A Lesson Every Rabbit Owner Must Learn
During my time volunteering at the Love Rabbits Association's customer service desk, I received countless calls and online inquiries from anxious rabbit owners seeking help. One issue that appears surprisingly often—throughout spring, summer, autumn, and winter alike—is the sudden appearance of newborn baby rabbits at home. This recurring situation highlights a persistent truth: the concept of sterilization for pet rabbits is still far from being widely practiced.
Because of this, a cycle of endless breeding and rehoming continues to repeat itself. Even among responsible and well-informed pet owners, there remains a group of loving rabbit parents who, despite knowing the importance of neutering and understanding rabbits' high fertility, still find reasons to delay the procedure. It is often only after their beloved bunny unexpectedly gives birth that they realize, rather shockingly, how crucial spaying or neutering really is.
So, when life suddenly brings a litter of tiny new bunnies into your home, how should you handle it? Learning to face such a moment with compassion, responsibility, and the right knowledge is a vital lesson for every rabbit owner.
Stay Calm First: The Key Step in Any Situation
Staying calm is always the first and most important step when facing any situation. When something unexpected happens—such as when a rabbit owner realizes their rabbit is about to give birth—many people start frantically searching online, posting questions, gathering information, or calling friends and veterinarians for advice.
This flood of information often leads to conflicting opinions and suggestions, leaving the owner overwhelmed and unsure what to do next. At that moment, the best thing you can do is to take a deep breath and calm yourself down.
Remember, a rabbit giving birth is not an emergency so severe that the sky will fall if you don't act immediately. You still have time to process things. Generally, the owner has at least twenty-four hours to calmly gather, evaluate, and organize information before taking action.
So, start by staying calm—those twenty-four hours are more than enough to handle everything carefully and thoughtfully.
The Importance of Mental Preparation for Rabbit Owners
Mentally preparing yourself is very important when caring for newborn rabbits. No matter what situation you are in, every rabbit owner must understand that some level of natural selection occurs among newborn kits. According to statistical data (which will be discussed in future articles), not all baby rabbits will survive to maturity.
Under normal circumstances, a mother rabbit will decide how many babies to keep based on her physical condition and her observation of the litter's health. This maternal instinct helps ensure that the strongest kits survive, giving them a better chance to grow.
In particular, young or first-time mother rabbits tend to have a higher rate of natural elimination because they lack experience and might not be fully capable of raising all their offspring effectively.
It is crucial that owners do not touch or disturb the nursing process. This is one of the most important rules in rabbit breeding. Even though it may be difficult to watch, it's better to take time to research and learn before taking action than to interfere impulsively and cause harm.
Remember: patience and understanding are the keys to supporting both the mother rabbit and her babies successfully.
Observing and Preparing for a Rabbit's Delivery
Careful observation is the key for every rabbit owner expecting newborn kits. Before anything else, it's important to determine which stage of labor the mother rabbit is currently in, as each stage requires different care and responses from the owner.
When you notice clear signs of pregnancy—such as the mother rabbit pulling large amounts of fur from her chest, carrying clumps of hay in her mouth, showing alternating signs of restlessness and heavy breathing while lying down, or having a swollen and flushed vulva—it likely means that she will give birth within a few days. (Be sure to rule out false pregnancy first.)
During this time, owners should prepare plenty of alfalfa hay, high-protein food, or nutritional supplements in advance. It's also essential to separate the male rabbit or any other rabbits living in the same enclosure, and provide the mother rabbit with a warm, quiet nesting area where she can safely deliver her babies.
Caring for a Mother Rabbit After Birth
If you wake up one morning to find a nest full of newborn rabbits, it means the mother has already given birth in the early hours and cleaned her babies thoroughly. At this stage, the owner can start preparing for the next steps in caring for both the mother and her litter.
However, if you happen to witness the birth and see the mother biting the umbilical cords, licking the placenta, or removing thin membranes from the baby rabbits, it indicates that the birthing process is still ongoing.
During this time, it's essential to give the mother rabbit peace and privacy. Avoid loud noises, sudden movements, or taking photos, as any disturbance might frighten her and disrupt the process.
Caring for Mother Rabbits and Their Kits
Note: During this stage, it is perfectly normal for a mother rabbit to occasionally accidentally step on her kits. At this time, the young rabbits still have very soft, gelatinous bones, so there is usually no cause for concern.
Try not to panic or handle the babies excessively. Becoming overly anxious and rushing to pick up the kits can actually make the mother rabbit more stressed, which might cause her to reject or stop nursing her babies.
The best thing you can do is to provide the mother rabbit with a safe, quiet, and private environment where she feels secure enough to care for her newborns naturally. Give her space, minimize disturbances, and allow her maternal instincts to guide the process.
Caring for Newborn Rabbits and Their Mother
Before beginning, it's very important to avoid touching the newborn rabbits with your bare hands. The scent of human skin may cause the mother rabbit to reject them, so always keep your hands off the babies during inspection.
Preparing a Comfortable Nest
Next, organize a quiet and safe nesting space where the mother rabbit can nurse her kits calmly. Start by removing the father rabbit from the cage to prevent him from accidentally stepping on the babies or attempting to mate again.
Check the Housing Conditions
- Inspect the cage's floor mat to ensure the gaps are not too wide.
- Check the side panels or barriers to confirm they can keep the babies from falling out.
- If you have any doubts, line the bottom with a towel for extra protection against slipping or injury.
Feeding and Comfort
Provide the mother rabbit with plenty of alfalfa hay and high-protein feed—such as rabbit meat feed—to support milk production and her overall nutrition.
Temperature and Environment
If the birth occurs during winter or in cold weather, make sure the nest is kept warm. You can cover the cage with a large towel, move it indoors, or use a gentle heat lamp. If the birth happens in summer, avoid having fans blow directly into the cage. Good ventilation is enough to keep the area comfortable and prevent the baby rabbits from getting chilled.
Finally, maintain a warm and quiet nursery environment for the mother and her kits. Double-check that the cage floor gaps are not too large to ensure the safety of the newborns.
Caring for Mother Rabbits and Newborn Kits
After completing the initial steps, both you and your rabbits should take some time to rest. Resting allows you to think more clearly and helps the rabbits recover their strength.
On the first day after birth, there's no need to worry if the mother rabbit doesn't nurse right away. It's normal for her not to feed her babies immediately after giving birth. The newborn kits usually have enough nutrients stored from the umbilical cord to sustain them through the first day or even two.
Since giving birth to multiple kits is physically demanding, the mother rabbit also needs time to rest and regain her strength. During this period, let both the rabbits and yourself rest well. The babies may look irresistibly cute, but resist the urge to pick them up, pet them, or weigh them individually.
Rabbits are naturally sensitive animals. If they sense danger or excessive interference, the mother may refuse to care for her young. Therefore, give them some space and avoid unnecessary disturbance. Peace and quiet are the best gifts you can offer a new rabbit family.
Observing Rabbit Nursing Behavior
Mother rabbits usually begin nursing their kits on the second morning after birth, or sometimes in the following evening. The actual nursing period is very brief—typically lasting only about one minute. In most cases, the mother only nurses once at dawn and once again at dusk. Because this process is so short and infrequent, it's often difficult for owners to witness it directly.
Owners should resist the urge to constantly check or disturb the nest out of fear that the mother isn't feeding her babies. In fact, excessive human interference is a common cause of accidental harm to newborn rabbits. It's far better to observe indirectly and allow the mother to tend to her offspring naturally.
To ensure that the kits are being fed, caretakers can watch for visual signs instead. Healthy, well-fed kits typically huddle closely together after feeding, with their bellies slightly rounded before they fall asleep. These physical and behavioral cues are clear indicators that the babies are getting enough milk.
Assisting Abandoned Baby Rabbits
Occasionally, one or two baby rabbits may be separated or left behind in the enclosure. They might fall into corners, stray too far from the mother, or crawl into isolated spots. These kits often show noticeable folds on their tiny bellies — a sign that they haven't fed well. You may also see them restlessly moving around or lying weakly while searching for milk.
Possible Reasons for Maternal Rejection
There are many reasons a mother rabbit might refuse to nurse. These can include her own assessment of her milk supply or caregiving ability, congenital illness or deformity, or changes in scent (for instance, if the babies have absorbed foreign odors). While such situations can be addressed with human-assisted feeding — through artificial milk or syringe feeding — both methods, whether performed by experienced or inexperienced handlers, carry a natural mortality risk. Therefore, owners should be mentally prepared for possible losses.
Guidelines for Artificial Feeding Assistance
When providing assistance, avoid direct contact with bare hands. Take protective measures such as wearing gloves that have been thoroughly rubbed with the mother rabbit's feces and urine to carry her scent. Only then should you gently pick up the baby rabbit for feeding. During feeding, do not place the baby in areas lacking scent protection, as this might cause the mother to reject or avoid nursing altogether afterward.
Accepting Natural Selection
Despite every effort, some degree of natural elimination is inevitable in rabbit breeding. Owners must be prepared to accept this natural process as part of nurturing newborn rabbits.
Accepting Nature or Challenging Fate: The Survival of Baby Rabbits
Some people believe that the death of newborn rabbits is a natural form of selection that must be accepted. Even if humans intervene with artificial feeding to help them survive a week or two, the mother rabbit may still abandon or kill them—either by biting or stepping on them—or they may die naturally due to health problems.
According to data from the National Institute of Animal Industry, a mother rabbit gives birth to an average of 6.7 kits, with about 6.4 surviving immediately after birth. By four weeks, the average number weaned is 4.8, giving an overall survival rate of roughly 74.1%. During summer, this rate tends to drop to 55–60%, while in winter, it rises to about 78–85%. At "Home of Rabbits," the average survival rate of newborns is also around 80%.
Faced with these statistics, there is no absolute right or wrong in choosing whether to accept natural selection or to "challenge fate" by intervening. However, if both you and the mother rabbit lack experience, it is generally recommended to focus your effort on the litter that the mother is willing to nurse naturally. Taking good care of the mother rabbit and the stronger babies is usually the safer approach.
Incorrect supplementary feeding or syringe feeding can actually increase the risk of accidents—such as the mother injuring the young while kicking during human handling, or accidentally stepping on them upon returning to the nest. Beginners should take special care with these considerations. Ultimately, a mother rabbit will nurse and care for the healthy kits, while abandoning or eliminating those that are weak or unviable.
Artificial Nursing Assistance for Mother Rabbits
When it becomes necessary to assist a mother rabbit with nursing artificially, the caretaker must first learn how to hold the rabbit securely in the "baby hold" position. It's important to make sure that during feeding, the mother rabbit does not twist, kick, or bite out of pain or discomfort.
Before beginning the feeding process, gently collect some of the mother rabbit's urine from her litter box or tray and rub it generously on your hands. This helps mask unfamiliar scents, making the mother rabbit feel calmer during handling.
Hold the mother rabbit in your arms using the baby hold, and use your hand to locate and check the nipples for both position and swelling. Then, place the baby rabbit near one of the swollen nipples. The baby will naturally nudge around to find the nipple and begin to suckle. You'll be able to hear faint sounds of milk flow and sucking during the process.
Keep your hands positioned carefully to protect the baby rabbit, ensuring it doesn't fall or get injured if the mother kicks or flips due to sensitivity or pain. After finishing with one nipple, the baby rabbit will instinctively move to the next until it is full.
For improved safety and efficiency, it's best for two people to work together—one holding the mother rabbit while the other guides the baby rabbits to feed. This teamwork helps ensure stability and minimizes stress for both mother and babies.
In essence, artificial assistance in nursing requires patience, gentleness, and respect for the rabbits' instincts and comfort.
Syringe Feeding for Baby Rabbits
Syringe feeding is an emergency method used when a mother rabbit cannot nurse her babies. This may be necessary if the mother has no milk, refuses to hold or feed her babies, shows aggressive behavior, or when orphaned baby rabbits are found without a mother.
Choosing the Right Milk Replacement
If rabbit milk replacer is unavailable, a commercially sold kitten milk replacer (milk powder) can be used as an alternative. Avoid using human or dog milk replacers unless there is absolutely no other option, as they are not suitable for rabbits' nutritional needs.
Preparing the Milk Formula
Follow the mixing instructions on the product label, using warm water to prepare the formula. Once mixed, draw the prepared milk into a 1cc syringe without a needle (available at veterinary clinics) and keep it ready for feeding.
Feeding Procedure
Before handling the baby rabbits, gently collect some of the mother rabbit's feces and urine from the litter box or cage tray. Rub them thoroughly on your hands until your skin carries the mother's scent. This step helps the babies recognize the scent and reduces stress during feeding.
Syringe Feeding Milk Substitute to Baby Rabbits
Before beginning syringe feeding, it's essential for rabbit owners to understand that using a syringe for milk replacement is not the same as force-feeding. You are not supposed to inject the formula directly into the baby rabbit's stomach. Instead, learn to control the amount of milk that comes out of the syringe.
Gently press or tap the end of the syringe to form a small droplet of milk at the tip. This droplet, created by surface tension, should be presented to the baby rabbit's mouth. When the droplet touches the rabbit's lips, it will naturally start to drink or lick, enjoying the meal on its own.
Be extremely careful not to press the entire droplet against the rabbit's face, especially its nose. Because the mouth and nose are connected, this could cause the rabbit to choke and even result in death. The droplet should instead be placed precisely at the edge of the rabbit's lips. If you are uncertain, apply it just under the mouth where capillary action helps the rabbit suck or lick up the milk safely.
Important Feeding Tips
- Do not reuse any milk formula that has been prepared but not fully consumed.
- Once opened, milk powder should be kept away from direct sunlight and moisture.
- Always handle the syringe gently and feed slowly to mimic natural nursing behavior.
- Monitor the baby rabbit's breathing and swallowing during feeding to prevent choking.
Using a syringe to assist baby rabbits with milk feeding requires patience and precision. By following these steps and ensuring cleanliness, you can help your little rabbits grow healthily and safely.
Proper Care for Baby Rabbits Until Weaning
From birth until the time baby rabbits open their eyes and grow fur, owners generally do not need to bathe or clean them. During this stage, the mother rabbit naturally takes care of cleaning her kits while they nurse.
At around two weeks old, baby rabbits will begin to nibble or chew on solid food. However, the start of this behavior does not mean they are ready to be weaned. You should not rush to feed them pellets, fruits, or other solid foods just because they seem curious about eating.
Typically, baby rabbits continue to drink their mother's milk for about one and a half months. This milk provides essential nutrients that help develop their immune system properly. Once they are older than six weeks, their teeth and nails will begin to grow, and to prevent them from scratching or biting their mother, they should start living separately.
After separation, young rabbits should learn to drink water and eat dry rabbit pellets along with plenty of alfalfa hay. By around 45 days old, they are usually ready to begin the weaning process. Allowing them to nurse beyond 60 days is not recommended, as it may actually hinder their development.
Patience and proper timing are essential when raising baby rabbits. A gradual transition from mother's milk to solid food ensures that the kits grow strong, healthy, and well-adjusted.
Separation and Birth Control for Pet Rabbits
As soon as baby rabbits are born, it's essential to immediately separate the father and mother rabbits to prevent continuous breeding. Female rabbits can become pregnant again right after giving birth, so quick action is necessary.
Young rabbits reach reproductive maturity at around four to six months of age. Therefore, planning to keep one rabbit per cage and arranging for spaying or neutering once they reach sexual maturity is very important to maintain control and ensure their well-being.
Because pet rabbits have extremely strong reproductive abilities, their breeding cannot be easily controlled by humans as it might be with cats or dogs. A single mature rabbit pair (over six months old) can produce four to six generations—over 200 offspring in a single year—which is an unimaginable situation for most pet owners.
To prevent overpopulation and ensure healthy, happy rabbits: keep one rabbit per cage and avoid continuous breeding.
Adoption Planning for Rabbits
Unless you have the financial means to have all of your rabbits fully spayed or neutered and keep each one in its own separate cage, you should start planning for adoption as early as possible and look for appropriate adoption channels.
Rabbit owners can easily post adoption listings online through platforms such as Hailingyue, the Taiwan Rabbit Association, PTT, or Adoption Map. Fully weaned and healthy baby rabbits may also join the self-service adoption events held monthly by the Taiwan Rabbit Association, which help expand exposure and increase adoption rates.
Owners should never hesitate to give rabbits up for adoption merely because they feel attached during the care process. Keeping multiple unneutered rabbits at home places you in a high-risk category for uncontrolled breeding. Once breeding spirals out of control, it not only creates problems within your household but can also negatively affect your neighbors' living environment.
If such an uncontrolled breeding situation is reported, government authorities might conduct large-scale culling due to disease-control measures. This tragic outcome is something none of us wish to see.
