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C

caferyn

Young Bun
Help

We had four siblings together (they weren't neutered, not ready!!???) - Now there are eight:

2 girls, 2 boys. We have removed the boys.

Problem, how can we tell which one is the mother?

If we leave both females in, will the babies be looked after or killed?

Also, if one has had babies, the possiblity of the other one is more than likely!

Advice would be great.
 
I would have said that you should be able to tell the mummy bunny as she will have pulled fur from her tummy to make a nest. I'm not sure if the girls need to be seperated though, I'm sure someone else will know. And yes the other girl could well be pregnant too.
 
I'd have thought that the mother would have enlarged nipples, certainly when you see other mothers like dogs that are feeding young, this is fairly obvious. I've never dealt with baby rabbits though so I'm not entirely sure. Are the 2 females the same colour? You may also get an idea from the colour of the fur lining the nest, the females pull the fur from underneath their chin, so if one has a thin/bald patch around the flap under her chin, this is also likely to confirm. They only feed their young once a day, usually at night, so you probably won't see her feeding to be able to tell that way - although perhaps one of the females has got a bit more possessive and territorial?

It's definitely possible that the other is also pregnant, however, if they were all youngsters she may not have matured as quickly and so hasn't fallen pregnant, time will tell I guess.

Good luck with sorting out your bunnies! Remember the baby bunnies need to be with their mum for a minimum of 8 weeks, although the boys at least will need to be separated fairly soon afterwards to avoid a recurrence!
 
If niether have a balder tummy then you should be able to see the raised nipples. As has been said the other may be pregnant , i think it would wise to split them in case. The only trouble is the chances of you getting them back together after are slim. val
 
I had a surprise litter a few week back so I can tell you what Holly, mum, was like. Obviously all buns differ so it may not be the same for yours.

Holly pulled all the fur from her tummy (but none from her chin) to a) make a nest and b) to expose her nipples for the babies to feed, although her nipples didn't become noticeably swollen for several days. Holly seemed to show any interest in her babies and would sit away from the nest, as rabbits are prey animals in the wild they don't like to draw attention to the nest. Holly was drinking loads and eating for England too.

Have you tried doing a goggle search on breeding rabbits as you might be able to find some advice.
 
Bare in mind if the other is pregant and due to deliver in the next couple of days she may well have plucked fur and produced milk etc. too.

Tam
 
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