared for carefully to be able to give birth to healthy babies. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to help your rabbit’s pregnancy and birth go smoothly. Let’s start by lining the nest so that the mother rabbit who is about to give birth is safe and comfortable. Make sure the mother rabbit is comfortable and well fed until birth. You can then start taking care of the baby rabbits before considering whether to keep the baby rabbits in your care or find a new home for them.
Steps
Create the right environment for the mother rabbit
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Provide a comfortable space for the mother rabbit and her baby rabbits. Female rabbits can lay up to 14 baby rabbits at a time, which means she will need a lot of space. You need to prepare a nest for the mother rabbit in a cage or kennel with a minimum area of 65-75 cm x 40 cm. This way, the mother rabbit and her cubs have enough room to move, stretch and move without difficulty. [1] X Research Source
- If the rabbit’s living space is not enough 65-75 cm x 40 cm at the moment, now is the time to buy or build a new cage for the rabbit. [2] X Research Source
- Ideally, the space for the mother rabbit should be a bit secluded, with as little light and equipment emitting noise or other stressors as possible.
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Make nesting nests lined with hay placed in rabbit cages. Use a wooden crib, cardboard box, or something similar to place it in a corner of the cage. Line the bottom of the box with soft hay. Remember that the rabbit’s nest should be wide and low enough for the mother rabbit to get in and out of easily. The mother rabbit will wander around until it is ready to go into labor, which is to give birth. [3] X Research Sources
- You can also use other comfortable materials to line the rabbit’s nest, such as an old rag or shredded paper and paper towels.
- The cage lining also keeps newborn rabbits warm, which is important for their survival.
- If you don’t know what size box to choose for your mother rabbit, just give her a few different boxes to let her choose her own.
- Rabbits that don’t have a dark place to hide are more stressed because they can’t hide their young.
Tip: A cat litter box can make a great nesting spot for rabbits if you don’t want to be in trouble. [4] X Research Sources
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Make it a habit to clean your rabbit’s cage and litter box regularly. Change hay or other bedding material every 3-5 days or as needed. After removing the liner, scrub the stains with warm water mixed with a mild, non-toxic soap, such as castile liquid soap. [5] X Research Sources
- Keeping the rabbit’s cage clean is essential, especially if your rabbit has a habit of defecating in the litter.
- Avoid using disinfectants or other cleaning chemicals to clean wooden or cardboard boxes. These chemicals are often toxic to rabbits and can lead to respiratory or digestive problems. [6] X Research Sources
Avoid activities that can be stressful for your rabbit. Rabbits are inherently stressed, but pregnant rabbits are even more stressed and can lose their entire litter if they panic. Do not make loud noises and disturbances near the rabbit’s cage. Do not allow other pets near the rabbit’s cage, as the mother rabbit may see them as predators. [7] X Research Sources
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Prepare to separate the male rabbit immediately after the female rabbit gives birth. Separate the female and male rabbits into two cages placed close to each other or install a soft partition such as a trellis to separate them. This is to prevent them from mating again. Remember that rabbits are very attached to their mates, so they still need to see each other, touch and interact with each other. [8] X Research Sources
- Most female rabbits are able to become pregnant again only 48-72 hours after giving birth. For this reason, you should separate male rabbits from female rabbits, unless you want more baby rabbits.
- Both male and female rabbits can become stressed if you do not allow them to continue to be together. In the worst case, this can cause anxiety, depression, loss of appetite, and other problems that can negatively impact the mother’s ability to raise offspring. [9] X Research Source
Feeding and caring for pregnant rabbits
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Feed your rabbit high-quality food. Give the female rabbit plenty of hay and fresh grass to graze on daily. You can also give your rabbit timothy grass tablets to supplement your rabbit’s diet. Rabbits can eat as much greens as they want, but you should also divide the pellets based on your rabbit’s weight to make sure he doesn’t overeat. [10] X Research Source
- Rabbits love to eat lettuce, bok choy, carrot leaves, kohlrabi, coriander, basil, watercress, collard greens and beet leaves. [11] X Research Source
- The rule of thumb is to feed your rabbit 1/4-1/8 cup (16-32 g) pellets for every 2.3 kg of your rabbit’s weight.
- Avoid overfeeding rabbits, as overweight and obese rabbits have a higher risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth.
- Providing the right nutrition is always essential for rabbit owners, and even more so when a female rabbit is pregnant, as a mother rabbit may have to eat to feed up to 12 baby rabbits!
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Provide enough water for the rabbit. Add more water to your rabbit’s bowl or water bottle at least once a day. Pregnant female rabbits need to drink enough water to have enough milk to breastfeed. [12] X Trusted Source Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations Go to source
- You will see an increase in the amount of water the female rabbit drinks each day as she begins to produce milk.
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Lift the rabbit carefully when you want to pick it up or move it. Use your forearm to hold the bottom of the rabbit’s chest, just above the front legs, support the bottom of the rabbit’s bottom and gently lift the rabbit. Hold your rabbit close to you so it feels warm and secure. If your rabbit seems shy or scared, you can have it rest its head under your arm until it calms down. [13] X Research Source
- If your rabbit is uncooperative when you try to pick it up, try covering it with a large towel before trying to lift it. Darkness will help calm the rabbit. Remember to support the rabbit’s entire body when picking it up.
Warning: Be gentle when handling female rabbits. Be careful not to squeeze the rabbit or press on the rabbit’s abdomen.
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Let your rabbit play outside the cage for at least 1 hour a day. You should let your rabbit out once or twice a day, about half an hour each time. Rabbits can spend this time playing, exercising, or roaming around to explore new environments. Be sure to watch carefully to make sure your rabbit doesn’t hurt itself or enter unauthorized places. [14] X Research Source
- If you’re going to let your rabbit play indoors, it’s a good idea to take a quick look around to make sure there’s nothing in the house that could pose a danger to your rabbit before releasing it from the cage. Dangerous things can be wires, sharp objects, and anything small enough to choke your rabbit. [15] X Research Source
- Daily exercise is essential for pregnant rabbits, as this stimulates blood circulation, helping to transport essential nutrients to the baby rabbits still in the womb.
Taking care of mother rabbits and baby rabbits after birth
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Remove dead baby rabbits from the cage, if any. Sadly, not all rabbits born survive. If you see a baby rabbit that is no longer breathing, take it out of the cage to bury or dispose of it somewhere away from the rabbit’s habitat. If not, it could pose a risk to the health of the rest of them. [16] X Research Source
- Inspect the baby rabbit carefully before taking it out. A newborn rabbit may just be “cold” which is unusually short. [17] X Research Source
- The mother rabbit is used to you, so don’t be afraid to reach into the rabbit’s cage to get the unfortunate baby rabbits out.
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Heating rabbit cages to keep newborn rabbits warm . Pour warm water (don’t use hot water!) in a hot pack or turn on a small heating mat on the lowest setting and place it under the bedding material on one side of the box. This way, the baby rabbit can move back and forth from side to side in the box when it’s too cold or too warm. [18] X Research Sources
- You may also want to add more bedding material so that the baby rabbits don’t come into direct contact with the hot pack, which could be too hot for them.
- Always maintain a light source of heat, even a warm towel. This is especially important if the baby bunnies are born during the winter months.
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Feed the newborn kitten milk twice a day if the mother is not nursing. Inject into a sterile syringe 4-5 cc (approximately 4-5 ml) of slightly lukewarm formula. Turn each baby rabbit over and slowly pump some milk into their mouths, letting the rabbit suckle on its own until it’s full or when it’s empty. Feed each baby rabbit like this twice a day until the mother starts to breastfeed. [19] X Research Source
- Monitor the baby rabbits for the first few days after birth. If fully breastfed, the baby rabbit’s belly will be slightly rounded; on the contrary, the belly of rabbits will sag if they are hungry for milk or lack of nutrition. Note that mother rabbits usually breastfeed at sunrise and sunset, and they can leave their cubs alone for quite a while.
- Sometimes the first litter mother may be indifferent to her cubs after giving birth, seem unwilling to take care of them, or even ignore them altogether. In this case, it is best to take the mother rabbit to an experienced veterinarian for examination as soon as possible.
Tip: You can also make your own rabbit nutrition substitute by mixing 1 quart of goat’s milk, 1 teaspoon of Karo syrup, 1 egg yolk, and 1 packet of unflavored gelatin. [20] X Research Source
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Separate baby rabbits from mother rabbits 8 weeks after birth. Most mother rabbits will stop breastfeeding when the baby is 5-6 weeks old. When the mother rabbit starts to refuse to breastfeed, you can move the litter of baby rabbits to their own cage, or let them explore around on their own. [21] X Research Source
- You should also separate and separate male and female rabbits after 8 weeks of age to prevent them from mating.
- Once the baby rabbits are weaned and sturdy enough to run around on their own, you can start thinking about finding a new home for them. [22] X Research Source
Advice
- You will have to spend a lot of time and effort raising baby rabbits, especially if you decide to keep the whole litter. Find out information about difficulties you may face when taking care of baby rabbits.
- If you keep rabbits outdoors or in an area where rabbits can freely enter, you need to fence around the site with a trellis or close holes in the fence to keep out predators.
Warning
- Contact your veterinarian immediately if the mother or baby rabbits become ill, injured or unwell during labor.
- Breeding animals is something that should not be taken lightly – looking after animals and their babies is a big responsibility. Don’t let rabbits breed, unless you have a good reason to have baby bunnies, and you have to be ‘confident that you can take care of them properly.
Things you need
Create the right environment for the mother rabbit
- Spacious kennel or cot
- Small wooden crib, cardboard box or other similar item
- Soft dry grass
- Gentle liquid soap
- Add another cage or kennel, trellis or soft partition (to separate male and female rabbits)
- Rags, tissues, torn newspaper or other bedding material (optional)
Feeding and caring for pregnant rabbits
- Leafy green vegetables
- timothy grass tablets
- Clean water
Taking care of mother rabbits and baby rabbits after birth
- Hot water pack or heating mat
- Kitten syringe and milk replacer (if mother is not nursing)
- Warm towel (optional)
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This article was co-written by Pippa Elliott, MRCVS. Dr. Elliott is a veterinarian with over thirty years of experience. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 and worked as a veterinary surgeon for 7 years. Then, Dr. Elliott worked as a veterinarian in a clinic for over a decade.
There are 21 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 13,309 times.
Rabbits are famous for giving birth, but mother rabbits still need to be cared for carefully to be able to give birth to healthy babies. Fortunately, there are many things you can do to help your rabbit’s pregnancy and birth go smoothly. Let’s start by lining the nest so that the mother rabbit who is about to give birth is safe and comfortable. Make sure the mother rabbit is comfortable and well fed until birth. You can then start taking care of the baby rabbits before considering whether to keep the baby rabbits in your care or find a new home for them.
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