My rabbit had babies!!!!!!!!?

Question

OMG!!!!!!! I had no idea she was pregnant. We have a male but they were only together once we were sure she wasn't pregnant she showed no signs of it. We were planning on getting her spayed really soon we were going to set up an apointment. Tonight we went to go feed her and there were 5 babies in her cage on the wire floor all alive. We quickly put a towel in a box with hay and put them in it and put them in her cage. We fed the mom and are now leaving them alone for now but we are worried she wont feed them or she won't be a good mother. She is 8 months old and the male is 10 months old she is a dutch and he is a holland lop. Since they are mixed breeds are there more risks and is there a good chance they will live? I really need some tips and advice to help my sweetie rabbit and her babies. Please dont judge me for leting them together it was an accident.

Answer 1

It only takes minutes for pregnancy, and it is very hard to tell. I understand.

At 8 months, she may not know what to do but probably will. Don't panic if she isn't with them all day. Rabbits only feed their babies at night. If you can see them without touching them or getting too close for "Mom's" comfort, their bellies are fairly see-through. You will see the white milk in their tummies. If the tummies are empty every time you see them or she shows no interest in going to them at night, you may have to bottle feed. Bottle fed babies usually don't survive, but rarely they may surprise you.

She will more than likely pull some of her hair out to line the nest. Don't worry if she looks bald. It won't hurt her and the hair grows back. I had a Dwarf Blue who pulled out every hair on her body with each litter. If she pulls no hair, it is because she is inexperienced and doesn't know to. You just have to make sure that the babies don't catch a draft without the hair.

They will be weaned at 4 weeks. Until then it is normal for the mother to pack food to them, sometimes even before they can eat it. Once they are weaned, she can be spayed. She can also get pregnant again once they are weaned. If you need to know anything else, you can contact me privately. I used to breed rabbits.

Answer 2

You're doing all the right things. Chances are everything will be fine. Rabbits that are stressed will sometimes kill and even eat their babies, but if you found them all alive after she had to give birth to them out in the open, on a wire floor, without a nest, (no criticism of you -- you didn't know she was pregnant) which are stressful conditions, she will take good care of them now.

The best thing would be to provide her with a nesting box in her cage and put the towel and hay in it, so she will feel like she has a safe place for her babies. A wooden box would be best. Leave the little family alone, except for feeding and cleaning the cage, for a week or so. You will begin to see the babies peeking out from around their mother within 3 or 4 weeks. Don't let the male be with the babies...they will sometimes kill them.

At eight months, the mother is mature enough to raise her babies successfully. Dutch and Holland Lops are compatible...they are about the same size.

Be sure the mother has access to a salt block, fresh water, and good rabbit food. Not too many greens, which can upset rabbits' digestive systems.

I'd suggest you go to a pet store such as PetCo or PetsMart and get ther free information sheets on rabbits, and see if they have anything on breeding rabbits.

When you have her spayed, be sure you choose a vet that is experienced with rabbits. They have special anesthesia requirements.

You sound like a very caring owner. I think things will go fine.

Answer 3

DO NOT BOTTLE FEED. this is a HUGE misconception.
rabbits only feed their young twice a day. So it will be very likely that you will not see her in the box as long as the babies are alive and react by behaving like popcorn (jumping erratically) when you check on them they are fine. There are SOOO many unplanned rabbit pregnancies due to the fact that rabbits are reflex ovulaters meaning they ovulate because of intercourse they do not breed because of ovulation as do most other animals such as dogs, cats, horses etc There fore males and females are sometimes allowed to hang out because people do not believe a litter will result. If there is a male and a female a litter WILL result!!! this is why there is such a phrase as reproducing like rabbits.
Do keep the male away until one of them has been fixed.

Answer 4

Congratulations!!!!! Don't worry about letting them together, just next time check up on them so they don't do anything unneccesary. For the babies, I'm not sure whether that they will have risks or anything. Though, since it is your first rabbit's litter, or whatever it's called, I reccomend helping your rabbit, such as bottle feeding. Try to provide them a comfortable bed, don't let them be too uncomfortable. After that be sure that you know good families that want bunnies.

Answer 5

I raised rabbits for a while, but gave it up because rabbits are not good mothers (or pets for that matter.) The mix of breeds should have no effect on whether the babies live or not.
The library has lots of good books about breeding rabbits, and I imagine you can find lots on the Internet, too.

Answer 6

this link can tell you more than I personally can.

http://www.rabbit.org/care/babies.html

on a My rabbit was a mix breed and she lived to be 8 years old, so I don't think simply because they're mixed, they'll have more problems than other rabbits.

Its possible- but not always the rule.

but read through that link. Its got some GREAT info.

Best of luck! Keep us posted!

Answer 7

I used to raise orphaned baby bunnies...who knew what kinds of mixed breeds they were, and I only ever had one baby bunny die. If the mama doesn't care for the baby bunnies, you can bottle-feed them formula. You might want to talk to your vet to get the best possible bottles and formula for your rabbits if the need arises. Basically let the mama do what she needs to do...she honestly knows better than we humans. But if she does get neglectful, don't hesitate to give the babies a bottle! Bottle-raised babies make sweet pets (even the wild bunnies I hand-raised!).

Answer 8

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Answer 9

wait about yet another 5 days. save a very close eye on them in case you go away them with the mummy longer than 4 weeks she may kill them also at the same time as touching them provide the mummy a carrot or lettuce to save her occupied and so she knows you recommend no damage xxx solid luck in the experience that your nevertheless uncertain search for suggestion from a vet xx

Answer 10

I'm not suprised that they mated and it isn't your fault. It takes less than 3 minutes for them to mate. No them being mixed breeds won't hurt. Here are some sites that might help you.