New baby rabbits about 10 days old

My friends rabbit gave birth to 10 babies about 10 days ago sadly 2 have died at the moment.

She is thinking about bringing them indoors as the weather is getting really cold, What I want to know is this a good idea or should she leave them be?

Any help would be great.


Thanks Anna xx

Definitely bring them indoors. Your friend could set up a pen in a quiet room with a hidey hole box for privacy and some soft fleecy bedding. The room should not be overheated if she has central heating though. Mama rabbit should be given extra food too to keep her going and give her enough energy as she feeds babies.

Just tell her not to send them back out until the spring at the earliest if she brings them in.

They won't have winter coats yet with them being babies.

Is it ok to be moving the nest when they are still so young though?

I think she needs to try make the hutch as warm as possible (lots of hay straw for the nest), in garage/shed if possible, plenty of hutch insulation, but personally I wouldn't bring them inside. Unless the hutch is completely exposed and there's not a decent nest I don't think it'll be the cold killing the babies, baby rabbits are born in far worse conditions than we have now and far colder countries with no problems, the huge temperature change isn't good for any rabbit I especially wouldn't put a lactating mother and fragile babies through it, it's not just the temperature change it's the 'setting' change too. The only way I'd bring them inside would be if I could have a very cold room (so temp change isn't a shock) and keep them in the hutch they're in now, and the room can be left alone if you have kids or other pets

She should only be bringing them inside if there is no other options. If she does she needs to get a shoebox (or similar, depending on her size- i.e. big enough for her to stand in it and turn around), line it with hay, and then transfer as much of the nest as possible. If mummy is highly strung then she needs to stroke mum first. She also needs to make sure either way that her hands don't smell of anything strong (so no predators, no other bunnies, not soap, etc).

As she transfers the nest she also needs to transfer the kits, very gently, with them.

Check all have got bellies that look like they swallowed pingpong balls. Check that none of the bellies have an infected umbilical wound.

If the nest doesn't have much fur you can tease it from around mum's nipples.

Alternatively, if it's feasible, bring mummy and babies in in their current set up- although if they are in something big this may not be feasible.

If mum is unsettled then give her nice noms she can tolerate and make sure to move as much clean contents from cage to cage as possible (so that everything smells ok). Sometimes people put a tiny dab of vanilla just above the nose to eradicate any strange scent- this can work, but doesn't always and can distress some bunnies.

Your friend will have to check to ensure they have been fed within the next 24 hours (if not, she will need to help mum), and if they don't currently look like they have pingpong ball bellies then mum may need to be reminded to feed them. Ensure mummy is having unlimited pellets as well as unlimited hay.

This could be a large danger period, but it may be the only option unless she can do something drastic outside to keep them warmer. A snugglesafe stuck to the underside of wherever they are could work (i.e. not in the compartment, but the heat going through the floor) and reheating regularly including through the night, also making sure the hutch is really, really weather proofed. You can help the nest by teasing mum's fur out and putting it in and also shoving in loads of extra hay so that mummy can keep protecting the nest.

All that said, are you sure they died from the cold and not from, for example, being pulled out the nest or not being fed?

tiger_lily said:

Is it ok to be moving the nest when they are still so young though?

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Good point - I hadn't considered that!

Thanks for all the replies.

She has bought a new hutch and move all of the nest with the babies in, Mum seem to have settle in fine and has been seen feeding them ( or should I say babies have been seen latched on). She is being a very good bunny mummy. and the babies have started opening their eyes now.

They are so cute and definately have full bellies.

Any more advice would be great.

I have told her now she has brought her in she will have to keep her in.

ANNASBUNNIES said:

Thanks for all the replies.

She has bought a new hutch and move all of the nest with the babies in, Mum seem to have settle in fine and has been seen feeding them ( or should I say babies have been seen latched on). She is being a very good bunny mummy. and the babies have started opening their eyes now.

They are so cute and definately have full bellies.

Any more advice would be great.

I have told her now she has brought her in she will have to keep her in.

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Keep the room cool so there's not much of a temperature change