Baby Rabbit Just Disappeared!?!

[Bunnylady]

They can eat their young whenever stressed; usually when someone bothers the nest. Maybe to count the babies. Never bother a doe that has recently kindled; do not clean the box for a while after the babies are born.

I have been breeding rabbits for over 30 years, and during that time, I have had exactly 1 doe that intentionally savaged her litter, and she did it more than once and without unusual provocation. I handle babies within hours of their birth, regularly bring litters into the house during cool weather, and even relocate the does and their litters if necessary. Most of my rabbits have been completely unfazed by any of this. Half a century ago, rabbits may still have been touchy enough for the warning about does eating their litters to be valid, but the modern rabbit breeder is usually pretty hands-on, and IME, this advice is, at best, very outdated.

 

[Breezybabesssss]

When a doe eats a live baby, there is usually some sign of it - it's a messy business. The baby might have died and the doe eaten it, but I really can't remember ever having had that happen. Most of the time, when a baby disappears, I eventually find it, in some corner or wad of hay, deceased.

Any chance it could have gotten out of the cage?

I don’t know if I will get a reply but I just had this happen to me. My doe bunny nested in an entertainment center I had in the room she is kept in (which she does come out and explore but I have dogs so when the dogs are in I keep the door closed and when they’re out back I let her out ) I left the cabinet door open so she had easier access to her babies and I think when she would go in for feedings and then hop out she would accidentally knock the babies out because often I found the nest on the floor with the babies. Today around noon they all were in the box I put them all back into one spot and left them I checked on them at about 8:30pm and the black baby bunny is nowhere to be found and only her tan siblings were there. I am so distraught. I am scared that another one will go missing. I’ve searched everywhere but am nervous if I mess around with the nest anymore that she might get anxious and her babies would be no longer.. idk. I need advice man.

 

[cassie]

I just found it. It had teeth marks on it and it had been drug out of the nest box. It was hidden against the wall under her hay manger.

Many animals, not just rabbits, will discard any young that is sick or defective. I once cared for a mother rat and her babies while the owners were out of town. The cage was hung in a tree. One day I found a baby on the ground underneath the cage. I picked it up and put it back. Next day it was on the ground again and again I put it back. The third day, same thing. This time I took it home and raised it myself. The rear feet on this baby rat were clubbed so I guess the mother decided to discard it. He was a great pet, clubbed feet and all.