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Aroomie

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Me again!!

So... I have a question (obviously, all I have is questions :p).
I have researched this a lot, and I get somewhere between confirming to hypothetical answers.

The question is!! Can a rabbit mom have two different litters at two different stages of gestation?
Reason for this question: One bunny mom, three babies. One is super fat and healthy and a giant in comparison to its littermate. Second bunny, plump, but still thin no matter how much she eats (she has started to explore kibble) and she is blind! The third little baby was stillborn.
 
Rabbits have 2 uteruses and that is why they reproduce so quickly. They can be pregnant with 2 litters at the same time. Were all these babies born on the same day?
 
Rabbits have 2 uteruses and that is why they reproduce so quickly. They can be pregnant with 2 litters at the same time. Were all these babies born on the same day?

They were born on the same day, yes.
It's just their level of development, and size, that made me wonder.
 
It could be that there is something wrong with the baby rabbit if s/he is not gaining weight. Can you send pictures of what s/he looks like?
 
It could be that there is something wrong with the baby rabbit if s/he is not gaining weight. Can you send pictures of what s/he looks like?

I'm certain it's obvious which one I'm talking about. Lol.

I got pictuers of both so I can show the comparison.
They are both lion heads. Mom and dad too.

Vastly different from each other.
 

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The brown on would not hold still!! I appologise for the uncomfortable position little bunny!!
 
Oh gosh, they are so cute!!! I wish I could take them! How old are they? Anyway, the little one should catch up. If it doesn't gain weight after about 2 weeks, or if it goes downhill at all, I would get a vets opinion.
 
Me again!!

The question is!! Can a rabbit mom have two different litters at two different stages of gestation?

No. That thing about 2 uteruses and therefore being able to have two different litters is a myth. It doesn't work that way. Many animals have that setup.

It can happen that kits are at different development stages, but that is more due to defects, or an egg not well placed or something wrong with the placenta. A runt in a litter is something quite normal. It can also happen that kits are born several days apart, but it's still the same litter.
 
Oh gosh, they are so cute!!! I wish I could take them! How old are they? Anyway, the little one should catch up. If it doesn't gain weight after about 2 weeks, or if it goes downhill at all, I would get a vets opinion.

Hahaha. They are 19 days old today. The bigger one looks like he should be almost a month, imo.
I am a little bit worried about the little spotted one, only for the fact I don't know if I can keep her. I'm hoping that she can actually see, despite the obvious cataract look.

I don't know how easy it would be to find her a home otherwise, and I already have my hands full with her adopted siblings that had their mother go Hannibal on them. o_O
 
She does look blind. Does she react strangely to sudden touches? I think that many people will want to adopt her because she is blind and small. I personally like the deformed, helpless rabbits because I want to give them a home when no one else will. I had a cat that was small and runty. My dad wanted to shoot her, but I wouldn't let him and I bottle fed her and kept her alive. She was tiny, but the sweetest cat ever. I loved all the other 10 kittens, but she was my favorite. Because nobody else loved her, we had a strong bond. She wandered off into our bamboo forest and never came back. Anyway, I think that this rabbit will catch up and you will be able to find her a loving home! I would totally take her if she was closer!
 
She does look blind. Does she react strangely to sudden touches? I think that many people will want to adopt her because she is blind and small. I personally like the deformed, helpless rabbits because I want to give them a home when no one else will. I had a cat that was small and runty. My dad wanted to shoot her, but I wouldn't let him and I bottle fed her and kept her alive. She was tiny, but the sweetest cat ever. I loved all the other 10 kittens, but she was my favorite. Because nobody else loved her, we had a strong bond. She wandered off into our bamboo forest and never came back. Anyway, I think that this rabbit will catch up and you will be able to find her a loving home! I would totally take her if she was closer!

She does on and off. Sometimes she'll jump right out of her fur, other times she'll lean into the touches. She explores the cage like she can see, like when I found her in the food dish, but I don't know if that is her "seeing" or getting around by smell.

I love her, if I can figure out how to keep her, I so will. But I have to wait till she is older to see how that one goes.

I'm sorry about your kitty!! I would have kept it too.
I don't have the heart to give up on animals. They have every right to fight to live as we do.
 
She probably also navigates by smell. Animals and humans can sense when something is near them so when she would lean into your hand, she probably knew you were there by your smell and the sounds you made.
 
No. That thing about 2 uteruses and therefore being able to have two different litters is a myth. It doesn't work that way. Many animals have that setup.

It can happen that kits are at different development stages, but that is more due to defects, or an egg not well placed or something wrong with the placenta. A runt in a litter is something quite normal. It can also happen that kits are born several days apart, but it's still the same litter.

Alright.
That kind of leads to a whole other question.

Should I try breeding her again even though she had the two underdeveloped kits?
She is a wonderful mom, I just don't want her to get messed up by having too many stillbirths/early death babies in her litters.
 
I would say yes. If you have a reason to do so, and a working plan of what to do with the offspring in time, of course.
There's some percentage of stillbirths to be expected, it does happen. Most breeders go by the 3 strike rule, that something goes wrong - that can always happen. Even twice. But at the 3rd time it's quite likely that there's something wrong with the doe, be it weak mothering instincts or bad genetics, strike three and she's done being bred. I wouldn't count some stillborns as strike, as long as the majority of the litter is viable.

One of my does had 16 discernable stillborns in all development stages in her second litter, what a mess, that was strike one, she did well the next 2 litters.
 
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I would not breed her again for at least 6 weeks, preferably 8 weeks. You need to find homes for these babies before you breed her again. Also if she is pregnant and stressed by all the babies she may kindle early.
 
No. That thing about 2 uteruses and therefore being able to have two different litters is a myth. It doesn't work that way. Many animals have that setup.

It can happen that kits are at different development stages, but that is more due to defects, or an egg not well placed or something wrong with the placenta. A runt in a litter is something quite normal. It can also happen that kits are born several days apart, but it's still the same litter.

it's a good idea to wait. the double pregnancy is a thing because rabbits have 2 uteruses it gross but it is possible, it tends to happen if you wait for a day or two before the next breeding session. your babies are cute! if one is blind she is getting around by sent and use of her whiskers. Good luck though, let us know how it goes!
 
I would not breed her again for at least 6 weeks, preferably 8 weeks. You need to find homes for these babies before you breed her again. Also if she is pregnant and stressed by all the babies she may kindle early.

Obviously I will wait to rebreed her. :p her babies still drink from her on occation while learning the kibble, haha. Too much pressure (and unhealthy) if I wanted to breed her right now.
 
it's a good idea to wait. the double pregnancy is a thing because rabbits have 2 uteruses it gross but it is possible, it tends to happen if you wait for a day or two before the next breeding session. your babies are cute! if one is blind she is getting around by sent and use of her whiskers. Good luck though, let us know how it goes!

Oh cool... So pretty much getting around like a cat does. Haha. Learnt something new today!!

I will deffinelty post pictuers later on when they are older. :D I am very proud of my little bun-buns
 
Oh cool... So pretty much getting around like a cat does. Haha. Learnt something new today!!

I will deffinelty post pictuers later on when they are older. :D I am very proud of my little bun-buns
looking forward to it!
 
No. That thing about 2 uteruses and therefore being able to have two different litters is a myth. It doesn't work that way. Many animals have that setup.

It can happen that kits are at different development stages, but that is more due to defects, or an egg not well placed or something wrong with the placenta. A runt in a litter is something quite normal. It can also happen that kits are born several days apart, but it's still the same litter.


Hello!

I have a question related to this thread, so...Here goes:

Yesterday/today, my doe spit out 3 other babies!!:eek: Her first litter is now a month old (The little blind one, unfortunately, did not make it)
My doe was NOT placed with a male. I like to give them a good 4-6 weeks break between their litters. What gives? o_O

My other doe, the one who went complete Hannibal on her babies, had the same thing. She popped out another 4. She, sadly, went cannibal on them once again, I have zero interest in re-breeding her for a third chance... I just can't to that to the babies.
 

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