My rabbit had a litter and I didn't know

[Daisie]

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

 

[Mischief and Tinker's Mum]

Hi I'm so sorry to hear about what has happened with the babies. Sadly this is quite common and pet shops/breeders sell rabbits that are the wrong sex and then surprise surprise there's a litter of babies.

It is not your fault so please do not feel guilty. Firstly, you need to remove the male from the cage as if there are any live babies, the father could possibly kill them. Hoping that some of the little ones have made it. If they are alive, as long as mum is feeding them you don't need to do anything. Please do not move any live babies and if you are cleaning them out leave the nest well alone. The dead babies need removing though.

Good luck xx

 

[Daisie]

Hi I'm so sorry to hear about what has happened with the babies. Sadly this is quite common and pet shops/breeders sell rabbits that are the wrong sex and then surprise surprise there's a litter of babies.

It is not your fault so please do not feel guilty. Firstly, you need to remove the male from the cage as if there are any live babies, the father could possibly kill them. Hoping that some of the little ones have made it. If they are alive, as long as mum is feeding them you don't need to do anything. Please do not move any live babies and if you are cleaning them out leave the nest well alone. The dead babies need removing though.

Good luck xx

I've already taken everything out of the run except for the last bits of poop that had the babies in it because I shook the blanket and they would've been in it that would've probably killed them if there were any alive but I don't know which is male I don't know how to tell if there are any alive ones the parents are in a carry cage right now and Im going to have to wait for my mum to get back and make her go and look I can't do this

There isn't a nest anymore they would've been in the blanket and I shook everything off of that and put it in a bag for washing so I mean there's not much hope is there? I can't go back up there I'm still crying oh god I can't

 

[Mischief and Tinker's Mum]

I've already taken everything out of the run except for the last bits of poop that had the babies in it because I shook the blanket and they would've been in it that would've probably killed them if there were any alive but I don't know which is male I don't know how to tell if there are any alive ones the parents are in a carry cage right now and Im going to have to wait for my mum to get back and make her go and look I can't do this

There isn't a nest anymore they would've been in the blanket and I shook everything off of that and put it in a bag for washing so I mean there's not much hope is there? I can't go back up there I'm still crying oh god I can't

The babies will need their mother as they will need feeding. The mum is probably distressed too if she can't get to her babies. If you pick up the adults and look underneath you should be able to tell which is the mother. The male will probably have very noticeable testicles! How old are the parents?

 

[jemjabella]

Are these the same brother/sister pair you posted about in September?

 

[joey&boo]

I imagine the girl will have swollen nipples. Time to brave Good luck

 

[Daisie]

The babies will need their mother as they will need feeding. The mum is probably distressed too if she can't get to her babies. If you pick up the adults and look underneath you should be able to tell which is the mother. The male will probably have very noticeable testicles! How old are the parents?

They're about 10 months old, okay I'll have a look at my rabbits to see, I've never seen anything like that before and I'm actually looking after two of my friends rabbits who are male (separately of course) so I've never seen testicles on my rabbits. How do I know if the babies are alive I've just phoned my mother and she should be back soon

 

[Daisie]

Are these the same brother/sister pair you posted about in September?

No we ended up getting them from different litters but they were sold to us at 5 weeks as 12 weeks so they bonded straight away

 

[laurenxo]

You do need to go check again, if they are alive they are probably cold without the mum, and the mum is probably very stressed not being with her babies. Even if you think they are dead; which they could well be (not trying to sound harsh) you need to think about whats best for your animals and go check on them. I'm sorry to hear this has happened, and unfortunately pet shops are more worried about the money they are getting rather than their animals. Wish you all the best xx

 

[Mischief and Tinker's Mum]

They're about 10 months old, okay I'll have a look at my rabbits to see, I've never seen anything like that before and I'm actually looking after two of my friends rabbits who are male (separately of course) so I've never seen testicles on my rabbits. How do I know if the babies are alive I've just phoned my mother and she should be back soon

The babies should be moving and warm.

The boy should look like this: https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=r...I0Q_AUIBygB&biw=2051&bih=965&dpr=0.67#imgrc=_

 

[Daisie]

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

 

[Mischief and Tinker's Mum]

So sorry about the babies. At least pets at home have offered to pay for the neutering but they should also provide you with accommodation to split them up! I'm afraid it would be irresponsible to leave Dandelion and Pipkin together. You need to keep them separated as it is just not fair to put her through another pregnancy.

 

[Daisie]

So sorry about the babies. At least pets at home have offered to pay for the neutering but they should also provide you with accommodation to split them up! I'm afraid it would be irresponsible to leave Dandelion and Pipkin together. You need to keep them separated as it is just not fair to put her through another pregnancy.

Yes I'm not quite sure what to do about that as I'm already paying for a vet check for her and I can't afford to buy something to separate them, if I could get something I wouldn't be for a few days yet and they've already spent the night together and those few days would it happen that quickly?

 

[Mischief and Tinker's Mum]

Yes I'm not quite sure what to do about that as I'm already paying for a vet check for her and I can't afford to buy something to separate them, if I could get something I wouldn't be for a few days yet and they've already spent the night together and those few days would it happen that quickly?

Yes it can only take a second. can you not keep him in a safe room like the bathroom for a few days until you get something more suitable?

 

[Liz47]

Yes I'm not quite sure what to do about that as I'm already paying for a vet check for her and I can't afford to buy something to separate them, if I could get something I wouldn't be for a few days yet and they've already spent the night together and those few days would it happen that quickly?

I've already posted over on your thread in health, just pointing out pets at home have told you further incorrect information and the male can remain fertile for up to 6 weeks after he is neutered so they need separating now and not re bonded again until 6-8 weeks after the male is neutered. Rabbits can mate in a matter of seconds, so having been together a few days after she has given birth it is very likely it has happened again but they still need separating just in case, as it is putting Dandelions health at risk having a litter so young and straight after already having a litter. If you can't buy anything to separate them, can you keep one in the hutch and one outside of it in your room? Bunny proofing is quite easy and many people keep rabbits free range with a litter tray, just make sure all wires etc are out of reach and there's tips on how to do this in the housing section. Or would it be possible to keep one in another room, ie bathroom or kitchen which often don't have any wires so are relatively bunny proof already?

 

[Daisie]

Yes it can only take a second. can you not keep him in a safe room like the bathroom for a few days until you get something more suitable?

Not really as we have a puppy who wants to eat them and only one bathroom for the family, there isn't really a safe place for them. Could it be dangerous for Dandelion to be pregnant again so soon?

 

[Daisie]

I've already posted over on your thread in health, just pointing out pets at home have told you further incorrect information and the male can remain fertile for up to 6 weeks after he is neutered so they need separating now and not re bonded again until 6-8 weeks after the male is neutered. Rabbits can mate in a matter of seconds, so having been together a few days after she has given birth it is very likely it has happened again but they still need separating just in case, as it is putting Dandelions health at risk having a litter so young and straight after already having a litter. If you can't buy anything to separate them, can you keep one in the hutch and one outside of it in your room? Bunny proofing is quite easy and many people keep rabbits free range with a litter tray, just make sure all wires etc are out of reach and there's tips on how to do this in the housing section. Or would it be possible to keep one in another room, ie bathroom or kitchen which often don't have any wires so are relatively bunny proof already?

Not really, I can have a look but I'm not sure, how dangerous would it be?

 

[Buzzwizz619]

Not really, I can have a look but I'm not sure, how dangerous would it be?

Back to back litters are dangerous for any animal, being pregnant puts a great deal of physical and nutritional stain on their bodies, especially if you bun is still young all the nutrients she needs to grown and bet strong and healthy will be passed on to the babies instead. As with humans, mummy bun will give everything she can to keep her babies healthy even if it makes her poorly herself.

Labour is a risk too, with animals and humans alike there is alot of potential for my things to go wrong which can be fatal for the babies and for mum, and an emergency c-sections (assuming they can even do that for rabbits?) would cost a fortune, far more than a tempory hutch.

Have you looked on gumtree/FB for sale pages for a cheap hutch? people get selling them alllll the time and usually pretty cheaply.