lots and lots of rabbits...

[rabbitfarmer]

I wasn't planning on joining a rabbit forum, but i needed advice so here i am. We currently have 19 rabbits :shock: Is there anyone else on here who have a lot of rabbits like that? When i mention how many we have, most people act like we're nuts. We didn't intend on getting 19 rabbits. Here's our story.

I have 4 daughters. For years my 9 year old has asked for a rabbit. Every time we go to the county fair she asks, every Christmas, birthday, easter it's #1 on her list. But we always said No because we already have a dog.

About 2 weeks before Easter a friend of my husband's family was getting rid of some of his rabbits. He asked my husband if we wanted any, but needed an answer right away. So we didn't really have time to think about it. I told my husband yes get Arabbit, as in one,uno. Because our daughter had been asking and asking for one. So he goes there and there are 5 rabbits available. We were told they were between the ages of 6-8 months. My husband decides that it wouldn't be fair to get one daughter a rabbit and not the others. (mind you the other girls never mentioned wanting a rabbit). Then he felt bad taking 4 and leaving 1 behind. So my SIL took the 5th rabbit.

so now we have 5 rabbits (counting SILS) but no food and no shelter. Yes it literally was say yes take rabbits kind of deal. We decided to give the girls the rabbits on Easter, that way it gave my husband time to build a hutch. In the meantime the rabbits stayed at my SILs house.

1 week later, 7 days before Easter. My SIL calls and says one of the rabbits had babies. So it was pregnant when we got her. (BTW at this point all the rabbits are in the same hutch. I asked DH about seperating them, but he didnt' think it was necessary since the previous owners had them all together. Yep don't know much about rabbit breeding here).

We're not sure how many rabbits there were originally. But based on sizes, we believe out of the 9 that survived it is actually 2 different litters a couple days apart in age. Someone told my husband and his sister that if anyone touched the newborns the mama would eat the rabbits. so they refused to check on or touch any of the babies. I really wanted to at least weigh them, but they were insistent that no one touch any of them.

About a week after the babies were born we finally figured out the bigger rabbits sexes. It took a while to catch the rabbits, plus we weren't sure how to tell! but after looking at pictures and watching youtube videos. We decided we had 1 male and 4 females. The male was removed. But you guessed it, he had been in there long enough.

We finally were able to move the babies and mamas (babies are now 4wks old) to their new home at our house. They've been here for close to a week now. And were quite surprised to find 3 newborns yesterday, and then 6 more this morning. for a total of 19 rabbits (20 if you count SILs).

I want to do my best to make sure the babies make it. My SILs rabbit had babies too, but they all died Mama wouldn't nurse them, and again my SIL wouldn't touch the newborns as someone told them that the mama would eat the rabbits if she touched them.

ok long introduction coming to an end..We were told the rabbits are a mix of Lionhead and rex (not sure if mini or standard) peanut butter (our male) is around 5 pounds.

Chris mom to 4 daughters, 1 dog, 19 rabbits, and a husband

 

[saidinjester]

:welcome1 Sounds like you've got your hands full! We all love pictures here!

I don't know about that "don't touch the babies or the mothers will eat them" thing though. My parents used to raise rabbits and I know they handled the babies regularly.

 

[fuzz16]

Im glad to see someone else count husband in the owned/responsibilty count!!!

First, get peanut butter nuetered. The female without the litter, spayed. Expect possibly more. Watch moms, their young and first time moms make mistakes.

Also make sure you always have hay available

When babies are 7-8 weeks spay moms. Seperate males from females. Do you plan on keeping any babies?

The females may fight with one another if their not sepereated or given enough room. If you have the spwce build a run attachment to your hutch.

Mom shouldnt kill them if you touch them, but she may get aggressive with you. She doesnt know you. So when you feed check on kits. Make sure their alive and have pot bellies. If she kicks them out of nest put them back in so they dont freeze. Good luck

 

[rabbitfarmer]

yes we plan on keeping all the babies. They rabbits get plenty of hay. We have an 80# bale at our house! Funny a couple days before we brought them home someone at my husband's work asked if he had any need for some hay. This guy was driving around with an 80# bale of hay in the back of his truck and just gave it to my husband! Babies are all warm and pot bellied, except for one . I'm trying to warm it up but i'm not hopeful. He/she is cold (warming up slightly) and skinny looking.

 

[woahlookitsme]

If it doesnt get fed you will probably loose it. You can try to put the baby under momma but if he doesnt have enough strength then he will probably pass. You definately have your hands full from that situation and i hope some lessons were learned. We are one of those people with alot of rabbits. I show and breed Tans and my mom does Polish rabbits. If your daughter wanted a rabbit really bad you could have looked into showing in ARBA or 4H. Raising meat rabbits for my highschool show is how i generated my whole first semester of college ($5500 for reserve champion meat pen) but of course the words meat is in it so some explaining to your daughter would have been unavoidable. But a great way to help get money for school and things.

If you are ever feeling overwhelmed please dont feel bad if you need to find homes for some bunnies. And utilize spaying and neutering to avoid more litters. Momma rabbits have eaten their babies before but it is a rare occurance. In the four years i have been breeding rabbits we have never had a mom eat her litter. If she does it then mom would have felt extremely threatened or felt that something was wrong with her babies that would cause them to not survive. Abandoned litters are more common to experience and much more stressful.

Wecome to the forum!

 

[LakeCondo]

Wow, you certainly got rabbits in a big way. After things settle down, you will have to decide which ones to keep & which to find homes for or take to a shelter. Just be careful that the new generation gets separated by gender by 3 months, or you'll have hundreds.

 

[fuzz16]

Also see if you can give clouds cold kit to momma of 3. Cloud may be overwhelmed. Looking into rabbit colonies too. Maybe you can get DH to build a small shed thats pretty on outside. Like a kids play cottage wit fake floowers on the wi dow sills lol.