I’m a new rabbit owner

[haharabbits]

I’m 15 and I have two rabbits, one boy one girl that I was told were related. My mom wouldn’t let me get them spayed because of money. My female rabbit had babies just yesterday morning and I’m lost on what to do. I don’t know if they are siblings so I don’t know if the litter will die or not. But I am extremely scared and worried and I feel like a bad owner. I’ve called many hospitals asking them if I should bring the rabbits in and they said to just leave them, which I have, but I should take my rabbit to get an ultrasound. am I a bad owner?

 

[Hermelin]

The babies will be okay, even though the parents are sibblings the genetics among bunnies can handle inbreeding better than humans.

But because your doe is a first time mom the kits can die. It’s common among first time moms that not all kits survive.

Have you separated your boy from the girl?

Also when the kits turns 10 weeks you will have to separate the boys from the females. So you don’t get anymore accident litters.

If your doe start to act like she’s in pain, stops eating or act different. Take her directly to a vet.

 

[haharabbits]

The babies will be okay, even though the parents are sibblings the genetics among bunnies can handle inbreeding better than humans.

But because your doe is a first time mom the kits can die. It’s common among first time moms that not all kits survive.

Have you separated your boy from the girl?

Also when the kits turns 10 weeks you will have to separate the boys from the females. So you don’t get anymore accident litters.

If your doe start to act like she’s in pain, stops eating or act different. Take her directly to a vet.

Yes the boy and girl rabbit are separated. I noticed last night she was very aggressive and on edge towards him and didn’t want him near, do you know what that can mean?

 

[Preitler]

Was he with her when she gave birth? Then it would mean that she's quite likely pregnant again. Prepare to seperate this litter at 4 weeks if she really is.

You don't have to do anything for the next 2 weeks. Do not take them anywhere. Don't stress the doe. That's the most normal thing for rabbits, that's what they evolved for.
Just give the doe quite and privacy, and don't meddle too much, a quick checkl for dead kits or soiled, wet nesting material, but that's it, you can count them later. Quite likely she'll do fine if that little voice in her head, her instincts, isn't droned out by stuff happening with and around her. None of my 8 first timers had any problems.

That they are siblings doesn't matter, not in the first generation of that happening, and even then it's not as bad as with other species.

Get at least the buck neutered. Or you can never put them together again, well, not without wading knee deep in rabbits in no time.

 

[haharabbits]

H

Was he with her when she gave birth? Then it would mean that she's quite likely pregnant again. Prepare to seperate this litter at 4 weeks if she really is.

You don't have to do anything for the next 2 weeks. Do not take them anywhere. Don't stress the doe. That's the most normal thing for rabbits, that's what they evolved for.
Just give the doe quite and privacy, and don't meddle too much, a quick checkl for dead kits or soiled, wet nesting material, but that's it, you can count them later. Quite likely she'll do fine if that little voice in her head, her instincts, isn't droned out by stuff happening with and around her. None of my 8 first timers had any problems.

That they are siblings doesn't matter, not in the first generation of that happening, and even then it's not as bad as with other species.

Get at least the buck neutered. Or you can never put them together again, well, not without wading knee deep in rabbits in no time.

He wasn’t with her no I’ve separated them and I plan on getting only him neutered. Is there a possibility the first litter might die because the doe and buck could’ve been related? Can my doe die?

I want to know because I feel like it’s somewhat my fault because I didn’t keep them away as good as I thought I did.

 

[Hermelin]

Why I said a first time mother might lose the first litter is due inexperience even experienced mother can lose their litter. Just so you don't blame yourself if it happens, but often the bunny mom will take care of her kits great.

Your doe seem to have managed to birth her kits without a hitch, I just told the warning signs if she might have a kit stuck in her stomach. I know of a person that had to acute go to the vet because her doe got the kit stuck in the stomach. But if your girl don't show any of the signs of discomfort and stop eating, everything will be okay.

So try to be calm and you can already start to prepare yourself a bit and have a plan on what to do with the babies later on. So you don't get stuck with a lot of babies and don't know what to do while they are growing older. Like planning if you don't manage to find a home, you will need to fix a space for all the babies and so on.

 

[haharabbits]

Why I said a first time mother might lose the first litter is due inexperience even experienced mother can lose their litter. Just so you don't blame yourself if it happens, but often the bunny mom will take care of her kits great.

Your doe seem to have managed to birth her kits without a hitch, I just told the warning signs if she might have a kit stuck in her stomach. I know of a person that had to acute go to the vet because her doe got the kit stuck in the stomach. But if your girl don't show any of the signs of discomfort and stop eating, everything will be okay.

So try to be calm and you can already start to prepare yourself a bit and have a plan on what to do with the babies later on. So you don't get stuck with a lot of babies and don't know what to do while they are growing older. Like planning if you don't manage to find a home, you will need to fix a space for all the babies and so on.

Okay thank you! I appreciate it should I check if any are dead or not well? Or should I wait after 3-8 weeks?

 

[zuppa]

Well I think it's just wrong information that most of first litters die, I've seen similar comments on this site as well but I can't agree with that. Rabbits are excellent mothers and know exactly what to do by nature, I think babies die mostly because human owners are trying to intervene and making things worse, at least I ve got that impression here, taking babies for taking pics on instagram etc, trying to feed them when it is completely unnecessary or taking bad care of mother.

None of my first time mothers lost any of their babies, zero loss. Youngest mother was 5 months old was adopted pregnant already and she was an excellent mother. None of my mothers died as well.

Also don't worry that parents were related it won't affect the babies.

Generally, give her some private space cover it with a blanket and leave her alone, provide very good food with high protein and calcium pellets, she can have up to 240 gram per day as she will need to produce milk to feed the babies, and plenty of water, unlimited hay as usual.

If you could post some photo of where she leaves, nest and what she eats we can suggest more, also what is her age?

Don't panic she will be fine

 

[zuppa]

So she gave birth yesterday and you don't know what to do and how to check etc.

Firstly I'd like to know where are the babies, is there nest or maybe you gave her some nestbox? Would be great if you could take a few pics, trying to not disturb her but it would help us to tell you how to take care of them better.

You don't need to bring them to vets, so you don't have to feel guilty. You are good if you make her comfortable, feed her well and check on the babies twice a day, in the morning and in the evening.

You can carefully put your fingers into nest and feel it babies are warm, it there's any cold you should remove them they maybe dead or sometimes need some extra care, you can warm them. Check if all babies have full bellies, if not you give mother some extra food like rolled oats, fennel etc, so she can produce enough milk. Babies can survive up to 48 hours before they fed first time as mother not always have milk immediately after kindling (giving birth).

In your situation you just take care of mother, give her good food and more water, and maybe make a barrier so babies should stay all together, ideally they should have a nest where they will stay until they are 2 weeks.

They are still blind, they will open their eyes around day 10-12, then they will start hopping out ot the nest but she will still feed them until they are 8 weeks.

If she just made her nest in the corner with hay and fur you might want to improve it after a few days, maybe remove soiled hay/fur and add fresh or move them to a nest box carefully. It is best to do it when she is not there and can't see it, because some mothers can be very protective or just can get stressed. Some mothers don't mind but you don't want to risk right?

 

[haharabbits]

Well I think it's just wrong information that most of first litters die, I've seen similar comments on this site as well but I can't agree with that. Rabbits are excellent mothers and know exactly what to do by nature, I think babies die mostly because human owners are trying to intervene and making things worse, at least I ve got that impression here, taking babies for taking pics on instagram etc, trying to feed them when it is completely unnecessary or taking bad care of mother.

None of my first time mothers lost any of their babies, zero loss. Youngest mother was 5 months old was adopted pregnant already and she was an excellent mother. None of my mothers died as well.

Also don't worry that parents were related it won't affect the babies.

Generally, give her some private space cover it with a blanket and leave her alone, provide very good food with high protein and calcium pellets, she can have up to 240 gram per day as she will need to produce milk to feed the babies, and plenty of water, unlimited hay as usual.

If you could post some photo of where she leaves, nest and what she eats we can suggest more, also what is her age?

Don't panic she will be fine

So she gave birth yesterday and you don't know what to do and how to check etc.

Firstly I'd like to know where are the babies, is there nest or maybe you gave her some nestbox? Would be great if you could take a few pics, trying to not disturb her but it would help us to tell you how to take care of them better.

You don't need to bring them to vets, so you don't have to feel guilty. You are good if you make her comfortable, feed her well and check on the babies twice a day, in the morning and in the evening.

You can carefully put your fingers into nest and feel it babies are warm, it there's any cold you should remove them they maybe dead or sometimes need some extra care, you can warm them. Check if all babies have full bellies, if not you give mother some extra food like rolled oats, fennel etc, so she can produce enough milk. Babies can survive up to 48 hours before they fed first time as mother not always have milk immediately after kindling (giving birth).

In your situation you just take care of mother, give her good food and more water, and maybe make a barrier so babies should stay all together, ideally they should have a nest where they will stay until they are 2 weeks.

They are still blind, they will open their eyes around day 10-12, then they will start hopping out ot the nest but she will still feed them until they are 8 weeks.

If she just made her nest in the corner with hay and fur you might want to improve it after a few days, maybe remove soiled hay/fur and add fresh or move them to a nest box carefully. It is best to do it when she is not there and can't see it, because some mothers can be very protective or just can get stressed. Some mothers don't mind but you don't want to risk right?

Anything that needs to be changed can be. the cage also. It’s what my mom could find once she bought them. The doe is eating and the nest is warm.

To my knowledge the doe and buck are 5 months old. She doesn’t appear to be in any pain at all and is eating very good. But still please let me know if I need to change anything.

 

[zuppa]

That's enough for her for the next 2-3 weeks, then babies will grow and you will need more room for them, you can make an extension attaching an x-pen to it or you can build housing or something, she will nurse until her babies are 7-8 weeks then they will start eating usual rabbit food and you can start looking for new homes for them, they will be ready to go at 8 weeks usually.

What food she has in her bowls? There's something unusual in her orange bowl?

Where's her toilet, does she use that corner where her hay and food?

Nice nest it will work, was it her toilet initially? Is there something underneath like absorbing material like wood pellets or shavings? Was it always in that corner or you moved it there?

 

[haharabbits]

Her toilet was initially the best but I got her a new one. There is wood pellets under the nest also and in the orange bowl is food pellets.

 

[haharabbits]

Her toilet was initially the best but I got her a new one. There is wood pellets under the nest also and in the orange bowl is food pellets.

nest*

 

[zuppa]

Her toilet was initially the best but I got her a new one. There is wood pellets under the nest also and in the orange bowl is food pellets.

That's good that there are wood pellets underneath so they will absorb urine and babies will stay dry so basically you will see maybe you can clean the nest in a week or two. what pellets do you feed her, they look unfamiliar, can you post name and ingredients from the package? What percentage protein and calcium there?

 

[nicolekline97]

Good advice above. It may be a challenge to find homes. The right thing to do is get one of the rabbit fixed. Could you talk to your mom or a vet or spay clinic? I am sorry. You are put in a tough situation when you are young and may not be able to pay for a spay or neuter.

 

[haharabbits]

That's good that there are wood pellets underneath so they will absorb urine and babies will stay dry so basically you will see maybe you can clean the nest in a week or two. what pellets do you feed her, they look unfamiliar, can you post name and ingredients from the package? What percentage protein and calcium there?

Here’s the food pellets I use or that my mom bought. The protein (min) percentage is 12% and the calcium (max) is 0.8% and the (min) is 0.3%.
If the brand needs to be changed it can, I have enough money for that.

 

[haharabbits]

Good advice above. It may be a challenge to find homes. The right thing to do is get one of the rabbit fixed. Could you talk to your mom or a vet or spay clinic? I am sorry. You are put in a tough situation when you are young and may not be able to pay for a spay or neuter.

I have called many clinics and hospitals here in my area and some are just really expensive or don’t do anything with rabbits. I have found one place I just have to talk to my mom about it to check with her!

 

[nicolekline97]

I have called many clinics and hospitals here in my area and some are just really expensive or don’t do anything with rabbits. I have found one place I just have to talk to my mom about it to check with her!

You might call some rescues in your area and ask for help and/or suggestions. Possibly there might be a veterinary school within driving distance that might work with price or payments, as well as the vet clinic. If you do not get the rabbits fixed you are going to have many, many rabbits on your hands. I wish you the best and really hope it works out. The no kill shelters typically spay or neuter animals including rabbits. Often they have a vet they work with and may offer lower rates or payments.

 

[haharabbits]

You might call some rescues in your area and ask for help and/or suggestions. Possibly there might be a veterinary school within driving distance that might work with price or payments, as well as the vet clinic. If you do not get the rabbits fixed you are going to have many, many rabbits on your hands. I wish you the best and really hope it works out. The no kill shelters typically spay or neuter animals including rabbits. Often they have a vet they work with and may offer lower rates or payments.

Thank you I appreciate it! I have find some places and am still doing some more research and looking around to what I can do.

 

[nicolekline97]

I am sorry if I do not reply to the correct thread exactly. There is rabbit food made for young rabbits under 1 which is good for the mom too. It honestly cannot remember where I bought my last bag of rabbit food. I believe Farm and Country but not sure. The brand is oxbow and is 18% protein. There are some foods that might help mama called Calf Manna, it is good for her milk supply. I am a newer rabbit owner too though...so just am going by others and the breeder I knew.