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I adopted two male rabbits from a friend of mine. (Her children were over them). I have had them all winter (In Wyoming) and they have been great. 3 weeks ago I found a baby bunny in the bottom of the cage. SURPRISE! We have a female. I sexed them when I brought them home but it's been bout 15 yrs since I have raised rabbits for 4-H and they looked like males to me. Ha ha.

Anyway she had 6 live ones in there. And about 15 dead ones that had been there a while. (The box that is built into the cage is hard to clean unless you take off the wall). So thinking they are both males I had no thought to take the hutch apart in the winter looking for babies.

Well I cleaned out the cage, separated the parents and all bunnies were doing ok. Then 3 days later one died. I chalked it up to her 1st litter that has survived and she's getting used to being a mom. Then another kit. I have lost 5 out of the 6. Last night at 10 pm I had 2 (seemingly healthy) hopping round, eyes open, just 2 days short of 3 weeks old bunnies. This morn when I peeked at them the biggest one was dead. (I have checked them about 3-4 times a day just because I have lost so many)

Now down to one I'm at a loss on what is happening. She is eating and drinking great. The kit seems healthy. It hops around and away from me. Ha ha.

Any ideas or suggestions?

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  • You should the male in the cage and have another appropiate for the mom and the kits.
    – Ed_
    Commented May 9, 2016 at 17:20
  • They are separated. They were together because we thought we had 2 males. But the are now apart and have been since I found the new litter of babies. But we just lost my last one today at 3 weeks old!!
    – Mommykallgren
    Commented May 11, 2016 at 14:38
  • If the mom refuses to give milk to the kittens you should hold her with your hands while another put the kittens under the milk, be careful as the mom can hurt with the claws the kittens
    – Ed_
    Commented May 11, 2016 at 15:30
  • related question: How to act, if the mother rabbit seems to not feed the babies
    – Allerleirauh
    Commented Jun 13, 2021 at 13:06

2 Answers 2

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First of all, you need to separate the male and female. Then get them spayed and neutered. This not only will get rid of the litters, but also it will get rid of possible Cancer, and other health issues.(Oooh, and the smell!) A month after they are fixed, you can put them back together. If you have any kittens (baby bunnies) at the moment make sure the mother is feeding them. If they are not being fed syringe feed them kitten milk, or safe bunny milk recipes. Additionally, I would take them out of their hutch/cage and try to have them free roam or in a playpen. Good luck!

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  • for anyone who reads this: neutering and spaying is not always the answer. Sometimes, the best thing to do is let nature take its course.
    – Deko Revinio
    Commented Dec 14, 2022 at 8:54
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There is not enough information in your question for a full answer. But as it sounds like you have the male and female living together full time, she is probably getting pregnant as soon as she gives birth. It is also possible she is having multiple pregnancies at the same time. If either of these is the case, you are likely to find the mother dead soon as well.

You need to separate the male and female!

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  • They are not together. I separated them as soon as I found the babies. I just lost my last one this morn. :(
    – Mommykallgren
    Commented May 11, 2016 at 14:37
  • @Mommykallgren Watch her for 28 days after you removed the buck, in theory she could have a new baby every 28 days (multiple pregnancies) About 30 days after the buck is gone you should be good. Also read the links in my answer above. Both male and the female are likely to suffer from being seperated, it is potentially fatal. You need to get one or both fixed, but putting them back together needs to wait about 30 days after the last surgery, and it may not work. Rabbits bonding is harder to make and break then other animals.
    – James Jenkins
    Commented May 11, 2016 at 15:12
  • They are still in the same cage. They are just separated by wire. I think I will keep them separated for a month just in case I missed her before she got pregnant again. Then after that I think we will try to breed her one more time to see if we have better luck. And if not then they will be fixed. Or dinner lol
    – Mommykallgren
    Commented May 11, 2016 at 15:36
  • A single wire cage wall may not be sufficient to prevent pregnancy in rabbits. But it can help with separation anxiety.
    – James Jenkins
    Commented May 11, 2016 at 15:44

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