Baby Rabbit Care - Your Doe Gives Birth

Your Doe Is About To Give Birth

If your female rabbit has started shreding paper, carpet and her fur, she is nesting and is about to give birth. She will do this up until the day of birth. Through instincts, the mother is ready for her baby rabbit care. Though in some cases, human intervention is required.

Your doe needs a nest. Many times she will do this herself but you can help. Use a cardboard box just a little bigger than the mother rabbit. The nesting box is where the babies will gather to stay warm and where the doe will feed. In order to allow her to get in and out of the box easily, cut the front portion of the box to within 4 inches of the bottom. Punch some holes in the bottom for drainage. Line the box with clean hay and/or shredded newspaper. Let the mother-to-be do the rest. Make sure you do not put the nest in the corner that she uses to go to the bathroom..

If the mother is used to being outside, it may be best to keep her out there. She may be more comfortable in those surroundings. If she gets too nervous, she may forget to feed her babies.

The babies will normally bunch together to stay warm. If she has the babies outside of the nest and they have scattered, you should scoop them up and place them inside the box so they can stay warm.

Within 24-48 hours of birth, you will know if they are being fed by the mother. If no noises are being emitted from the nesting box, mom is doing her job and succeeding at baby rabbit care. Make sure you wait a day to see if the mother is feeding. The mother usually feeds twice a day - at dawn and dusk, so you may not notice her. Unlike cats and dogs, the mother does not lay with her babies most of the time. She will be off to one side watching over them.

If the babies are being fed, their stomachs should be poking out. If the mother is not feeding, you may hear constant meowing. It is best to get the mother and babies to a vet who is experienced with rabbits. Hand feeding rabbits is not usually successful. If the mother is not lactating, she needs to be seen within 48 hours. DO NOT FEED MILK - Rabbits are lactose intolerant and cannot digest regular milk.

Frequently the babies start coming out of the nest within 2 - 3 weeks so be prepared for them to roam a little bit. If they are in a metal dog crate, make sure that the sides are blocked so that they do not get out of the crate. This is especially important if you have other pets in the household.

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