4 week old bunny trying to mate?? Is it possible? Help!

[Missy]

I know it is possible what he is doing, as I watched him doing it. To his mother. How early can they start breeding? Does he need to be seperated? Should everything be fine?

 

[Imbrium]

I've NEVER heard of a bunny being fertile so young, as they shouldn't even be weaned yet... youngest I've ever heard of is 2-3 mos. not sure what would be causing it, though.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

4 week old kits are not fertile and therefore do not display hormonal behavior. He may have just been trying to jump onto his mother's back, sometimes my kits will lay on top of their mothers. Or if he was chasing after her, he was probably just trying to nurse. But the behavior is almost undoubtedly just misinterpreted.

 

[Missy]

That is what I thought too until he tried it with one of his litter mates. It was about 5-10 seconds long and then he fell off to the side. I have never seen a rabbit mate before, but this looked pretty convincing, luckily what ever he was trying to do was with another male. He is significantly larger than the other babies.

I am hoping you are right.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

You haven't seen a rabbit breed before...so, is this a litter you are fostering? Are you sure of their age?

 

[Nancy McClelland]

If that is the true age, it's way too young for mating or dominance behavior.

 

[JBun]

You aren't wrong, he can definitely be displaying that behavior at that age. I have a bun that at 4 weeks started humping her brother's and sister's. It's unmistakable, as I watched her repeatedly chasing them around until they stopped so she could try again. I was a little shocked myself cause I hadn't ever believed it could start that early. Luckily mine was a girl doing that so I didn't have to worry. I really don't know how you should handle this with yours being a boy. You could risk it and just keep them together, or wean him early. Not good choices either way.

 

[Missy]

Actually Both of the parents were suppose to be females. I wasn't expecting twofemales to make babies, there for I didn't catch the act. Now he is going in to get neutered and once the babies are ready to go, she is going to get spayed.

 

[Missy]

I am absolutely positive of the babies age. I have pictures post on her from the day they were born until now. They were born on 10/2/2012

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

I don't think it's necessary to wean early, but it would be fine to wean at 4 weeks if you choose. Just offer lots of hay and limited pellets to begin with.

If a 4 week old is mounting other rabbits, it would more than likely be a dominance behavior rather than a breeding behavior. This could be learned from the doe, so keep an eye on her to make sure she isn't "bullying" the litter. Some does do get tired of their kits around this age and start mounting them. If you notice that happening, they should be weaned immediately.

 

[Missy]

That is what happened. I have had this one and one of his sisters in the house for almost a week bringing them out to nurse daily while I held the mother down and then letting momma and all the babies out in an enclosed area so they could all play. The mother decided that 5 babies was too many(or something)and was beating up on the two largest kits, not letting them in the nest, not letting them eat or drink, and def. not letting them nurse. Finally I said enough was enough and brought them inside. The mother continued and continues to properly care for the other three as of right now.