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OMG! Surprise bunnies!

T

Tamwill

Young Bun
My pair of 6 month old 'sister' lionhead rabbits have just sprung it on me this morning that they're actually brother and sister and i now have a fluffy nest containing 4 babies :shock::shock::shock: Any breeders want to offer advice on anything i should be doing? I'm doubtful this is the right time of year for babies with it being so cold but was totally unexpected so i now have to deal with it in the best way i can.

Background info - Outdoor rabbits (cannot bring them inside as have dogs) currently housed together in a large cage with run attached during the day. Cage is nestled between two sheds and covered by thick carpet on all sides/roof and then a tarp pulled over front at night. Bedding is a box containing a base layer of sawdust with straw, hay and tumble dryer fluff (and now a ton of fluffy hair too!) I plan to have her spayed as soon as possible!

Thanks in advance
 
Get the boy out of there, quick smart, otherwise she will be pregnant again before you know it. They can be rebonded about 6 weeks she has been spayed, him snipped.

Others will be along with advice on looking after the babies & mother, I don't have experience here.


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Tamwill said:
My pair of 6 month old 'sister' lionhead rabbits have just sprung it on me this morning that they're actually brother and sister and i now have a fluffy nest containing 4 babies :shock::shock::shock: Any breeders want to offer advice on anything i should be doing? I'm doubtful this is the right time of year for babies with it being so cold but was totally unexpected so i now have to deal with it in the best way i can.

Background info - Outdoor rabbits (cannot bring them inside as have dogs) currently housed together in a large cage with run attached during the day. Cage is nestled between two sheds and covered by thick carpet on all sides/roof and then a tarp pulled over front at night. Bedding is a box containing a base layer of sawdust with straw, hay and tumble dryer fluff (and now a ton of fluffy hair too!) I plan to have her spayed as soon as possible!

Thanks in advance
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Oh dear, you are not the first person to get caught out and I doubt you'll be the last. As rowan.godfrey has mentioned, it's essential you remove the Buck. Hopefully he will not already have inpregnated the Doe again, but he may have done.

This thread would be useful to read :

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?327923-Accidental-Litters-and-Taking-on-Babies
 
rowan.godfrey said:
Get the boy out of there, quick smart, otherwise she will be pregnant again before you know it. They can be rebonded about 6 weeks she has been spayed, him snipped.
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The hutch is a two storey so i tried removing the ramp and blocking the hole with a piece of wood but both rabbits appeared to be franticly running backwards and forwards trying to get upstairs/downstairs :cry: i panicked i was causing too much distress and let them back together until tomorrow when i can go buy another cage in the same size and style, i know they'll miss each other but at least the dashing about looking for a way up/down wont be a problem then.

How soon can i get her spayed? is it better to wait and have them done together or just get him sorted now?
 
You really need to separate them now, although it may well be too late already and you'll have a second litter in four weeks time - note the date so you are ready. You'll need to block the access down if mum is upstairs as the babies won't be able to navigate the ramp at first.

Best option is to have him snipped now, you won't be able to spay the mum until 8+ weeks from now, but if you end up with two litters it could be closer to four months. With him snipped it gives you more options for how you house everyone, and if you need you can pop them back together with just him neutered if they are ok with it.

The mum should do all the care, make sure she has plenty of hay and water, and add some extra pellets or mix in some pellets aimed at juniors as they'll be higher calories to help her milk production. You'll need to be careful that the babies don't get dragged out the nest (they latch on and don't let go) as it's so cold at the moment. If it's a standard style hutch, poping a 2-3" piece of board or a brick over the bottom half of the entrance to the bed (if it's big enough) will help knock them off the teat as mum hops through. I'd also pop something over the hutch for extra insulation.
 
Tamsin said:
You really need to separate them now, although it may well be too late already and you'll have a second litter in four weeks time - note the date so you are ready. You'll need to block the access down if mum is upstairs as the babies won't be able to navigate the ramp at first.

Best option is to have him snipped now, you won't be able to spay the mum until 8+ weeks from now, but if you end up with two litters it could be closer to four months. With him snipped it gives you more options for how you house everyone, and if you need you can pop them back together with just him neutered if they are ok with it.

The mum should do all the care, make sure she has plenty of hay and water, and add some extra pellets or mix in some pellets aimed at juniors as they'll be higher calories to help her milk production. You'll need to be careful that the babies don't get dragged out the nest (they latch on and don't let go) as it's so cold at the moment. If it's a standard style hutch, poping a 2-3" piece of board or a brick over the bottom half of the entrance to the bed (if it's big enough) will help knock them off the teat as mum hops through. I'd also pop something over the hutch for extra insulation.
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I agree with Tamsin. Separate immediately and prepare for possible consequences.

Good luck xx
 
Also you will need to wait until six weeks after he has been castrated before he will be safe to rejoin her.

Best of luck. Baby rabbits have got to be the sweetest things ever. Could either of the sheds be a housing option for them?
 
tulsi said:
Also you will need to wait until six weeks after he has been castrated before he will be safe to rejoin her.

Best of luck. Baby rabbits have got to be the sweetest things ever. Could either of the sheds be a housing option for them?
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RWAF recommends 4 weeks :D
 
This happened to me, this time last year and i ended up with 6 babies. Like the others have said she could already be pregnant so make a note. I was constantly putting babies back into the nest after they were dragged out, so the warmer you can make the hutch the better. I just kept checking the hutch for roaming babies all day (i even got up through the night :oops:) so i had a better chance of keeping them warm. I know this isnt possible if you work. I was a nervous wreck but my momma bun did a fantastic job. Like someone mentioned give her more pellets. I noticed my female lost condition feeding all them babies and if your female might be pregnant again thats more reason to do it. Just to add congratulations at having one of the most amazing experiences on this earth. I hope you have better luck that i had with letting them go to homes. Their cute little faces had me hooked and ive kept the all. Cant wait to see pictures when the time is right. xx
 
willow and squiggles said:
I hope you have better luck that i had with letting them go to homes. Their cute little faces had me hooked and ive kept the all. Cant wait to see pictures when the time is right. xx
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I took in a rescue bunny on a temporary basis back in April....within 2 weeks of being here, she gave birth to 3 babies...a complete surprise! I have done exactly the same :lol: :lol: :lol: Those little faces got me! Knowing them and watching them all since day 1 hooked me.....they're all still here, they were all neutered/spayed in October...and rebonding the 4 back together again begins next weekend!

PREPARE yourself for getting VERY attached! :embarrassed: :lol: :love:

All the best....keep us all updated! :D xx
 
Its cost me a small fortune to keep the 6 babies. Ive gone from getting 2 rabbits to now having 10 in the space of 15 months. I rescued 2 nethies a few months back so that got me up to 10 buns. The cost of neutering 8 buns plus all the extra housing was a lot. Plus ive had extra vet bills inbetween. I dont regret it for a second though. The 2 nethies are outside and the mum and dad bun and 6 babies are in two quads, so i worked out well luckily enough.
 
Thanks for all replies. The link posted offering me a thorough guide has been so useful! Sorted a new cage Thursday for male and seperated them - I know I may have been too late but I'll have to cross that bridge if/when we get there.
Mum (Mildred) and dad (George - was Georgie!) seem to have settled well apart and all 4 babies are doing well, very round tummies on a daily basis and very wriggley when disturbed for checking 😁
2 are a silvery grey colour and two are black - is this an indication of fur colour or just skin tone? Mildred is all black, no mane and a few silvery flecks down her back. George is all black with grey in his mane and grey tufts on his cheeks.
Although in separate cages their run is divided down the middle so they are still in daily contact but unable to actually get to each other. Will this help when it comes to re bonding? George booked in for sniping on Thursday but vet won't do Mildred until the babies are 6 weeks old. Also, if another litter comes along 4 weeks after these ones then what happens with this litter? Will they need moving from mums area or will they all be OK together?
 
Mum and Dad should rebond easily and yes the colour you can see is an indication of the future colour. If she has another litter she will need to give her milk to them so the other babies would possibly have to be moved. It's very early to be weaned but you don't have an option. This has never happened to me so I can't speak from experience but the first litter will be ok if they have to be separated from Mum. It's just not ideal. Let's hope she isn't pregnant again as it is also quite a strain on Mum, Dads get away with it all! Hope Dad's neuter goes well.
 
No advice that hasn't already been said but was going to be cheeky and ask for baby bunny pics when they are old enough!! x
 
Niklovesrats said:
was going to be cheeky and ask for baby bunny pics when they are old enough!! x
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No idea how to post pics or would have posted the one I took of them in their nest on day 1. I've not taken any since but I'll take more when they're up and about and work out how to post them 😁
 
Update....
The time has flown by and the little ones will be 8 weeks tomorrow. Despite my initial shock/horror I wouldn't have missed this experience for the world. It's been amazing to watch them turn from tiny, hairless, mouse like creatures to beautiful baby bunnies. It's been hard work at times - how can 4 tiny babies make such a mess????
Both Mildred and George (parents) are doing well, I've been letting them play together (supervised) daily since he recovered from his neutering and thats going really well. George enjoys the company and Mildred seems to enjoy time out from the babies. I think she'll be pleased once the little ones start leaving for their new homes as they're not so little now and the cage seems very cramped! I'd planned to just keep one but unfortunately I've only found homes for 2 so its looking likely 2 will be staying. Anyway, just wanted to pop back with an update and thank everyone that offered advice when I first found this site - you're advice was invaluable and enabled me to get it right when I had no idea what I was doing. Thank you all xx
 
Tamwill said:
Update....
The time has flown by and the little ones will be 8 weeks tomorrow. Despite my initial shock/horror I wouldn't have missed this experience for the world. It's been amazing to watch them turn from tiny, hairless, mouse like creatures to beautiful baby bunnies. It's been hard work at times - how can 4 tiny babies make such a mess????
Both Mildred and George (parents) are doing well, I've been letting them play together (supervised) daily since he recovered from his neutering and thats going really well. George enjoys the company and Mildred seems to enjoy time out from the babies. I think she'll be pleased once the little ones start leaving for their new homes as they're not so little now and the cage seems very cramped! I'd planned to just keep one but unfortunately I've only found homes for 2 so its looking likely 2 will be staying. Anyway, just wanted to pop back with an update and thank everyone that offered advice when I first found this site - you're advice was invaluable and enabled me to get it right when I had no idea what I was doing. Thank you all xx
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Awww you're welcome :)

Glad you popped by to give an update. They sound amazing and adorable :love:
 
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