My rabbit had a litter but I didn't know

I've made this thread on the welfare place already but I'm panicking I don't know what to do

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Help I don't know what to do I was told both my rabbits were girls and I didn't even know one of them was pregnant and I've been cleaning them out today and there's dead babies and I'm sobbing I'm only 16 I didn't know and I don't know what to do I'm alone in the house right now and I don't know what to do I've just come down stairs I don't know what to do

I mean I didn't check properly but I think they're dead I don't want to go back up there and see I'm just sobbing I don't know what to do or tell my mum when she gets back and she'll just tell me I've been neglecting them and I don't want my sister to know I don't know what to do I can't go back up there and look I just can't do it and I mean they're in my bedroom and oh god I just don't know what to do

I don't even know how many there are I just saw one and came running downstairs I'm in shock I don't know what to do

I don't know how I couldn't have known I'm the worst person in the world I hate myself how could I not have known I shouldn't be owning rabbits

I don't know what to do because I'm not going back up there and my mum will be back soon and I don't know what to say to her I mean they're probably dead but I can't go and check I just can't I can't I can't oh god what do I do

I've already cleared everything else out of their cage and I shook everything off of the blanket which is where the nest would have been so there's no nest to leave alone I don't know if they're dead or not and I don't know how to check

Living babies would be wiggling, warm and may be squeaking. If they're cold and not moving, they have passed. You're not the first person this has happened to, take deep breaths, remove the deceased bunnies and you'll need to separate the bunnies as the female will be pregnant again.

Be honest with your mum, mum bunnies hide their babies very well.

Its natural to be shocked and sad, and to cry. But don't blame yourself. This sort of thing happens to rabbit keepers who are much older than you. Even experienced keepers sometimes have mis-sexed rabbits and end up with babies.

I think you have another thread running on same topic. Perhaps it would be better to combine them to avoid confusion.

Any update? x

Hello friends, thank you all so much for all your help, unfortunately we lost the three babies but we took them to pets at home and they are cremating them for us and my friend and I have named them Blossom Dylan and Buttercup (seeing as the mother is Dandelion) so we can have a little funeral for them.

Pets at home have paid for us to get the male neutered as it was one of their staff that told us many times that he was a girl however they are not paying for Dandelion to get checked over so I'm paying for that.

We were told that when he is neutered it won't be fully effective for up to 3 weeks and we have no other places for the rabbits to go, plus they have been bonded together since they were 5 weeks old (they were incorrectly sold to us as 12 weeks) so Dandelion may well end up pregnant again.

However this time if this does happen we will know about it and be sure to keep her and the babies safe and healthy and have other accommodation for Pipkin.

Dandelion seems pretty subdued about it, during her pregnancy she became pretty skittish but she enjoyed a nice long cuddle with her mummy yesterday and right now Dandelion and Pipkin are just lying together cuddling so I think if she is having any problems with the loss of the babies, Pipkin is comforting her as she seems quite calm and relaxed.

Thank you everyone for your help, it was a real shame we couldn't save the little babies, but there's also the possibility that because she is still fairly young (10 months) she may not have known what to do with them as while she has pulled fur out, none round her nipples so if they were born alive they possibly weren't getting fed by her

I'm sorry this has happened to you. This has not been your fault, it is pets at home's fault for mis-sexing them which I know can be easily done but when selling they should have been sure to avoid an awful situation like this.

So are the rabbits split up now? I hope Dandelion is not pregnant again, but at least you can keep an eye on her and can be prepared now in case.

I'm afraid pets at home have told you further incorrect information, male rabbits can remain fertile for up to 6 weeks after they have been neutered and it is almost certain that in this time he will mate with your female again and it is really not advised to let her have another litter while she is so young herself. So they need to be separated now and then the male kept separate for 6 -8 weeks after the date of his neuter until they can be rebonded.

Good luck with them.

I think that if they have been together since she gave birth, then it is extremely likely that she is pregnant again now

Omi said:

I think that if they have been together since she gave birth, then it is extremely likely that she is pregnant again now

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I've been worrying about that, I don't want to have to put her through another pregnancy but I don't have separate accommodation for Pipkin as my mother can't afford it and the only reason I have them is because I pay for everything so if I was able to get something to separate them, it wouldn't be for a few days yet and that would probably be too late wouldn't it?

Liz47 said:

I'm sorry this has happened to you. This has not been your fault, it is pets at home's fault for mis-sexing them which I know can be easily done but when selling they should have been sure to avoid an awful situation like this.

So are the rabbits split up now? I hope Dandelion is not pregnant again, but at least you can keep an eye on her and can be prepared now in case.

I'm afraid pets at home have told you further incorrect information, male rabbits can remain fertile for up to 6 weeks after they have been neutered and it is almost certain that in this time he will mate with your female again and it is really not advised to let her have another litter while she is so young herself. So they need to be separated now and then the male kept separate for 6 -8 weeks after the date of his neuter until they can be rebonded.

Good luck with them.

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6 weeks?? They've been together all yesterday and last night and today so far and I have no idea when she gave birth yesterday so I suppose its highly likely she's already pregnant again? I won't be able to get something to seperate them for at least another few days so is there much point?

Daisie said:

6 weeks?? They've been together all yesterday and last night and today so far and I have no idea when she gave birth yesterday so I suppose its highly likely she's already pregnant again? I won't be able to get something to seperate them for at least another few days so is there much point?

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Most resources say rabbits can remain fertile for 4 weeks after being neutered, but I have known litters to be born when males have been introduced after 4 weeks so I believe most people would recommend you wait for at least 6 weeks to ensure there is no sperm left behind and it can then take up to 8 weeks for hormones to fully die down which is likely to make bonding an easier process for you.

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/neutering28807.pdf

There's some useful info for you about neutering and post op care.

Daisie said:

I've been worrying about that, I don't want to have to put her through another pregnancy but I don't have separate accommodation for Pipkin as my mother can't afford it and the only reason I have them is because I pay for everything so if I was able to get something to separate them, it wouldn't be for a few days yet and that would probably be too late wouldn't it?

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I'm sorry, but he will have almost certainly mated with her again soon after she gave birth. If you are now going to get the doe checked at the vets, I would seriously consider discussing an emergency spay for her. In my opinion, it would be very unfair to put her through another pregnancy. Also, have you considered what you would do if she gave birth to kits that survived? Would you be able to accommodate several more baby rabbits?

Liz47 said:

Most resources say rabbits can remain fertile for 4 weeks after being neutered, but I have known litters to be born when males have been introduced after 4 weeks so I believe most people would recommend you wait for at least 6 weeks to ensure there is no sperm left behind and it can then take up to 8 weeks for hormones to fully die down which is likely to make bonding an easier process for you.

http://www.rabbitwelfare.co.uk/pdfs/neutering28807.pdf

There's some useful info for you about neutering and post op care.

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Thank you very much I will have a look at that when I get back from the park

Omi said:

I'm sorry, but he will have almost certainly mated with her again soon after she gave birth. If you are now going to get the doe checked at the vets, I would seriously consider discussing an emergency spay for her. In my opinion, it would be very unfair to put her through another pregnancy. Also, have you considered what you would do if she gave birth to kits that survived? Would you be able to accommodate several more baby rabbits?

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I will talk to the vet about this :/ we would be able to take care of them it's just right now I can't get something for Pipkin for a few days by which point it would probably be too late

He is going to need separate accommodation anyway if she has more babies, because he can't stay with them... If I were you I would get something sorted x

I would seriously consider an emergency spay as soon as possible.