Has My Rabbit Abandoned Her Kits?

When my rabbit Eowyn, a mini-rex, gave birth to her first litter of kits, she seemed nervous and unsure of herself. The day after she gave birth, I found one of the kits dead, bruised, and clearly underfed. I immediately seized the other three. Two died on the way to the vet's office; the other died in the veterinarian's hands. As the doctor sadly informed me, my rabbit had abandoned, and then killed, her entire litter. I was devastated-- but relieved when, the next go-around, Eowyn raised a healthy litter of seven kits.

It isn't uncommon for a rabbit to abandon or kill her kits, especially her first time around. But it is far more common for rabbit guardians to erroneously assume that the mothers have abandoned their young. Before you start attempting to rescue baby bunnies from an apparently neglectful mother, take these critical steps to ensure that your assessment is correct.

1. Look for signs of injury. If one or more of your baby bunnies shows bite-marks, scratches, bruises or other noticeable injuries, it's likely that the mother has intentionally or negligently hurt them. In this case, get all of the kits-- not just those who are visibly injured-- to a vet promptly before she kills all of her young. (Be sure to wrap them warmly in a towel; young kits are prone to hypothermia.) If you notice only minor scratches, carefully monitor the kits for additional signs of injury before taking them from their mother.

2. Observe the rabbit's nesting behavior. If your doe didn't build a nest at all, it's almost certainly a sign that she will abandon her kits-- if she hasn't already. Eowyn built an inadequate nest before her first litter, which she abandoned. Although she did pull out her fur and distribute it in the area where she gave birth, the nest wasn't deep enough, wide enough or covered enough to accommodate the kits. When kindling is inadequate-- or when a rabbit fails to kindle at all-- it is a sign that she doesn't know what she is doing. A rabbit who does not build a nest at all will almost always abandon or injure her young. A well-built, well-tended nest is a sign that she is interested in her kits and dedicated to their care.

3. Check for well-fed bellies. Rabbits only feed their kits once or twice per day, so it's likely that you'll rarely or never see your doe nursing her offspring. Rabbits do not lie with their kits the way that mother dogs and cats will lie with their young. Instead, they stand over the kits for just a few moments, allowing each to drink a small amount of very concentrated milk. You can tell if a rabbit is feeding her young by picking up the kits and carefully examining their stomachs. If they have puffy, rather than sunken, bellies, they are getting enough milk.

4. Keep her calm. This step is especially important if you are dealing with your rabbit's first litter. Your doe is most likely to panic if she senses a problem-- for example, if you are continuously picking up the kits or otherwise disturbing the nest. While it is acceptable to examine the kits daily, you should use caution so as not to disturb the already-nervous mother. Of course, always keep adult male rabbits away from the kits. Some will tolerate their own young, but others will brutally kill their offspring or cause the female to kill them.

5. Get professional help. If you have any questions about the health or safety of the rabbit kits in your care, do not hesitate to contact a rabbit-experienced veterinarian for help and support. In the event that your rabbit has abandoned her kits, prompt intervention can save the litter. And, as Eowyn's story shows, one lost litter does not spell the end of your doe's potential as a parent. By providing proper care for your doe, you maximize her chances of success in later pregnancies.

How to Hold a Rabbit

As a rabbit breeder, I've sold dozens of baby bunnies to eager guardians. Most of them have been well-prepared for adventures in rabbit-raising. They come to me with a basic understanding of how to hold, pet and care for a pet rabbit. However, many would-be rabbit owners know very little about rabbits, and come to me without even understanding how to hold them. I have even seen prospective buyers try to pick up rabbits by their ears before sheepishly admitting that they don't know what to do.

There's no reason to let embarrassment get in the way of responsible pet ownership. If you're interested in owning or even handling a bunny, you should be aware of how to hold a rabbit. Handling bunnies is a fairly simple task but does take a bit of practice. Here are the basic steps involved in correctly holding a pet rabbit.

1. Be gentle. Improper handling of a rabbit can cause the animal to suffer a spinal cord injury, which is paralyzing at best and fatal at worst. Rabbits' spines are relatively delicate and it takes just one strong movement to permanently snap the pet's backbone. Understand that it is dangerous to "rough-house" with a rabbit; you can not jostle them like puppies.

2. Keep the rabbit calm. A panicked bunny can easily hurt itself or you. If you pick up a scared, rabbit, he may kick so hard that he knocks his spine out of alignment. Frightened bunnies are also prone to aggressive behaviors like biting and scratching. If your pet rabbit is resistant to being held, don't pick him up. Pet him gently until he is ready for you hold him.

3. Find a quiet area. This is particularly important if you have a new rabbit who isn't accustomed to being held. Your pet bunny may struggle out of your arms if he gets frightened while you're holding him. Handle your bunny in a room free of dogs, children, radios, televisions or other potentially distressing noise sources.

4. Cup the bunny's butt in one hand. Hold the rabbit so that most of his weight, in the hindquarters, rests in one of your hands. Use the other hand to support his other half. Unless you have the bunny supported against your chest or lap, don't let go with one hand in order to pet him. Keep both hands under the rabbit at all times.

5. Supervise children carefully. A child under the age of ten should never, ever hold a rabbit without assistance. Young children are not only too small to have enough hand-space for a rabbit, but they lack the know-how involved in unsupervised bunny care. If your child wants to hold a rabbit, sit down with her on a floor or sofa while she does so. Then demonstrate the two-handed bunny hold.

6. Look into getting a harness and leash. My pet rabbits have a harness that they wear any time that I am holding them in an area where they should not be loose. When we are outdoors or in a room that isn't bunny-proof, I keep them leashed even while holding them. This way, should they escape, I can easily catch them. If you have a skittish bunny with a tendency to run away, check out your local pet store for leash-and-harness sets. 

Do I Need to Take My Rabbit to the Vet?

As a rabbit breeder, I get a lot of bunny-related questions from prospective buers. Each and every new rabbit-parent asks me a stream of questions about the dietary, habitat, and time requirements involved in bunny care. One of the most common questions I hear is, "Do I have to take it to the vet?"

Most responsible pet guardians know that a veterinary check-up is essential when you purchase a new cat or dog. However, I don't personally believe that a first-time vet visit or annual checkup is necessary for rabbits. Here are a few factors to consider when determining whether you should take your rabbit to the vet.

Rabbits don't need vaccines.

There are no widely available vaccinations for pet rabbits, and no laws require that pet rabbits receive immunizations of any kind Most states require that pet cats and dogs receive rabies vaccines, but these treatments are unnecessary for rabbits, since they would rarely, if ever, spread the rabies. You do not need to bring your bunny in for a round of shots as you might do for a cat or dog.

Bunnies don't usually get worms.

Puppies and kittens usually have to go to the vet at least once to be de-wormed, since intestinal parasites are extremely common in carnivores. However, harmful digestive parasites do not generally affect bunnies, guinea pigs or other herbivores. You do not have to take your rabbit to the vet to test for worms or to treat them.

Spaying and neutering are complex issues for rabbits.

Spaying and neutering are generally the responsible way to go when it comes to owning a pet. Given the notoriously prolific nature of rabbits, it may seem like a no-brainer choice to make. However, the cost of neutering a rabbit ranges from about $150-200 on average since they require special anesthesia. Most rabbit owners are simply unwilling to front that expense. I recommend simply keeping only rabbits of one sex unless you can afford neutering.

The ASPCA does recommend annual vet visits.

Although I know very few rabbit owners who take their bunnies to the vet for check-ups, the ASPCAdoes recommend doing so. A vet can evaluate your bunny for symptoms of disease and injury, and can also answer your questions about pet care. However, I have never personally never heard of a veterinarian diagnosing a rabbit with a disease when it was showing no symptoms.

Always go to the vet immediately if your bunny is sick.

In the wild, rabbits are easy prey, so they have evolved to show few or no signs of illness until they are on the brink of death. If your rabbit is showing signs of sickness, he needs immediate, life-saving medical care. Symptoms like diarrhea, no bowel movements, runny nose, red urine, and lethargy require immediate veterinary evaluation.

Know what's right for you.

If you're a first-time bunny owner and have questions about the well-being of your new ball of fluff, there's no harm in going to the vet for an evaluation. If you want to have your rabbit spayed or neutered, a vet's care is obviously essential. Although it isn't necessary for all rabbits to go to the vet, it's best to contact an expert any time that you are concerned about your bunny's health.

When can you hold newborn baby bunnies?

To me, the best part of rabbit-breeding is the opportunity to hold newborn baby bunnies. I love snuggling rabbits of all ages, but there's nothing like the experience of cradling a mouse-sized kit in my own palm. Many friends, buyers and prospective breeders have asked me when a baby rabbit is old enough to hold. Unfortunately, there is solid answer that will be true for every kit, doe and guardian. Here are some points to consider if you're trying to determine when your baby bunnies will be big enough to handle.

1. Can you check on the babies without holding them? Even if you don't yet feel confident picking up your kits, you should inspect them every day for signs of illness and injury. Immediately after the baby bunnies are born, count them and look for signs of inherited defects or injuries incurred during birth. If any of the kits are dead, injured or visibly ill, remove them from the litter immediately.

2. Do you have a good relationship with the mother? If you are close with the mother rabbit, you're likely to have more luck handling the kits without disturbing her or jeopardizing the health of the babies. Mother rabbits who feel nervous around humans are more likely to panic when they see their kits being handled. However, if you're close with your doe and she has mothered multiple litters, you can likely handle the kits without causing her much distress.

3. She won't abandon the babies because of your scent. A common myth states that animals will abandon their young if the babies are handled by humans. According to folk legend, human hands change the scent of the babies, leading the mothers unable to identify their young. This is, in fact, untrue. The odor of your hands is not strong enough to mask or remove a kit's natural scent, and rabbits do not rely heavily on smell to identify one another. Some rabbits will abandon their young, often with no apparent reason, but it does not occur because of the smell of human skin.

4. Do you know how to handle kits correctly? If this is your first time holding baby bunnies, it's best to wait until they are a few days ( or possibly even a few weeks) old before you handle them any more than necessary. You should have already mastered the art of holding kits securely and gently before you begin handling them more than once or twice a day (or any more than you need to confirm their health and safety). Never let a child or someone who is unfamiliar with baby rabbits hold newborn kits.

5. Wait three weeks before you handle baby bunnies like grown-ups. After three weeks of age, most kits are strong enough and resilient enough to withstand regular petting, cuddling, and prolonged holding. Babies this age to need to be around their mothers and siblings for much of the day, but you can handle them in essentially the same way you would handle an adult rabbit.