How to Care for Newborn Rabbits

You may notice or suspect that your female rabbit is pregnant. So, what should you do now? It's essential to prepare ahead for the arrival of the baby rabbits and create a comfortable nesting area during this sensitive period, ensuring the health of the newborns.

Feed the mother rabbit a high-quality diet. The rabbit's diet doesn't change much during pregnancy or weaning, but it still needs to provide high-quality nutrition. You should check the food label and provide food that contains:

• 16-18 percent protein
• 18-22 percent fiber
• 3 percent fat or less
• The mother rabbit needs access to clean water, so be sure to replace the water 2-3 times a day.
• You can supplement the mother's diet during pregnancy and while nursing by giving her dried alfalfa hay to provide additional protein.

Separate the female rabbit from the male rabbit. Normally, male rabbits do not harm newborns. However, they can cause the female rabbit to become pregnant again right after giving birth, leading to a second pregnancy before she has finished weaning the first litter. To prevent this, you should keep the two rabbits apart.

• It’s best to allow the male rabbit to be close to the female but separated by individual cages. Rabbits tend to form strong bonds, and their proximity can help reduce unnecessary stress during pregnancy and birthing.
• NOTE: Never pick up the rabbit by the scruff as shown in the illustration.

Prepare the birthing nest. Newborn rabbits are born without fur and require constant warmth. A nest lined with soft materials will help keep the babies warm and concentrated in one area. The nest (a cardboard box can be used) should be larger than the female rabbit, with the edges raised about 3 cm to prevent the newborns from falling out.

• Line the nest with plenty of fresh grass (free from fertilizers or pesticides), straw, or dried grass. Place the nest on a clean cloth to avoid any loose fibers that might get caught on the newborns.
• The female rabbit often rearranges the hay or pulls out fur to add to the nest, signaling that birth is approaching.
• Place the nest and the mother’s litter tray at opposite ends of the cage to avoid complications for the newborns.
• The cage should be placed in a dark, quiet area. A noisy environment can cause excessive stress for both the mother and the babies.

Check the newborn rabbits. A rabbit's pregnancy lasts about 31-33 days. The female does not require assistance during labor. Rabbits usually give birth at night or early in the morning. This means you’ll need to check in the morning to see if the babies have been born. Immediately check for any babies that may not have survived birth. You should lure the mother away with food, approach the nest, and remove any deceased babies.

• You should also clean the placenta from the nest.
• Don’t be afraid to touch the newborns as the mother is familiar with your scent.

Warm the newborn rabbits if necessary. If the mother gives birth outside the nest, you will need to place the babies in a box. Newborn rabbits are often cold and require warming. To do this safely, fill a bottle with warm water and place it under a cloth or bedding inside the box. Never allow the newborns to come into direct contact with the water bottle, as the heat may be too intense for them.

Ensure the mother rabbit has access to food and water at all times. The mother rabbit needs a constant supply of food and water so she can eat whenever she needs to while caring for her litter. This ensures that she has enough milk to nurse her babies. Make sure to replace and replenish her food daily and monitor the water supply regularly, as the mother will drink more than usual.

• Providing sufficient nutrients for the mother helps prevent situations where she might eat her own young.

Watch for signs of nursing. The mother rabbit’s natural instinct is to spend much of her time outside the nest, so don’t worry if you don’t see her nursing her babies, as she will only do so once or twice a day. Instead, look for other signs. When the babies are nursed, they will be warm to the touch with round bellies. They will also remain quiet rather than making loud sounds like kittens do when they’ve had enough milk.

Contact the veterinarian immediately if the mother is not nursing her babies. If the babies are weak (show little reaction when picked up), have sunken bellies, or have wrinkled skin (due to dehydration), this indicates that the mother is not nursing properly, and you should see a vet right away.

• If the mother arranges the straw nest and pulls out fur, she is showing that she is following her maternal instincts. The issue may be simple, and the vet might recommend a small dose of oxytocin to help her produce milk.
• Contact the vet if there are more than eight babies born, as the mother may not be able to care for all of them. If the female has more than eight offspring or neglects the newborns and refuses to nurse, the vet will guide you on how to care for the babies. However, this is often unsuccessful, as no milk formula perfectly matches the needs of newborn rabbits.

Keep the straw nest clean. Newborn rabbits will use the nest as a bathroom until they are strong enough to crawl out on their own. Therefore, you need to clean the nest daily, replace the cloth lining at the bottom, and add fresh grass to keep the area sanitary.

Provide a proper diet for the newborn rabbits. Newborn rabbits may begin nibbling on small amounts of pellets about two weeks after birth. However, they will still need their mother’s milk until they are eight weeks old. During this period, the babies will reduce their milk intake and eat more solid food, but it’s essential they continue nursing as the milk provides antibodies against diseases. Weaning too early can leave the babies without a strong enough immune system to develop these antibodies.

• Avoid giving the babies hay or greens in the first few months, as this can cause digestive issues. You can offer small amounts of vegetables when the rabbits are two months old, but stop immediately if you notice any intestinal problems such as diarrhea. Carrots, lettuce, and kale are good options for their diet.

Handle baby rabbits after eight weeks of birth. Until they are weaned, baby rabbits are highly susceptible to illnesses and bacteria, particularly E. coli, which can cause death within hours. It is important to wash your hands thoroughly before handling the newborn rabbits until they are weaned. After that, you can handle them more often to tame them for later adulthood.

• Don't worry if the mother rabbit doesn’t spend all day with her babies. Unlike cats and dogs, rabbits do not stay with their young all day, as it would attract predators in the wild. The mother rabbit will only nurse the babies once or twice a day.
• Always attempt to revive a newborn rabbit if you find it to be 'dead' or cold.
• Newborn rabbits are born without fur and their eyes are closed shut.
• The number of babies in a litter depends on the breed of the rabbit. (1-12 for large breeds, and 1-10 for small breeds.)
• Newborn rabbits will not open their eyes for about 10-12 days.
• The mother rabbit will never move her babies, so if a baby falls out of the nest, you need to place it back. Don’t worry, the mother will continue to care for her young even if you touch them.
• Rabbits often lose their first litter, so don’t give up hope if you want baby rabbits. Some mothers will become more proficient at birthing after 4-5 litters.
• If you are certain the mother rabbit is not spending at least 5 minutes each day nursing her babies, you may need to assist by keeping her with the babies for those 5 minutes.
• If the mother rabbit is digging and covering a hole in the same spot multiple times a day (and bringing in fabric scraps, grass, roots, or dry leaves), it may indicate that she has given birth in the hole and is nursing the babies, then covering them to keep them safe.