This is normal behavior for a domestic (or wild) rabbit and that mother rabbits do not “lay” with their offspring in the same manner as dogs and cats.
Mother rabbits don't want to attract predators to their babies, so they mostly leave them on their own, hidden and camoflaged. Mom will come back a few times a day, usually between dusk and dawn, to feed the babies. Feeding may only take 2-3 minutes, so unless you're watching 24/7 you will probably miss it!
As soon as the babies are weaned, at eight weeks, the mother rabbit should be spayed. She can then be placed back into the companionship of the now (hopefully) neutered male. In any case of domestic rabbit babies, do not remove the babies until they are a full eight weeks of age.
Mother rabbits do not “sit” on the babies to keep them warm as do some mammals and birds. They build a nest with fur and grasses which helps to keep the babies warm in between feedings. Do not force a mother rabbit to sit in the nest box.
Rabbit mamas feed their babies only twice per day, and then leave them alone. This is normal and natural: in the wild, a mother rabbit not in the process of feeding her offpsring stays as far away from the nest as possible to avoid attracting predators to her babies.
“Unless the mother rabbit is known to be dead, there is a good chance that she is feeding her babies, even if she seems to be ignoring them. A mother rabbit does not constantly tend to her babies the way a mother carnivore does. Rabbit mamas feed their babies only twice per day, and then leave them alone.
To keep predators from finding the young the female only visits the nest twice a day to nurse them, typically once in early morning and again in the evening. Young rabbits develop quickly and will leave the nest when they are about three weeks old.
If the babies' tummies are round and full looking, they are warm, their skin is not wrinkled, and they are sleeping calmly in the nest, then the mother rabbit is likely feeding them. If the babies are wrinkled, cold or have shrunken bellies, then this is a sign you may have to intervene.
Eastern Cottontail rabbits reproduce throughout the spring and summer, typically starting in mid-March and nesting through mid-September. Nests are found in shallow depressions on the ground [cottontails do not burrow]; nests are covered with soft grasses and are lined with tufts of the mother rabbit's fur.
Sometimes the mother rabbit does not return to the nest and this is usually because she is dead. A rabbit will return to a nest that has human scent on it as long as the nest itself has not been destroyed. If the nest has been disturbed, have the person place all material back in the nest.
We've all heard the myth – if you touch baby bunnies (or any baby wildlife, for that matter) their mother will smell your human-ness and abandon her babies. One touch and they're good as dead! That is total and complete nonsense!
Mother rabbits know something humans don't – her babies make no noise and have no scent, and are less likely to attract predators if they stay in the nest, said Deborah Galle, a licensed wildlife rehabilitator and board member of the Connecticut Wildlife Rehabilitators Association.
The young will start venturing out of their nest to nibble on greens as they grow, but return to the nest at night. By about four to five weeks of age, even though they still look quite small, young rabbits are independent and ready to be on their own. In order to reunite a healthy kit, first you must locate the nest!
During the day, rabbits like to sleep in their burrow, in depressions of grass or in their cages. Sometimes you may see your rabbit sleeping in her litter box. This is perfectly normal, and you can make it more comfortable by using a good, soft paper-type litter such as Carefresh.
Newborn kits are extremely vulnerable to cold temperatures.
Our bunny hutches are made of oak and pretty solid against the weather. To help combat the freezing temperatures mother nature was delivering, we shoved the hutches full of hay and made sure the new babies were tucked in their nests.
The first thing to be aware of is that if rabbits do make any very loud noises, it's usually because of great distress or fear – so a loud squeal isn't something you'll want to hear.
Newborn rabbits drink only milk for the first 10 days. From 10 days small amounts of hay and veggies may be offered. By day 20 the kits should be nibbling the solid food, and by day 28 no more milk replacer should be offered.
A No, they are wild animals and cannot be domesticated. So please don't move them. Wild rabbits stay away from their nests most of the day to avoid attracting predators. They return for only a few minutes at dawn and dusk when no one is around.
Mother rabbits do not stay in the nest with the young, so, chances are, if you accidentally uncover a nest, you won't find mom. She stays away so that her scent doesn't attract predators. A doe also only nurses her kits once every 12-24 hours.
The mother of the babies relies on an internal “GPS” to find her way back to her nest and could lose her babies if they are moved even by a few inches from where she left them. If you do come into contact with the babies and the nest, you are encouraged to touch each of the bunnies so that they will all smell the same.
Keep the babies in an out-of-the way, QUIET area, such as an adult's bedroom. If the room temperature is between 68-72 degrees you will not need to provide extra heat, but if it's cooler than that you will need to provide extra warmth. Use a heating pad set on low and slip it under one half only of the box.
If it runs away or tries to hide or is hard to catch, it might be just fine. Cottontail rabbits are independent at about 3-4 weeks old. They may not be full-grown yet, but they can take care of themselves! Keep pets inside for now, until the rabbit leaves the area on its own.
If the nest has been disturbed, even by a lawnmower, put all the babies and bedding back in place. The mother won't mind at all. If you find a small rabbit hopping around that appears to be too young to be on its own, remember: if it is as big as a tennis ball and can run away from you it does not need your help.