Rabbits sometimes eat their young. If your female rabbit just had babies, it is important to keep an eye on her.
Mother rabbits don’t normally eat their babies, but it does happen sometimes. A young female rabbit may eat her young because she’s afraid of the entire experience of birthing them and nursing them. Sometimes female rabbits don’t make good mothers, they don’t have a motherly instinct. It’s best not to breed them again if they’ve eaten a couple of litters.
Rabbit cannibalism is when the mother rabbit eats her babies. This condition can be caused by different circumstances. Eating young isn’t limited to rabbits. Here is a list of common animals that are known to eat their young.These include Rats, Sloths, Prairie dogs, fish, reptiles and Birds.
Rabbits will eat their babies for a variety of reasons.
Does gets excited by a change to her cage, or her food or water.
Mother rabbits don’t like other animals around her when she’s given birth. Dogs, cats, or even a mouse running in your home can upset her if she’s given birth. Keep all animals and visitors away from the rabbit’s nest. Don’t allow your household pets to roam at night.
Water supply issues. Make sure your mother rabbit’s water is fresh, cool water. Add electrolytes or vitamin supplements to the water if it’s hot.
Before she gives birth, trim her nails so she won’t cut the babies during the birthing. This can cause her to eat them.
Check the nest box to see that it’s got everything the mother rabbit needs. She might get upset if it’s not lined with enough fur, etc.
If the mother is young, under six months, she might not handle birthing well and eat the babies because she’s scared and upset by the experience. You might need to take the babies away from her for their survival.
Nervous rabbits don’t make good mothers.
Nutritional deficiencies can be a reason why a mother rabbit eats her young.
If the mother detects there’s something wrong with a baby rabbit, she might kill it. It’s an instinctive way of eliminating weak, sick rabbits.
Sometimes the father rabbit if left in the cage with the litter and mother, will kill the babies so he can breed again with the female rabbit. Always remove the male rabbit once babies are born.
Contact Jaguza Support