Unexpected baby bunnies!! Please help!

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

This happened to my daughter 3 weeks ago too
She came home from work to babies and had no idea she had a boy and girl
The boy has since been fixed
He was not separated from mom and babies other then a few days after his surgery
Her rabbits are inside so weather was never an issue
Having kitten formula on hand is not a bad thing just in case
Enjoy the babies
Eyes open 7-10 days

Well, I can see I’m not the only one then! Haha. It’s quite a surprise. And thank you! Did your daughters baby bunnies all do well?

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

I can second this. I’ve tried nursing runt kits back to health a couple times, and with both instances ending in failure, I’ve learned to just leave runts to their mother‘s care.

Ok, thank you! Then I will definitely just let the mama take care of them

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

She might be pregnant. It will be a lot for her body to take if she is, but she will likely be fine.

Don’t worry about the kits not getting food - it’s really not a wise battle to try to feed a baby bun this young yourself. It takes constant care and then eventually you have to feed them rabbit cecotrophes which is difficult. The frustration will likely be met with failure anyway.

Full bellies is good - not worrying on your part is the main goal!

Rabbits have no natural defenses - only to make a heck of a lot of babies. They do it well. Only 30% or so of wild buns make it through each winter so they have adapted by having large healthy litters and playing the numbers game!

Thank you! I’m so glad to hear my doe is doing a good job then

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

This is them this morning. They look a bit thinner, but not to much. Are they ok? Should I try to get another picture?

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

They were moving a lot so it was hard to get a good picture

@NatJ @Barred Rock Mama @LizzzyJo

 

[SummerTheAnimalGirl]

Here is a bit petter picture

 

[NatJ]

Thank you for your response! I will definitely be expecting another litter,…So if the doe has another litter, and I remove this litter, will they by they already be eating solid food? Or will I have to wean them much earlier than usual?

If the doe has another litter, these will almost certainly be eating some solid food by then.
Yes, that would be weaning them earlier than usual, but they will probably be fine.
Make sure they have plenty of hay, including alfalfa, and preferably some rabbit pellets as well (the kind that are based on alfalfa, not the timothy based ones meant for adult rabbits.)

Weaning them at 4 weeks is not usually the best option. But if the mother has a new litter she will no longer nurse the older ones and might injure them. So in that specific situation they will do better in a cage with each other but not with the mother.

I have already been looking into spaying the doe. How long will I have to wait after she has babies? I will definitely continue to update!

Ask your vet to be sure, but probably after she is done nursing them.
That would likely mean 8 weeks after she had this litter (or 8 weeks after the next litter), and I don't know whether the vet would want a few more weeks to be sure she's back to normal condition.

 

[NatJ]

View attachment 3369103
This is them this morning. They look a bit thinner, but not to much. Are they ok? Should I try to get another picture?

Yes, they do look a little thinner. As you can see, they change quite quickly, and the change is pretty obvious.

I think they are still fine. Since rabbits typically nurse just one or two times each day, the bunnies can get visibly thinner and fatter depending on whether you look after they nurse or shortly before they will nurse again.

I would leave them until evening, then check again. They will probably be plump and round again then.

 

[LizzzyJo]

Thank you so much!! It was quite surprising waking out and having more than two bunnies, haha. But it has been an amazing experience! I have already been looking into spaying the doe. How long will I have to wait after she has babies? I will definitely continue to update!

It’s much easier and cheaper to neuter the boy than spay the girl- but it all depends on your vet.

 

[New duck mommy 2021]

Well, I can see I’m not the only one then! Haha. It’s quite a surprise. And thank you! Did your daughters baby bunnies all do well?

Yes they are all doing great
There is 3 of them and mom and dad are really good with them
Dad was with them from birth and never tried to hurt them. The biggest thing with the male is he can get her pregnant right after that’s why she got him fixed so it doesn’t keep happening ( that being said she could be pregnant again as he got fixed a week after they were born)
these are her babies