View Full Version : One baby rabbit
ricki2217
Jun 7, 2007, 09:34 AM
My rabbit had a litter of 3 kits 2 died. My question is do we need to bring the baby inside? It isn't very warm outside, and I have read that there needs to be 3 or more kits for them to stay warm. Any advice would be great!
tickle
Jun 7, 2007, 09:35 AM
Yes, common sense would prevail. I hope you bring it inside with the mom.
ricki2217
Jun 7, 2007, 09:40 AM
Yes, common sense would prevail. I hope you bring it inside with the mom.
Wow OK thanks for that. They are inside just not in the house, more like a small barn. And the mom does not like being in the house I tried bringing her inside. It made her very nervous, she wouldn't lay down or sleep so thanks once again.
tickle
Jun 7, 2007, 09:47 AM
Is the small one big enough to do without the mom though. You know they are quite able to keep warm themselves and not knowing where you live, I really ant tell. I live in Ontario and the nights are cool but not deadly for baby animals.
ricki2217
Jun 7, 2007, 10:01 AM
Um no she just had them, I didn't even know she was going to have kits. We have never bred them, I just got her a few weeks ago. The people that had her have over 150 rabbits in the garage so I guess I kind of saved her. I tried to bring her inside and she was just so scared. She is much calmer outside, I think she is kind of still afraid of people. I live in seattle, so its not freezing but not very warm either.
tickle
Jun 7, 2007, 10:43 AM
Good luck ricki. Unfortunately they breed so often, you may be overwhelmed if you let that happen.
tickle
Jun 7, 2007, 10:58 AM
Wow really I can't see where I was rude in the above post. Go figure. Sorry you felt that way.
Chicklet
Jun 7, 2007, 05:20 PM
Rabbits will more often then not Eat their babies if they become nervous,
I sometimes think the female rabbit believes she is protecting the young by eating it.
Moving them in most cases is a sure death sentence to the young,
The best thing to do is leave it be, make sure its well covered for warmth,
But try not to upset the mum,
If your Rabbit is well use to you and trusts you, then you'd have better luck.
Of the hundreds of rabbits I raised I only ever had one that would let me mess with her babies and not kill them... some would allow me a quick peek, others just killed them within minutes of my touching.
Just touching the babies and the mumma smelling it can sometimes be enough for them to kill and eat them, (if you must touch try not to let the mum see you & then cross your fingers,) A few times they will just abandon the young,
But the main trait is eating the young.
You might get lucky moving her and the baby, But the greater odds are against it,
Also, I don't know where you live, but, I live in Nova Scotia Canada and it's not to cold for newborn baby rabbits to remain outside, (so long as they are covered and out of the direct elements,) A nest box with lots of mumma's neck hair, to make a soft warm bed. The mumma rabbit does this naturally.
Give the mumma lots of hay or pulled grass, She'll sometimes add this to the thickness of her nest bed, which in turn helps keep the baby protected better