The first Rabbit litter and its survival.

Rabbits reach sexual maturity as young as 3 months of age. When this happens, they will seek to breed. This could even be with a parent or sibling, so the kits should be separated to prevent unwanted pregnancies.

A rabbit will give birth to 1-14 kits in her first litter, with the average being 6. It’s unlikely that all of these baby rabbits will survive. A first-time mother may fail to care for her young, so you must ensure that kits are kept warm and well-fed. The kits will need to live with their mother for approximately 8 weeks. You will then need to separate them from their mother.

Some of the kits will be stillborn. If there are stillborns, do not be surprised if your rabbits eats the remains. This is not an act of cannibalism. Your rabbit is taking a safety-first approach. Predators may be attracted by the scent of a stillborn rabbit. If there isn’t a body, there isn’t a scent.

Some babies will be weaker than others. The runt of the litter may not survive. Rabbits are not naturally maternal, so the mother may ignore her weakest young, focusing on feeding and rearing the stronger kits.

Rabbits are instinctively driven to continue their species. If a rabbit feels that she can only keep so many babies alive, she’ll prioritize those that are most likely to survive. Stronger young have a better chance of surviving and eventually breeding themselves.

She may separate her babies into two groups. The strong kits will bed fed and the weak neglected. So, you should check the hutch regularly as a nest of hay and fur will likely hide the babies. The weaker young may be buried deeper in this nest, unable to access milk and warmth.

Mother rabbits will not mourn stillborn babies, or those that die shortly after birth. She knows that she can be impregnated again just days later. Rabbits see their kits as essential for the continuation of the species. If pregnancy doesn’t have a successful outcome, she will try again.

However, the mother may be somewhat protective of her surviving kits. Don’t be surprised if she reacts aggressively when you attempt to handle her young, which can make cleaning the hutch more difficult.