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What to Expect when you are Expecting...Bunnies!
All rabbit breeders have their methods for achieving healthy viable litters. Surprisingly, rabbit does are not terribly good at mothering sometimes. Unlike cats, they will not move kits who have strayed from the nest back into the safety of the nestbox. Often, they birth their young outside the nest and will leave the young to die of hypothermia "on the wire." It is up to the human to save these babies or you will lose them all.
Does most often give birth in the wee hours of the morning (4 am - 6 am) just before daylight on the 31st day of gestation. Does can give birth anywhere between the 29th and 35th day, however it is rare to stray too far from the 30th to 32nd day. Be sure to mark breeding dates carefully on the calendar and be ready. Introduce a nest box and coastal hay for nesting material on day 25. It is a good idea to remove all toys from the cage at this time as they will be incorporated into the nest in the does frenzy. The doe will sometimes pull some hair right away, but more often she will build a fine nest and pull hair just as she gives birth. A hormone produced causes the hair to easily be pulled from the teat area. This is a truly clever manuver nature designed: the doe reveals her milk to the kits at the same time she provides a warm, soft bed for them to sleep in!
It is a good idea to check does often during this period. It only takes a few minutes to lose kits which are born on the wire. If you catch them in time, you can warm them next to your skin to pink them up. Then simply nest them into the nestbox and cover them with mother's hair for a blanket. If mom has not pulled hair, shredded cotton balls can substitute. Experienced rabbit raisers save hair from false pregnancies and grooming to use instead. Don't worry about the foreign smell, it doesn't seem to bother them at all.
After the doe has completed birthing, give her some calf manna and remove the whole nestbox for inspection. Check each kit and count them. If they have smudges of blood or anything else on them, gently clean them with a baby wipe. Leaving this for mother can be a bad idea. Sometimes does will over clean their young and puncture their tender skin or accidently cannibalize ears, tails, or feet.
Within a 24 hour period following birth the doe should have fed her young. Most do it soon after birth. You can tell a kit has been fed because its belly will pertrude on the sides. If she has not fed them, the kits should be put with another nursing doe or they can be fed by hand using the mother if she has milk. To do this, hold the mother on her back covering her face to calm her. Place each kit on her stomach area and help them find a teat. It doesn't take long to see full bellies appear. This only needs to be done two times per day even if the mother does not start to feed them. Rabbit milk is the most caloric mamalian milk on Earth. After two weeks they can take care of taking what's theirs on their own.
At about 10 days the bunnies will begin to open their eyes. At 14 days, they will venture out of the nestbox and begin eating pellets and hay. Old fashioned oatmeal is a great baby food to introduce at this time. By 4 weeks they will start to be less interested in their mother's milk and the feeling is mutual for the doe. If the kits are eating well, weaning can begin. For some, another week is needed. By 6 weeks, the kits should be weaned and ready for new homes.
Rabbit Birthing is fascinating. Check out this resource to learn all about what to expect:
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Color_genetic_codes.pdf [487.14K]
