How Do I Know If My Rabbit New Born's Are Still Alive?

Question

My Female Rabbit just gave birth today around 9:00pm and we are very excited! I have been looking over and seeing how things are going so far and it looks good but under all that fur I can't tell If the baby bunnies are still alive. Is it because they are sleeping cause its night? I don't even know how many there are. Please Help.

Thanks.

Answer 1

You don't, and you don't need to know.

Just leave her alone and leave her too it- there's no need to check it right this second since she'll take care of any dead rabbits by herself by rejecting them from the nest or eating them to clean the nest, which won't do her any harm. If she rejects them from her nest- dead ones- you can remove and dipose of them how you feel fit.

Wait until tomorrow at the earliest, and even then only check if you can see them- if you touch the nest or stare too much, she'll get scared and may reject all the babies or worse. So just leave it for now, or you may freak her out and you'll have no babies to count.

***

They can breathe FINE under the fur. Are you sure she's given birth? Are you sure she was even pregnant?

But whatever, don't touch the nest or you're asking for trouble- end of. It's not worth it.

Answer 2

They are newborns you won't see them for a while.  In the meantime they are sleeping, milking and growing. They can breathe under the fur.  Chances are they are sleeping now. So don't worry!

Answer 3

Well the babies do not know night from day, It is better not to handle the babies. They are probably ok, mom is keeping them warm, When she goes to eat or drink look in on them, but don't touch them. some mom  rabbits don't like them to smell like humans.  

Answer 4

Law L could not be more wrong.  You DO need to know and you DO need to look.  This is part of good rabbit husbandry - to count kits and remove any dead one immediately.  Your doe will not/can not pick up a kit remove it from the nest box like a cat does.  She will also not likely eat a kit.  She will eat the placentas, that's it.  Rabbits only eat kits rarely and when stressed.  She will NOT eat her kits if they have your scent of them.  That is an old wives tale adopted from the baby birds story.  Also, one dead kit's cold body can kill an entire litter so please, do check.  

Lift up the fur (distract mom with a head scratch or well-deserved apple slice she seems unsure) and count each kit by picking them up.  Inspect each one.  Count your kits each morning and remove any dead ones immediately.  

Yes, they can breathe under the fur.  Problems occur when towels are used for nesting material instead of the appropriate layer of shavings (1 inch), good hay, and the doe's own fur.  Baby rabbits suffocate, become ill from dirtied towels, and cannot quickly get to mother for the very short nursing session and may starve to death.

I recommend buying and reading a good book: Storey's Guide to Raising Rabbits by Bob Bennet.  It is a must for any rabbit owner - especially important for those attempting a breeding.