Baby Bunny Care Tips | My Rabbit Is Pregnant

Written by Abi Cushman

With shelters and rescues overflowing with homeless pet rabbits, we advocate that bunny owners spay and neuter their pets so they do not breed. After all, female rabbits can produce as many as twelve offspring every month. That’s a lot of bunnies!

That said, in the case that you are caring for a pregnant rabbit or new mother, here are a few basic tips:

Separate the Male Rabbit from the Female

If you have both the pregnant rabbit and the male rabbit, you must separate them. If you don’t, the male rabbit will impregnate the mother again once she gives birth, as well as the female offspring when they reach sexual maturity.

Since the male and female are bonded, however, it is important that the male can still see the female and nuzzle with her through a secure physical barrier. This reduces stress for both rabbits. Just make sure they cannot mate!

Provide a Nest Box in a Quiet Area

Mother rabbits will pull fur and gather other materials to make a nest right before she gives birth.

Place the nest in the box. If she hasn’t made one, you can make one out of hay.

Check the Baby Bunnies Daily

In the case that the babies are scattered and cold, you will need to intervene to ensure the babies are warm. They will not be able to digest food if they are cold.

Ensure the babies have full tummies. If they have sunken bellies and wrinkled skin, this may be a sign that the mother is not lactating, and you will need to bring her to a rabbit-savvy vet for a dose oxytocin, which will stimulate the milk glands.

It should be noted, however, that mother rabbits nurse only once or twice a day. This behavior does not mean she’s neglecting the babies.

Don’t Separate the Babies Until 8 Weeks

Baby bunnies should not be weaned earlier than 8 weeks because they need to receive necessary gut flora and antibodies from their mother.

But at 8 weeks, you should separate the male and female offspring so they do not breed. Male rabbits can reach sexual maturity as early as 10 weeks.

Further Resources

• Domestic Baby Bunnies and Their Mom by Sandy Koi, Kind Planet and the House Rabbit Society
• Surprise Litter of Babies! What to do now? by Dana Krempels, Ph.D., University of Miami Biology Department

For information about finding a wild baby bunny, see our article, Finding a Wild Baby Rabbit: What to Do.

About the Author

Abi Cushman is a veteran house rabbit owner and a contributing editor of My House Rabbit. She currently shares her home with one mischievous dwarf bunny named Otis.

When she's not writing about bunnies for My House Rabbit, Abi writes and illustrates funny books for kids, including Soaked! (Viking) and Animals Go Vroom! (Viking). And yes, there are bunnies in them. Learn more at abicushman.com.

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