Baby Rabbits!

[PippinTheChicken]

One of them died not long ago. I hate mosquitoes!
Anyway, lots, and lots, of photos!!! (Sorry, there might be some dodgy ones, I just put all the photos on)

And more that wouldn't fit.

They're so cute!!! Sorry about the ones that died though

 

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NEWS:

They have been escaping and digging behind the shed. We knew that Sage expecting (He busted out of his cage by jumping up and banging the roof off) so we tried to stop them, we don't even know how they got out this morning! Anyway, she had her babies in a tunnel they dug behind the shed. So, we don't know how many there are, how she's gonna keep them alive, what colours they are, we know nothing about them! Agh! Rabbits are impossible! Chicken are way easier.

 

[NatJ]

They have been escaping....Agh! Rabbits are impossible! Chicken are way easier.

There is a reason that all-wire cages are popular for rabbits: they keep the little escape artists IN! (Yes, I know such cages have their disadvantages too, but escaping rabbits are much less common with them.)

Anyway, she had her babies in a tunnel they dug behind the shed. So, we don't know how many there are, how she's gonna keep them alive, what colours they are, we know nothing about them!

I know how she will keep them alive: if she already had them in a suitable nest, she will go feed them once or twice a day and ignore them the rest of the time. That's all it takes until they are ready to start hopping around on their own in about 2 weeks. (And if she did not make a suitable nest for the bunnies, they are probably dead already, and there's nothing you can do about it.)

The mother will usually feed her babies when no-one is looking. For wild rabbits, she doesn't want to show predators where the babies are. For tame rabbits in safe pens, there is no real advantage to this, but they usually do it anyway.

 

[-Flash-]

There is a reason that all-wire cages are popular for rabbits: they keep the little escape artists IN! (Yes, I know such cages have their disadvantages too, but escaping rabbits are much less common with them.)


I know how she will keep them alive: if she already had them in a suitable nest, she will go feed them once or twice a day and ignore them the rest of the time. That's all it takes until they are ready to start hopping around on their own in about 2 weeks. (And if she did not make a suitable nest for the bunnies, they are probably dead already, and there's nothing you can do about it.)

The mother will usually feed her babies when no-one is looking. For wild rabbits, she doesn't want to show predators where the babies are. For tame rabbits in safe pens, there is no real advantage to this, but they usually do it anyway.

Thanks!

 

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If we could manage to get them out from under the shed, and move them into the cage, would she continue feeding them? Or would she abandon them?

 

[NatJ]

If we could manage to get them out from under the shed, and move them into the cage, would she continue feeding them? Or would she abandon them?

That depends on the rabbit.

They usually start popping out of the nest around 2 weeks old-- if possible, I would try to leave them where they are until then. Once you see any bunnies come out to explore, I would say it's time to catch them (or dig them out, if that's what it takes.) At first, they come out for a little bit and then go hide in the nest again. Later, they stay out for longer at a stretch, and they hide in other places as well.

If leaving them is not possible, provide a nestbox with plenty of hay or straw packed into the bottom & around the sides (look at the tunnel size to know how much space to leave in the middle.) Then move the bunnies and as much of their nest as you can. The bedding goes mostly underneath and around them, but the fur goes mostly on top of them.

Then put the nestbox, bunnies, and mother in a cage she can NOT get out of, and check every day or so to see if they have full bellies. If their bellies are full, she's feeding them enough, and that's all the care they need from her. They burrow themselves into the fur & bedding to stay warm, so she doesn't need to do anything about that. If they are skinny all over with wrinkly skin, they are not getting enough to eat.

One problem with trying to move bunnies: the doe might hop in and out of the nestbox checking on them, and trample them by mistake. (I've raised quite a few litters of rabbits, and I never had a doe refuse to feed them after I handled the bunnies. But I have had nervous does trample their litter-- it didn't happen often, but it was deadly for the bunnies in question )