Doting Momma Rabbit

[FriendlyParsnips]

Hello all! I adopted 2 bunnies from a coworker a while ago. I was assured that both were female and I had a vet appt scheduled to get them fixed as soon as they were old enough. This particular vet preferred that they be at least 6 months old before they were spayed. Then on the first I came home from work and found a nest of 11 babies in a corner of the room. ?

Surprise! Obviously they weren’t both female. Anyways, momma bun and babies are doing great and she is definitely an A+ momma. From everything I’ve read it sounds like buns are supposed to avoid their nest except when feeding. Except momma bun is acting more like a cat momma than a bun momma. Anytime the kits squeak she runs over and digs around in the nest box until she can verify their wellbeing. She keeps dragging her food dish next to the box so she can watch them while she eats. She has even taken to perching on top of the box and watching her kits for hours at a time so that she can tuck them back into the nest and cover them if they wiggle out. I thought she might just be anxious about me being around the kits but she doesn’t seem to mind when I check the kits or hold them, and she does it when I’m not in the room as well.

Daddy rabbit also seems really really concerned about the babies. He is over checking on them almost as often as Momma. (And yes, I had him fixed the day after I found the kits. Not making that mistake again). I’m not really worried about them because clearly they’ve got this covered, I’m just curious if anyone else had a bun try and helicopter parent or if buns aren’t as standoffish as people say?

Thanks a million!!

[jerseygirl]

Some will and I’ve even heard of a female not the mother checking in on babies, as well as the male. Maybe she’s had litters before. Anyway, it is great that she is so attentive!

Have you let the male and female be back together though, even after his neuter? They are still virile post-neuter for a number of weeks… The males can also impregnate the female right after she’s birthed the kits. Literally, right after. A lot of people have been caught out that way, with back-to-back accidental litters
been born. I hope it’s not the case for you! Fingers crossed. You’ve already now got 13 rabbits.

[sarahthegemini]

Well she sounds like a wonderful bun-mum! I’ve no experience but I’ve read that many new mums aren’t really sure what to do with their first litter so it looks like yours is an exception. She sounds like a sweetheart!

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