Is this normal behaviour for a 4 week old baby bun??

So Beatrice is now 4 weeks old, and the only live kit born from a litter of 4. (we don't know that she is a little girl, but as time goes by, and with the attitude she displays at times :roll:, I'm increasingly convinced that she is).

So Beatrice has one to one care with the most attentive, protective bunny mum ever, and myself and is an indoors bun, who I will be keeping in her forever home. She came out of the nest at 2 weeks and has never been back in it since. She is incredibly brave and quite happy if her mum is feeling sleepy to just go off exploring by herself, but of course I am never far behind :thumb:

She flys around the place at great speed, is already an expert at the stairs, both going up and coming down :shock:, and a baby gate is now in situ. The kitchen is a source of great interest to her, and she isn't at all fazed out by the horrible loud noise the washing machine makes, because if she wants to go in the sink unit, then she is going in the sink unit :roll:

She eats the pellets with tremendous gusto, and I now sit in on veg time, because Beatrice brocolli, carrot and rocket, and so I have to take my life in my hand and keep her away from it. It amazes me as to how many traits she appears to have of her mum in her, the love of brocolli being one of them, and if I don't physically remove her, she will literally take the food out of her mums mouth :shock:

She constantly copies her mum, sitting down when she does, lying down when she does, having a drink when she does, and now digs alongside her as well. She is already incredibly playful as well, and loves racing up and down the tunnel, leaping in and out of her bunny tent, and dragging it to wherever she wants it, and her favourite toy out of the many she has, is a wood and rope thing, that she enjoys throwing about.

She has beautiful proper baby fleece blankets, to rest her fluffy head on and at night her and mum sleep on a thick fluffy pet mat, both stretched out side by side.

Two things that amaze me the most though, are the fact that she already ALWAYS uses the litter tray as mum does, and now explains why I have never found any wet patches on the carpet and how she absolutely adores people :shock:

I never have to actually pick her up, or only if she has got herself into some trouble, but as soon as I sit on the floor in their room she bounds over to me, and happily hops on and off my legs/lap. When she is out and about on her travels, mum every 10 mins or so, just goes to see where she is, gives her lick on her head, and then goes back to sleep :lol:, and Beatrice every few minutes checks in with myself as well, even if it is just a flying visit on and off my lap.

When she is then tired and in need of a 'baby bun nap', she then comes to myself and now that she is big enough, will cllimb up my front, and she either likes to stretch out on my shoulder, as I sit up against the wall, or if I have a arm across my body, she likes to lie along it, with her head in the crook of my arm. I still nearly cry when she then drifts of to sleep, with her sleepy wriggles, and little whimpers in her sleep.

So, my question is, do I have the makings of a bunny who is likely to be one of the tamest ever, or are all baby buns like this and things will soon change, but which wouldn't really make any sense.

Beatrice is the only live kit born out of a litter of 4. I thought mum was having a phantom pregnancy, but when I was in hospital following an accident at work, a friends unneutered bunny was allowed to play with her, which I was absolutely furious about, because my doe could have been seriously injured let alone become pregnant, and the fact that she said nothing, so that I was completely unprepared, didn't have a clue what was going on or anything, and it was one of the worst days of my life, with the first dead kit becoming stuck, and my doe obviously in a really bad way, and I had absolutely no idea what to do, but knew I had to do something, and the only thing I could think of was when I had my own daughter in a birthing pool, and how comforting that was, so I wrapped mum in a towel, ran a basin of warm water in the bathroom, and then just lowered her bottom end into the water, which I know was risky but I really didn't think I had any choice and that this kit had to come out somehow, and had to do something or possibly loose my bun.

The baby sounds wonderful! Poor mummy, what happened after you put her in the water? Did she birth the others ok or did they get stuck too? How scary that must have been :shock:

What a lovely? experience for you. She sounds wonderful. Baby rabbits adore their Mums. I have always let my babies eat all that Mum eats as at 4 weeks old Mum's milk will protect her and her digestive system will cope better with veg when she is weaned. Otherwise if you wait until she is 12 weeks old it is quite worrying whether they will ever get used to it. Obviously it is up to you, just thought I would share my experience. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy your baby.

She sounds like the most ADORABLE bunny ever! any piccies please


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I would say being indoors and having so much interaction with you will make a big difference to her behaviour. It's just like Scamp - he's a wild rabbit but had a lot of interaction with me and that means he's as tame as any pet. His mum feels safe and relaxed about any noises/smells in his home and he'll take his cues from her, as she shows no fear he won't associate it as a threat. I think it does tend to leave you with a super confident bunny, sometimes too confident for their own good as they'll take more risks!

Scamp liked to sit under my chin for a nap after meals too

The bad news is at 4 weeks they are still easily worn out, wait another couple of months when you are chasing her about and she doesn't sit still for a minute before finding something else to explore and is big enough to jump on/in everything she shouldn't :lol:

Jojo123 said:

The baby sounds wonderful! Poor mummy, what happened after you put her in the water? Did she birth the others ok or did they get stuck too? How scary that must have been :shock:

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Sorry for the abrupt ending, but can you believe my French lop jumped off the settee which is something he has never done before, and must have landed really awkwardly and he is now at my vets with a broken leg :shock:

Oh well, that's bunnies for you isn't it :lol: now where was I :roll:

So fortunately, when I put her in the warm water it noticeably relaxed her enough so that when the contractions started again, I could very gently and carefully work with her to help ease the kit out. It was a pretty grim experience to be honest, and considering all the babies I've delivered over the years as a Paramedic, I would say that this was the most distressing, worrying birth ever, and one whereby I was absolutely terrified of somehow hurting my doe.

I then, still with her wrapped in the towel, phoned Tracy from RGPW, who I can never thank enough for all the help and advice she gave me, and for all the following numerous phone calls she then endured. To be honest I was absolutely distraught and cried for about 4 days afterwards with worry over my bun.

Tracy was concerned that she had only delivered the one dead kit and with no placenta, and so I began to make arrangements to take her immediately to my vet to be scanned and checked over, but on then going back into the room, well, OMG it was just awful. Blood and placentas, another dead kit, another dead kit stuck, and then I heard a strange mewing kind of noise, and discovered Beatrice :shock: I quickly scooped her up and put her into the nest that my bun had made, and phoned Tracy again for more help and advice.

She did say she didn't need to go to the vets now and to just leave her to rest, but that there was a danger that after delivering 3 dead kits, that she wouldn't bother with the one live one I then did what Tracy suggested, which was to just once a day in the morning and very quickly, check that she was warm enough because of not having any siblings to snuggle up too, and to check to see if she had been fed. It was quite obvious that she was feeding her, because she had a right plump little tummy, and I swear I could almost even see the milk in it. I noticed that even though Tracy said she would only feed her the once a day and then ignore her, that she actually started to sit on the nesting box herself, and I wondered if that was to help try and keep her baby warm. I did turn the radiator on in the room though just to keep it at a nice warmish temperature, and it has been on ever since.

I must admit to at times being terrified at having to go in the room, because my bun became so protective of her baby she would actually attack me, and it was incredibly painful with her hanging off the calf of my leg :shock:, and so I then started to wear wellingtons to go in with her food and water for protection, and would have to very slowly inch my way down the furthest wall, with my bun watching my every move, and ready to lunge at me if I so much as even looked in baby's direction. I literally had to coax her out of the room to quickly whizz in to check baby every morning, and then when I opened the door she would be there waiting, and eyeing me with contempt. I really can't believe how anyone would choose to go through all this, and think it fun :shock:

Still, it is better now, and I do love watching them on their adventures together, and when Beatrice is tucking in to the pellets, mum sits over her licking her head I also seem to have been hired as the unofficial 'bunny sitter', and now when mum has eaten her veg, and checked to see where Beatrice is (on me ) she seems quite relaxed and happy with that now, and with a lazy yawn stretches right out, while myself as the unpaid help gets to have some lovely cuddle time with Beatrice.

Loads of pictures to follow when my daughter has uploaded them for me. Beatrice is a lovely kind of dark ash colour on her body, with jet black legs, and just one persil white little slipper on her right front leg

tonibun said:

What a lovely? experience for you. She sounds wonderful. Baby rabbits adore their Mums. I have always let my babies eat all that Mum eats as at 4 weeks old Mum's milk will protect her and her digestive system will cope better with veg when she is weaned. Otherwise if you wait until she is 12 weeks old it is quite worrying whether they will ever get used to it. Obviously it is up to you, just thought I would share my experience. Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy your baby.

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Really? I was actually wondering about that, but was terrified of making her ill and loosing her, but what you have said does make sense, and I have read that some babies when they are then weaned and go on to a different diet, can become really ill and die, probably when you have just started to relax and think that they are going to be ok.

I must admit, that although Beatrice really tucks into the pellets, with the bits of broccoli and rocket that she has managed to steal, she actually eats such tiny bits and in some ways is playing with it more than eating it if that makes sense. She's a bit like a nodding dog, and will sit nodding her head up and down with it in her mouth, and she is a very robust little bunny now.

I think it makes perfect sense what you have said, and so although I'm not going to be silly and let her eat loads, I think I will let her have little bits, as surely in the wild at 4 weeks they would be eating fresh stuff anyway. She is also a fab hay eater.

Goodness what an incredible story. My darling childhood rabbit, Lady Alice had six babies. They all used to come racing over and sit on me too. The one I kept was always super friendly (neutered).

How is lovely Violet doing?

Your poor bun! How is he today?

tulsi said:

Goodness what an incredible story. My darling childhood rabbit, Lady Alice had six babies. They all used to come racing over and sit on me too. The one I kept was always super friendly (neutered).

How is lovely Violet doing?

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Violet is just absolutely amazing and my constant companion. When I'm feeling more able, I will update you fully and post new pics of her. Her blindness appears to be of no handicap to her at all, even though I still have my heart in my mouth whilst she is tearing round the place :shock: It is just amazing how she so rarely runs into anything.

Some might consider her a very needy bunny though, because she is literally constantly demanding attention and for the most of the day, spends her time on the settee next to me, when I'm sat down as well. It will only be seconds before I feel her tiny front footsies up against my arm, then she goes into tugging clothes mode, and then digging against me mode, and then just hops onto me, and head butts out of the way anything that might be in it.

Actually, of late, she just jumps onto me as soon as I sit down :roll: She sleeps in my room with me, and has a current obsession of playing with a Dairylea cream cheese triangles box. She is hilarious how she constantly demands being carried about when I am trying to do things as well, and looks very regal as she sits upright as she is en route to wherever I am going. I've even started taking her out in the car quite a bit as well now, and she has been on train journeys, and is a proper little 'diva about town bun' :lol::lol:

Thank you for asking. It's lovely that you remembered her, when I have been so ill and not on here much.

Jojo123 said:

Your poor bun! How is he today?

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He is doing really well thank you and may come home today or tomorrow. He is very comfortable and eating well :thumb:

RogerRabbit999 said:

Violet is just absolutely amazing and my constant companion. When I'm feeling more able, I will update you fully and post new pics of her. Her blindness appears to be of no handicap to her at all, even though I still have my heart in my mouth whilst she is tearing round the place :shock: It is just amazing how she so rarely runs into anything.

Some might consider her a very needy bunny though, because she is literally constantly demanding attention and for the most of the day, spends her time on the settee next to me, when I'm sat down as well. It will only be seconds before I feel her tiny front footsies up against my arm, then she goes into tugging clothes mode, and then digging against me mode, and then just hops onto me, and head butts out of the way anything that might be in it.

Actually, of late, she just jumps onto me as soon as I sit down :roll: She sleeps in my room with me, and has a current obsession of playing with a Dairylea cream cheese triangles box. She is hilarious how she constantly demands being carried about when I am trying to do things as well, and looks very regal as she sits upright as she is en route to wherever I am going. I've even started taking her out in the car quite a bit as well now, and she has been on train journeys, and is a proper little 'diva about town bun' :lol::lol:

Thank you for asking. It's lovely that you remembered her, when I have been so ill and not on here much.

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Awww, she sounds adorable! I can't wait for piccies! I have been wondering where you'd gotten to recently, hope you feel better soon!


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Thanks for the lovely Violet update. Your bond with her sounds as good as always. Hope you are feeling better these days.