# how long can newborn bunnies live on their own



## MamaDee (May 10, 2006)

Our Californian just had bunnies the night before last. There were a bunch of them the nest box...a few dead, and two dead outside of the box. I removed the dead ones. A few hours later a few more were dead and so on. Until there were two left. The who time everytime I was down in the barn she never went into the nest box. I couldn't believe there were two left last night alive. I did finally put her in the box two different times I was so mad at her for ignoring them....but she jumped right back out.

Well, this morning there are still two alive. How long can a baby bunny last if mama is not taking care of them? This long? I'm starting to think she is nursing them or they'd be gone already. But our other Cal. ignored her first litter as well as both of my friend's Cals. Is that common?

Actually my friend has had three litter from two Cals......two litters were eaten by mom and the other died from abandonment. Ugh.

Dee


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

You will rarely see a mother rabbit in the nest box. It doesn't necessarily mean she is not feeding them. Rabbits operate by instinct and instinct tells her to protect her babies by not drawing attention to them. She will only go in to feed them - once or twice a day - usually at night or early morning. 

Check the kits' tummies. If they are filled out and rounded, then she is feeding them. If they are flat and wrinkly, then maybe not.


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## MamaDee (May 10, 2006)

Well, that's good to know. So maybe there's hope for them. I just checked again and they're still alive. I wanted to check tummies but was afraid to touch them yet, given mom's shaky history. I don't know why she would let the whole rest of the litter die and finally decide to take care of these two. 

Maybe they just lasted long enough until her "mothering" switch got flipped and now they'll be o.k.

My friend is about to eat both her does. Her poor daughter has seen three litters now die.....aparently she came in to mom crying, "Mom, she is eating them AGAIN!" Poor kid.

Dee


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## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

Is this your doe's first litter? Mothering instincts do sometimes seem to kick in late. If she manages to raise these two, chances are she will do much better next time.

There is a difference between a doe eating kits that died during or after birth and a doe that kills and eats its young. The first is just cleaning up the nest and - incidentally - giving herself a much needed protein boost at the same time. Nature's way... not always pretty but very efficient.


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## MamaDee (May 10, 2006)

Well, I guess I was overly hopeful. All the bunnies are now dead. Do all rabbits do this or are meat rabbits worse--being hybreds?

Dee


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

You can mess with the babies, you can mess with the mama, but you can't make the mama take care of her babies. Rabbits are prey animals and in order to keep their babies safe they don't spend much time with them. Just once or twice a day to feed and that's it.

Was this doe a first timer and was she used to you being in her cage and messing with stuff? If she wasn't used to you messing around so much she could simply have abandonded the babies. Harsh but true. You are a predator, unless she is used to you being around a lot your attention was too much.

Rebreed her and see what happens, but don't wait until the babies come to get her used to you being around and invading her territory. Or once the babies are born just check them once a day or every other day.


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## Macybaby (Jun 16, 2006)

I just did some major messing with two litters. I hope the does are OK with this, but the nest areas needed to be cleaned. The first litter of 4 is just getting their eyes open, and the second litter of 7 is about 5 days behind. I "mess" with them almost every day, and the does come and watch what I'm doing, so I hope they don't get too upset. 

The four week old litter got messed with almost every day, and they are the least nervous of the rabbits so far. I was in cleaning out the pen and they kept getting under foot. Dad is a "true" male, he saw cleaning going on and got out of the pen and sat in the other side of the building watching. He loves to explore outside of his pen when I let him.

Cathy


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## maidservant (Dec 10, 2007)

I have six does and 41 kits right now. Not all of my does like to be messed with, but they tolerate me, and don't mind me handling the kits. I only check on them once per day for dead ones. I've only found one dead (stayed attatched to the nipple and got drug out of the nest box) this time through, and I am very proud of all of my girls. I have two raising litters of 10 each, an 8, and a 7. My two rex girls had 5 and 1. 

I would suggest giving the doe about a week off and handle her as much as you can. Now by handling, I don't mean picking her up or even touching her. Sitting in front of her cage to let her get to know your voice and smell counts as handling. The more accustomed to you she is, the easier it will be next time. 

On a side note, have you bred the buck to a different doe? Has he ever had a good litter with another doe? There may have been something wrong with the kits. Either genetically, or otherwise. Sometimes the kits cannot latch on to the nipple and cannot feed. Many things we cannot control. 

Again, I would re-breed her after about a week and see how she does. 

Emily in NC


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## Danaus29 (Sep 12, 2005)

Macybaby, I mess with all my does and all kits from day 1. Daily checks on babies, head rubs and back scratches for the does several times a day from every one who cares for them (dd, ds, and me). I won't breed a nervous or fidgety doe. I've got an adorable little Netherland Dwarf doe who would have made the most beautiful ND/mini rex mixes, but she's a biter and will never be used for breeding. She would have been in the stew pot if it wasn't for the promise I made to the woman who rescued her. And I wouldn't have trusted any of her offspring to sell them as pets. If a doe can't tolerate being touched and rubbed IMO, she isn't worthwhile for breeding. Other breeders may have a different opinion but even if I was raising for meat I still would cull or avoid nervous does.

ETA, I've never lost a live born kit. All my does have accepted me and the kids messing with their babies, even removing them and playing with them.


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