One of my rabbits has had babies

I bought two rabbits from a local breeder last year, and took them to the vet for a health check. Vet said they were both girls and recommended I had them 'done' at 4 months. With one thing and another (Christmas etc) I didn't get round to it but planned to get it done this spring.

I've just been out to feed them and found a litter of babies. There's about eight.

Problem is, I don't know which one is the mother, so can't remove the 'father'. How do i tell? One has been growling at me for a few days now, would that be the mother? It's the bigger of the two. At the moment I only have a cat carrier as alternative accomodation, would that be okay for a couple of days until I get to the petshop to get a new hutch?

Is there anything else I need to do? Thankfully I moved the hutch to a warm outhouse before the first lot of snow and the hutch is well bedded and covered in an old rug for insulation. They're bedded on hay, should i put something else in (they're in a nest of fur). Outside temp is about 4 degrees at night at the moment, probably 6 in the shed.

Does the mother need extra food or anything?

And am i likely to have upset the mother by touching the nest? (I wanted to check they were all okay). Is it okay to touch the nest?

lillian03 said:

I bought two rabbits from a local breeder last year, and took them to the vet for a health check. Vet said they were both girls and recommended I had them 'done' at 4 months. With one thing and another (Christmas etc) I didn't get round to it but planned to get it done this spring.

I've just been out to feed them and found a litter of babies. There's about eight.

Problem is, I don't know which one is the mother, so can't remove the 'father'. How do i tell? One has been growling at me for a few days now, would that be the mother? It's the bigger of the two. At the moment I only have a cat carrier as alternative accomodation, would that be okay for a couple of days until I get to the petshop to get a new hutch?

Is there anything else I need to do? Thankfully I moved the hutch to a warm outhouse before the first lot of snow and the hutch is well bedded and covered in an old rug for insulation. They're bedded on hay, should i put something else in (they're in a nest of fur). Outside temp is about 4 degrees at night at the moment, probably 6 in the shed.

Does the mother need extra food or anything?

And am i likely to have upset the mother by touching the nest? (I wanted to check they were all okay). Is it okay to touch the nest?

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Try not to touch the nest if you can avoid it. Father needs to come out, the best way to tell is to look for testicles at the back (easier to see than a lady flower) or to look at the teets, one of them will feed the babies, can you watch them to see which?

Keep them nice and warm and anywhere is fine to keep him as a temporary measure just to make sure you keep them all safe, a cat box will be OK, so long as he gets freerange time, and is by far the better option.

I'm rubbish with baby knowledge, but here goes with some regurgitated information;

Don't touch the nest at all. It could force mother to reject the kits. If its important to touch the nest, rub your hands in dirty hay and rub it on mum first, before you do so you dont make them smell of you.

Free-feed mum (give her as much as she can eat).

Seperate dad (you said you dont know which is which, that means you have a problem) - if you can't seperate, i must warn you, mum is probably pregnant again now as they can become pregnant as soon as they have given birth. I would look for testicles, the male will have these showing quite clearly.

May i suggest freeads/freecycle/gumtree to see if you can get a cheap 2nd hutch temporarily.

A Cat carrier is not suitable accomodation i'm afraid. Unless you can set him up in another safe location with space to move with the carrier as a 'base' as such. in my opinion only.

I would assume the growling bunny could be mum, as she's being hormonal and territorial possibly, but i dont want to put any money on that.

The babies bellys shuold all look like they've swallowed a ping pong ball if they are healthy. Mum will only feed once or twice a day, so don't worry if you dont see her feeding.

I really hope someone with baby knowledge comes along for you soon.

if you touch the rabbits belly you can usually feel her nipples ( if thats what they are called)
but you have to move the male out asap...it could cause the mum to kill her babies out of fear of the male...or the male might kill them...i would say a carrier is to small....maybe if you put the carrier in a run?

where are you located i have an extra large dog crate...if needed..im in bedfordshire

Have pm'd you xxx

Its absolutely fine to touch the nest, as long as your hands don't smell of anything strong, although stroking mum will add an extra surehold. Its a myth you shouldn't touch the nest. Just be calm and give mum treats.

You will need to gradually increase her food over the next couple of days until you are free feeding her.

You are facing another litter in 31 days so be ready for that too.

You will need to check the nest each day and check it now to ensure there are no dead kits and no placentas in there. You will need to check each baby is being fed (starting 24 hours after birth). If they have been fed they will look like they swallowed a ping pong ball.

They will need a good warm nest, has mum pulled fur?

And yes, definitely remove dad and have a look for his testicles. Chances are the growly one is the mum but you can't be too careful so you do ened to check.

Also are both adults acting normally? eating? drinking? pooing? weeing?

If they are both adults the most obvious way to sex will be checking for the males testicles. I would guess they hadn't descended before but they should be fairly obvious now.

I'd be having words with the breeder and vet too!

thanks for all the fast replies.

Yes, both are eating normally, drinking, pooing etc, both look healthy and alert.

I was thinking of putting the cat box (it's a large cat carrier, designed for two cats which i use for my dog), in the run this afternoon and putting it in the shed tonight. I've had an offer of a free hutch, just need to collect it but hubby is away with the car at the moment. I should be able to collect it within 48 hours.

The kits all have rounded bellies, just off to attempt to see which is mum and which is dad.

Yes, the nest is made of fur, not helping the fact that both buns are the exact same colour.

I'll post back later on as I have to go and buy some extra food and see if I can get a good book from the library.

xx

Good luck lillian03. Please keep us posted xxx

lillian03 said:

thanks for all the fast replies.

Yes, both are eating normally, drinking, pooing etc, both look healthy and alert.

I was thinking of putting the cat box (it's a large cat carrier, designed for two cats which i use for my dog), in the run this afternoon and putting it in the shed tonight. I've had an offer of a free hutch, just need to collect it but hubby is away with the car at the moment. I should be able to collect it within 48 hours.

The kits all have rounded bellies, just off to attempt to see which is mum and which is dad.

Yes, the nest is made of fur, not helping the fact that both buns are the exact same colour.

I'll post back later on as I have to go and buy some extra food and see if I can get a good book from the library.

xx

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If you're after a book on rabbit care you will most likely find the best advice on here certainly the most uptodate.

Maybe if you wanted help, if you posted your location someone might be able to help you come and sex them.

Okay *deep breath* the smallest and non aggressive one has two 'things' coming out the sides near it's bits, look like nipples / teats, but should they be that far down? They're quite big, bigger than the bits. I can't see testes on either of them, but then they are quite fluffy.

lillian03 said:

Okay *deep breath* the smallest and non aggressive one has two 'things' coming out the sides near it's bits, look like nipples / teats, but should they be that far down? They're quite big, bigger than the bits. I can't see testes on either of them, but then they are quite fluffy.

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Does this help? http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/sexingboys.shtml

Sky-O said:

Does this help? http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/sexingboys.shtml

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they come out of the side, rather than underneath the penis?

lillian03 said:

they come out of the side, rather than underneath the penis?

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Yes, they will be next to the anus and penis, either side like (large? depending on the breed) kidney beans. Sounds like he's the boy.

Sky-O said:

Yes, they will be next to the anus and penis, either side like (large? depending on the breed) kidney beans. Sounds like he's the boy.

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:lol: First time I saw rabbit boy bits I freaked out. Thought my Jasper had tumours :shock: I never expected them to look anything like that :lol:

Wow :shock: I was expecting 'balls'! I actually thought "this rabbit is deformed" when i first looked.

Mum has nipples quite low down, but definately nipples not testicles :lol:

Okay, 'Dad' is in the run for now, should I pop him near by to mum tonight (but separated) as they've been together so long? Do rabbits miss one another?

Just checked the kits and they're fine, very pink, very wriggly and warm and safe.

I'll be back later, off to fetch supplies

I would suggest keeping them totally apart in case she gets some nasty hormones or his presence makes her anxious.

lillian03 said:

Wow :shock: I was expecting 'balls'! I actually thought "this rabbit is deformed" when i first looked.

Mum has nipples quite low down, but definately nipples not testicles :lol:

Okay, 'Dad' is in the run for now, should I pop him near by to mum tonight (but separated) as they've been together so long? Do rabbits miss one another?

Just checked the kits and they're fine, very pink, very wriggly and warm and safe.

I'll be back later, off to fetch supplies

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:lol: Its a shocker huh :lol:

Crikey.You have got your work cut out.Best of luck!!!!!!oh and er.....congratulations???xxxxxxxxxx