How many days does a female rabbit carry her babies? How long does a rabbit's pregnancy last? The rabbit gave birth - what to do

Among the issues relevant to any rabbit breeder, pregnancy of females is one of the first places, because the number of livestock depends entirely on how correctly the gestation period proceeds, how childbirth proceeds, and how often female rabbits can give birth.

For a stable offspring, you need to know the answers to next questions: how long does pregnancy last in rabbits, what does the female need at this stage, and how often can she become pregnant. All this is literally vital for the development of rabbit farming.

The first thing a rabbit breeder should do on this issue is to find out whether the female managed to become pregnant after mating. To do this, after 5-7 days, the female rabbit is again placed next to the male and her behavior is observed. If the female looks nervous, runs away, struggles or groans - these are signs of pregnancy, you can begin the countdown to the litter.

Although there are cases when a female who does not accept a male turns out to be not pregnant. How to determine if a rabbit is pregnant in this case? First, you should wait about two weeks after the first mating. Then the female must be placed on a flat surface, with her head facing the inspector.

With your left hand you need to carefully support the skin in the sacral area, and with your right hand you should very carefully palpate the stomach. You need to press lightly, otherwise you can provoke an abortion (there are educational photos and videos on this topic, from which you can learn how to carry out this procedure correctly).

If the female is pregnant, then her uterus should be significantly enlarged, filled with fluid, and also contain embryos.

The latter are located in the form of two parallel chains in both horns of the uterus and reach a length of about 2-2.5 cm. The embryos are oval in shape and very soft to the touch. The presence of these signs indicates pregnancy.

Pregnancy: features of the period

The duration of pregnancy in female rabbits may vary somewhat. Average term gestation period - from 28 to 36 days, although this largely depends on how many rabbits the mother rabbit gives birth to at one time. For young females with few litters (one or two rabbits), a longer pregnancy is possible. If the litter is expected to be large enough, then the female, as a rule, bears the rabbits for less time.

There is an inverse relationship between how many rabbits a mother bears and the number of them she gives birth to. Also, in the case of a small litter, the rabbits are born more developed and larger in size.

During pregnancy, it is extremely undesirable to disturb the rabbit: replant, clean the cage too often, create sharp noises, etc. Why? This should not be done, because rabbits are shy animals, and this is doubly true for pregnant rabbits. Apart from the health hazard for the female herself (there are often cases when the female rabbit died from cardiac arrest), the probability of miscarriage or false birth is very high.

To avoid this, queen cells are made with dense walls and one round entrance. Such conditions simulate for the rabbit the conditions of a hole in which she will feel safe.

Approximately 6-7 days before the possible birth, it is necessary to place clean and disinfected nesting boxes in the cage, in which there is ready-made bedding, and additional hay is added to the queen cell. Now the female is completely ready to give birth.

Childbirth of rabbits: norm and deviations

The female rabbit usually gives birth at night. The birth lasts from 10 minutes to an hour. If it takes longer, it means there are some complications and it is highly advisable to call a veterinarian. As a result of childbirth, on average, rabbits are born from 5 to 9 rabbits in one litter, but there are births, as a result of which from 1 to 16-18 rabbits are born.

As soon as the birth of the offspring ends, the afterbirth comes out, which is eaten by the rabbit. By doing this, it compensates for the loss of important elements in the body. Then the mother rabbit places the young rabbits in a nest prepared in advance from hay and fluff from her abdomen, and begins to feed them. This is a standard childbirth procedure, and if everything went this way, then everything is fine.

However, if the behavior remains the same (the female has not made a nest, has not picked fluff from her abdomen, has not stopped trampling and scattering the rabbits), then she must be immediately removed from the cage, plucked out the fluff near the nipples and on the chest and independently make a nest out of it, where and sit the baby rabbits down (it’s best to do all this with gloves that won’t leave a smell). After this, you can again place the female with them.

If this doesn't help, then there is another option. Perhaps these are symptoms of untimely hunting, and in this case it is led to the male. Mating under these conditions will help solve not only the problem of the female rabbit’s nervousness, but also increase her level of milk production. As a last resort, you can remove the cubs from her, provide them with heating pads, place them only once a day for feeding and carefully monitor the procedure.

If nothing helps and the female rabbit stubbornly refuses her cubs, then they will have to be placed with other females. It is advisable to choose mature and calm ones who will not get rid of unexpected offspring. To reduce the likelihood of this, the new mother is removed, the fluff is plucked from her abdomen, placed on her bedding, and the baby rabbits are placed there as well. After this, you need to wait a little so that they are saturated with the smell of the rabbit, and then you can plant her. All this minimizes the likelihood that the new “mother” will not accept the unlucky litter.

There is also a possibility that the female will kill her offspring. Possible reasons are hereditary factors related to physiology, or nutritional problems, as well as lack of drinking during pregnancy and lactation. Most often this occurs as a result of a particularly difficult birth or painful condition of the nipples (if they are rough, have cracks, traces of blood or bites).

The cause of injury in most cases is premature milk production. In this case, it is necessary to massage the swollen glands to milk the excess milk, then, holding the rabbit, place the baby rabbits on the nipples and force her to feed them. One or two such procedures - and everything will return to normal.

Post-fledging period and coverage frequency

When the female rabbit has given birth, it is necessary to check the nest, remove stillborn rabbits, and also mark those that are very weak. These latter ones will then, after about 5-7 days, have to be separated from the female rabbit (otherwise they often die from malnutrition). After this, there are two options: either to be placed with another female with a small litter, or to be fed artificially.

In the first case, you need to choose a female rabbit that is as balanced as possible and also has good milk production. The above procedure for “disguising” the rabbits is also required. If there is nowhere to put the babies, you will have to resort to artificial feeding. Neither cow nor goat milk don't fit at all.

When feeding, condensed milk diluted with water in proportions of 1 to 1, or milk powder with a similar dilution, is used. Feeding is carried out through a bottle with a nipple. At first you will have to feed twice a day, and when the little rabbit gets a little stronger, you can switch to one-time feeding. Depending on age, feeding volume ranges from 20 to 30 g of mixture.

There is also often advice that it is possible to separate baby rabbits from female rabbits in the case of a particularly large litter. This should be done only in two cases: if the baby rabbit is weak or if the rabbit has insufficient milk production. The latter can be checked by simply feeling her nipples. If they are swollen and milk comes out with light pressure, the rabbits should not be removed.

Young animals should be transplanted approximately a month and a half after birth, when they are sufficiently strong and do not need to be looked after so carefully and diligently. By this time, they should weigh, depending on the breed, from 400 to 900 g. If broiler rearing, then the rabbits are laid out no earlier than two months of age, when they weigh about 1.5 kg. After jigging, the rabbits are weighed, sorted by weight and sex and prepared for further placement in “adult” cages or special cages for young animals.

It is important to talk about the frequency of births. There are different figures regarding how many times a female rabbit gives birth in a year. The average number is 5-6 times. In the case of intensive breeding, the female rabbit is mated immediately after giving birth (at this time she often goes into heat) and, as soon as one litter grows up, the next one is on the way. This leads to the fact that one female can give birth to two or three litters in a couple of months.

After this, the female needs to be given a break and allowed to recover, so that a similar procedure can be repeated after a season. Such frequency of pregnancies benefits the female herself and provides her with intensive growth and weight gain.

Rabbits are considered one of the most prolific domestic animals; breeding them is quite simple, because a female rabbit can give birth to offspring up to 5 times a year. Females of large breeds of these animals come into heat in the sixth or seventh month of life.

Rabbits of small breeds become suitable for mating already at three months from the moment of birth. Not every home owner knows how long pregnancy lasts in rabbits.

And he must also ensure that he does not allow the crossing of related animals, including a female and a male obtained from the same litter.

If there is a small farm, a couple obtained from different mothers can be allowed to mate, but they may have the same father.

Pregnancy of the female rabbit, duration of pregnancy

Inexperienced rabbit breeders cannot determine the pregnancy of a female in the early stages. In order to find out that a rabbit is pregnant, you need not only some experience, but also observation. The first sign of the phenomenon under consideration is considered to be the animal’s special behavior. At this time, females become aggressive, they avoid close contact with males and push them away with their paws.

The gestation period of an animal can also be determined by other animal behavior. Shortly before the birth of the offspring, the female rabbit tears out the hair on her abdomen. In this way, she prepares a nest for the young.

Note! A change in the female's behavior is often considered a false pregnancy; aggressiveness often appears after an unsuccessful replanting of a rabbit. In such cases, aggressiveness is observed for 16-18 days. After this, the female rabbit again allows the male to approach her.

A female's pregnancy can be determined with 100% accuracy three weeks after the date of mating. During this period, an experienced rabbit breeder, with careful movements, can feel small balls in the female’s stomach - these are embryos. If you lack experience, it is better to entrust such actions to a veterinarian.

Many owners wonder how long a rabbit's pregnancy lasts; veterinarians often hear similar questions. This interest of the owners is caused by concern for future animals; each of them must prepare favorable conditions for the female rabbit for the birth of offspring and further feeding of the babies. Pregnant females walk for a relatively short time, so you need to prepare for childbirth in advance.

Note! Pregnant females carry their young rabbits for 28-35 days. Such discrepancies depend on the breed and characteristics of the particular animal.

In most cases, the gestation period in rabbits is 30 calendar days or one month.

Animals give birth differently during one birth; on average, from 6 to 10 rabbits are born, but female White Giants or Flanders can give birth to 2-4 babies. Recently it became known that the number of cubs depends on how long their mother walks. As the gestation period decreases, more rabbits are born.

Experienced rabbit breeders constantly monitor the rabbit during pregnancy. It is impossible to say right away how long the pregnancy will be. At this time, the animal needs to be protected from extraneous sounds, switched to increased nutrition, and a uniform temperature in the cage must be established. winter time line the rabbit's home with insulating material.

About five days before the expected due date, soft hay is placed in the cage so that the female can make a nest out of it and insulate it with wool. There are times when a female rabbit shows obvious signs of pregnancy, the due date is approaching, but she does not tear up the fluff. If this happens, then the owner of the animal must take the fluff and make a nest himself.

If such work is carried out too early, the female perceives the nest as a decoy or a false alarm, and she throws it out of the cage. With late lining, the animal does not have time to get used to the new interior in its home.

During pregnancy, it is not advisable to disturb or pick up the rabbit - this can cause stress for the expectant mother. If such operations need to be done, for example, when checking pregnancy, hold the female by the fold of skin at the withers with one hand, and hold the animal’s hind legs with the other.

Diet of a pregnant rabbit, birth of offspring

If the animal gains weight well during pregnancy, there is no need to make adjustments to the diet. In this case, the rabbit breeder must add meat and bone meal or pieces of chalk to the grain food. Preference is given to the component that the female will eat better.

If the animal is of normal weight, vitamin supplements should be included in the food. It is advisable to consult a veterinarian about the names and quantities of such components. The doctor will examine the animal and prescribe the volume of concentrated feed for a specific female.

At the beginning of pregnancy, the rabbit's diet should be dominated by voluminous food; at the end of pregnancy, before the birth of the offspring, a lot of concentrated food is given.

About a week before the expected birth period, the animal’s diet should look like this:

• special feed for rabbits or oats mixed with beans - 100 grams;
• food that contains a lot of protein, from 30 to 50 grams of sunflower or soybean meal;
• carrots or other types of vegetables;
• chalk or meat and bone meal - no more than 2 grams per day;
• additional vitamins in the form of fish oil and crushed egg shells - 2 grams per day.

Note! Not everyone knows how important it is to follow a diet - young pregnant rabbits should receive more nutritious food than adult animals.

This is due to the fact that their body spends energy on its own development and bearing offspring.

Just before the birth of the rabbits, the female becomes noticeably nervous; she does not find a place for herself in the cage, although some animals can quietly wait for the offspring to appear in one of the corners of their home. Typically, labor begins at night or in the morning. According to experts, the duration of the birth depends on the number of rabbits, while the female spends at least 10 minutes, maximum an hour, on the birth of each baby.

If the birth continues for too long and only large babies are born, the owner of the animal can seek help from a veterinarian. The presence of a doctor is not always required, because such situations happen quite rarely. During childbirth, the female may eat the membrane and afterbirth, as well as dead cubs.

To prevent cannibalism, it is necessary to monitor the process and remove dead rabbits from the cage after birth.

When the mother rabbit has licked her babies, the cage needs to be ventilated. At this time, the female is moved to a new home, the rabbits are counted and placed in the nest. The female should be in another cage temporarily, for about half an hour, while the main room is ventilated. For the next few days, the rabbit is not disturbed. The animal is given protein-rich food and water is added to the drinking bowl. In the case when the female refuses to feed the cubs, the rabbits are placed with another mother, but they must first be wiped with fluff from someone else's nest.

Rabbits are prolific animals. Female rabbits of large breeds are ready to mate already at 6-7 months, small breeds become sexually mature even earlier - at 3 months. To get healthy offspring, the main thing is to prevent the crossing of closely related individuals. Contact between a male and a female from the same litter should not be allowed. A pair from one male and different mothers can be considered optimal.

Pregnant rabbit

Is the rabbit pregnant?

At first, it is difficult for rabbit breeders to determine the pregnancy rate of a female rabbit. This requires observation and experience. When pregnancy occurs, the female's behavior changes. She becomes aggressive and avoids confrontations with males. And if the owner notices that the female is tearing out the hair on her abdomen, then you can be sure that she is going to insulate the nest for the rabbits.

True, a change in behavior may be a sign of a false pregnancy, which sometimes occurs in rabbits after unsuccessful mating. In this case, aggressive behavior can last up to 18 days, and then the female rabbit calms down and begins to let the male near.

On days 20-21 of pregnancy, you can examine the rabbit. During this period, an experienced rabbit breeder is able to test future rabbits. If doubts about pregnancy remain, it is better to invite a veterinarian for an examination.

A pregnant female rabbit runs away from males

Length of pregnancy

How long the pregnancy will last is the main question asked to the veterinarian. The owner needs this information in order to have time to prepare the female comfortable conditions for the birth and feeding of offspring. And since pregnant rabbits are pregnant for a relatively short time, there is not much time for preparation.

Gestation lasts from 28 to 35 days. More often, this period is 30-31 days, that is, one month.

One litter can replenish a farm with 6-10 rabbits. The duration of pregnancy depends on how many cubs the female carries; the more there are, the shorter the period.

During pregnancy, the rabbit must be monitored. It is impossible to predict in advance how many days the pregnancy will last. For the term, the pregnant rabbit must be provided with rest, increased nutrition, uniform temperature and silence.

About 4-5 days before giving birth, a nest of hay is placed in the cage, which the female insulates with her fur. If the pregnancy lasts about thirty days, and the female rabbit has not insulated the nest, then the owner needs to carefully pull the hair from the female’s abdomen and do it himself. When the nest is placed in the cage too early, the female does not perceive it properly. She can use it as a toilet or just throw it out of the cage. But in a nest placed too late, the animal does not have time to get comfortable.

During pregnancy, it is advisable not to pick up the rabbit. Subject to additional stress expectant mother completely useless. If this is necessary, then you need to hold the female not only by the fold of skin on the withers, but also with your other hand under the hind legs.

Fur-lined nest

Nutrition of a pregnant rabbit

If during pregnancy the female gains weight well, then there is no need to make big changes to her diet. It is enough to add calcium (chalk or bone meal). Depending on what the rabbit eats best.

If the rabbit does not look well-fed, then it is worth increasing the portions of food and adding vitamins to the diet. If in any doubt, it is best to seek veterinary advice.

The doctor will advise how much concentrated and bulk feed a pregnant female needs. Typically, in the first period of pregnancy, a predominance of bulky feeds is recommended, and in the second - concentrated ones.

7-10 days before giving birth, the animal’s diet should look something like this:

• mixed feed, legumes and oats up to 100 g;
• feed with a high protein content – ​​sunflower cake up to 50 g, soybean meal – up to 30 g;
• succulent food, carrots are best;
• mineral additives to the animal’s taste – chalk, bone meal, meat and bone meal 2 g, salt – 1.5 g, crushed shell chicken eggs– 2 g;
• vitamin supplements – fish oil 2 g.

Young pregnant animals should receive food that is 20% more nutritious than full-aged animals, since their body spends energy not only on gestation, but also on its own development.

Before giving birth, the female rabbit needs succulent food

Birth of baby rabbits

The approaching birth is reflected in the behavior of the female. She is nervous and cannot find a place for herself. However, just before giving birth, some animals huddle in a secluded corner of the cage.

Most often, birth occurs at night or early in the morning. Typically, childbirth does not cause any particular difficulties. How long the birth itself will last depends on the number of cubs and their development. The birth of each baby takes from ten minutes to an hour, respectively, the birth ends quickly or drags on for a whole day.

If the birth lasts too long, and the rabbits are born very large, then the mother in labor may need the help of a veterinarian.

However, such situations do not happen often. The maternal instinct in these animals is quite developed, and the female controls the birth process well. The rabbit eats the afterbirth and film from newborns. If there are stillborn cubs, then the animal can also eat them. To prevent this from happening, they need to be removed from the cage after the birth is over.

When the birth is over and the female has licked the babies, it is necessary to check whether all the rabbits are in the nest. If one of the cubs lies separately, then the mother is temporarily transplanted into another cage, and the rabbits are placed in the nest. Before doing this, wipe your hands with hay and down from the cage to eliminate your smell. At the time of transfer, it is most convenient to calculate how many rabbits the animal carried if the owner did not have the opportunity to control the litter.

After giving birth, you should check whether all the rabbits are in the nest.

You can return the rabbit to the cage with the cubs after the foreign smell has completely disappeared. This usually takes 20-25 minutes. Then, for several days, you should not disturb the mother and babies. All that is required from the owner is to add protein-rich food in time and pour fresh water into the drinking bowl.

Mommy feeds the rabbits in the morning and evening. The animal's milk is fatty and nutritious so that the female's diet meets her needs. The owner can control the satiety of the rabbits by taking a closer look at their tummies. There is no fur on newborn cubs, and mother's milk is visible through the thin skin.

If the female refuses to feed the offspring, then it is necessary to give them to another nursing rabbit in time. Before this, the fluff and hay of the parent's nest are cleaned from them and wiped with the fluff of the new nurse.

After giving birth, the female stays in the same cage with the cubs for a month and a half. Then they are separated from their mother, and the female rabbit can be placed again with the male for mating.

Raising rabbits is profitable, taking into account the fertility of the animals and how long the female rabbit's pregnancy lasts. In addition, female eared animals are ready for reproduction within 3-6 months after birth. Correct pairing determines the result. Stages of pregnancy and birth require favorable conditions maintenance, feeding. The rabbit must be carefully looked after during this period. The health and development of the young depends on the conditions in which the fetus is borne.

How to determine pregnancy in a rabbit

Not every mating results in the desired fertilization, so it is important to be able to determine that the rabbit is pregnant. A successful mating changes the behavior of the animal, but it is possible to confirm a reliable result only after two weeks.

If a female rabbit becomes pregnant, this manifests itself through the following signs:

• aggressive behavior, fearfulness;
• oval compactions measuring 1-2 cm in the area of ​​the uterus, which can be felt during palpation;
• increase in abdominal size;
• milky discharge from nipples when pressed.

Pregnant female rabbits pluck fluff from the abdominal area to prepare the birth nest. As the due date approaches, the animals begin to nervously rush around the cage in search of a secluded place. As a result, the pregnant animal is crammed into a protected corner of the cage.

The pregnancy period is characterized by a change in the diet of eared animals, which begin to drink and eat a lot. At the same time, their taste preferences change. Animals refuse their usual food, demanding something new. This behavior usually continues for the first week after conception.

By observing the behavioral reactions of animals, it is possible to independently figure out how to determine the pregnancy of a rabbit. You can put straw in the cage and observe the animal's reaction. If the female grabs a bunch, drags it into a corner and begins to put it in one pile, arranging the nest, then she is most likely bearing babies.

How to distinguish a false rabbit pregnancy

External signs that characterize the onset of pregnancy in rabbits do not always confirm the authenticity of this event. There is a situation of false pregnancy, when fertilization does not occur, and instead of a fertilized egg, a corpus luteum is formed in the area of ​​the ovarian follicle.

Why a female rabbit does not become pregnant depends on several factors. The most important reasons are hormonal disorders in an animal, disease, weak activity and viability of sperm, improper mating. You cannot rush and cull such animals.

It is important to make every effort to determine the true causes of the deviations that led to a negative result. Considering the unfavorable circumstances, make another attempt at mating the animals.

To distinguish false pregnancy in rabbits, you need to be observant. For the first 18 days, the animals behave like ordinary pregnant rabbits, showing aggressiveness towards members of the opposite sex and even humans.

False pregnancy is accompanied by such manifestations already on the 18th day after mating. But after a day the animals calm down, reacting calmly to representatives of the opposite sex.

How many rabbits does a mother rabbit bear?

The duration of pregnancy is influenced by various factors. For example, in animals with multiple births, birth often occurs earlier than the average term. If a female rabbit gives birth to few babies, she is pregnant for 31-32 days.

To a large extent, how a rabbit gives birth and how long she walks pregnant is influenced by previous experience in breeding. A more experienced female gives birth to babies faster. In addition, how many times a year a female rabbit gives birth is also important.

How long a rabbit's pregnancy lasts directly depends on the breed. Flandres and giants are representatives of breeds whose females remain pregnant for a longer period, compared to small decorative rabbits.

Representatives of the rabbit family bear offspring for 28-35 days, but more often this period is 30-31 days. Already on the 25th day, the baby rabbits begin to move inside the mother’s womb.

A pregnant rabbit often suffers from toxicosis, and therefore requires increased human attention. A calm environment throughout the entire period, good nutrition, and comfortable living conditions affect how long pregnant rabbits walk.

How to care for a female

It is advisable to calculate the time of approximate birth, starting from the date of mating, since the birth of the female rabbit and the gestational age depend on the exact time of conception. Based on this data, it is possible to effectively help animals bear offspring.

It is advisable to install the queen cell inside the cage about 5 days before breeding, placing straw there. If you start arranging a nest for a pregnant rabbit ahead of time, then the animal, which is young, will not understand its purpose.

On the other hand, placing the queen cell too late can provoke the female rabbit to give birth outside the nest. The offspring is in mortal danger in this case.

The duration of pregnancy directly depends on the health of the rabbit herself. Rabbits under 3 years of age are characterized by the greatest productivity. Labor usually proceeds quickly. Depending on how many rabbits are born at one time, their birth may be delayed.

After it has been possible to determine the rabbit’s pregnancy, you should surround the animal with attention and care. Regardless of how many days the female actually walks before giving birth, throughout this time it is necessary to maintain a uniform comfortable temperature, a calm environment, and provide enhanced, adequate feeding. It is not recommended to disturb, pick up the animal, or transfer it to another cage.

How to properly feed a rabbit during pregnancy

Regardless of how long pregnancy lasts in rabbits, it is necessary to provide the animals with a nutritious diet, feeding them with vitamin and mineral supplements throughout the entire period. In addition, the menu of breeding eared animals in the first half of pregnancy is permanent basis tree branches, greens, root vegetables, vegetables and other bulk food should be present.

In the second half of the term, the pregnant rabbit can be given more concentrated feed, soybean meal, hay, and sunflower cake. Don't rely on how much rabbits can eat. Overfeeding will negatively affect the health of the mother and the newborn babies.

You need to change your diet every day. For example, 5 days before giving birth, you can reduce the amount of roughage. At the same time increase the volume drinking water, which should be clean and warm. Young females up to six months old, who are carrying cubs for the first time, need more nutritious food. This is due to the fact that not only the developing fetus, but also the growing mother’s body itself requires additional energy.

Birth of baby rabbits

A pregnant female rabbit lasts an average of 30-31 days. After this time, the rabbits are born. Animals under 3-4 years of age usually cope with childbirth on their own, since the rabbit has a well-developed maternal instinct. Cubs appear at the quietest time of day: at night or early in the morning. The entire birthing process usually takes place in one hour.

After females give birth to their young, they eat the afterbirth, the membrane from the newborn babies. If a baby is born dead, then the female rabbits often eat him too. Due to the fact that these animals breed intensively over several years, they need to replenish lost minerals and vitamins. However, it is recommended that rabbits born stillborn be removed after birth.

Pregnant females carry their future rabbits for only a month; the babies are born wrinkled and without hair. Thanks to maternal instinct, animals clearly know and understand how to behave with newborns.

The mother licks each baby, places it in a warm nest, and carefully covers it with her own down and straw. A good mother rabbit feeds her young in the morning and evening. After giving birth, the mother should be left with the offspring for a month and a half, and then the young should be separated.

How to act correctly as a rabbit breeder at the moment of giving birth

The entire process of the birth of rabbits must be kept under control, without interfering unless absolutely necessary. No matter how many babies are born from one rabbit, it is important to ensure that all the babies are inside the nest. If a separately lying animal is found, then the mother should be removed and placed in the nest.

Care should be taken to ensure that there are no foreign odors. To do this, the rabbit breeder needs to thoroughly rub his hands with straw and fluff from the queen cell. After this, it is better to leave the offspring with the mother alone, remembering to leave food and clean water.

Female rabbits are characterized by a developed maternal instinct. Most often, its absence is associated with a lack of experience in young rabbits. Let's figure out how to understand that animals are not ready to feed their offspring, and how to find out whether they need help or not.

In such “mothers,” the young crawl throughout the nest in search of food and warmth. In these cases, it is recommended to pull the fluff from the nurse’s belly and cover the offspring. The related smell attracts the female, and instinct will force her to feed the babies.

Aggressive behavior of female rabbits

If the female shows aggression at the time of giving birth, scattering her cubs around, then she needs to be isolated after giving birth. Then pull the fur from the mother’s abdomen to create a nest, which is best placed under a lamp. After an hour, it is recommended to gently massage the nurse’s nipples and place the baby.

If the female rabbit’s aggressive behavior continues, then she needs to be placed with a male, and then the offspring are given away. In case of a negative result, the rabbits can be placed with another nurse. To do this, they should be cleaned of old fluff, rubbed with wool from a new nest and placed in the nest of a mature, calm female.

Artificial feeding - last chance for the survival of the young. If the female refuses the offspring, then rabbit breeders hand-feed the babies. Failed Moms are rejected. When the babies are covered with fur and begin to crawl out of the nest, they can be carefully picked up. More about proper care is described in the article.

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Domestic rabbits reproduce quite quickly. The livestock breeder needs to know some rules that allow him to get offspring without any problems. Childbirth in a female rabbit most often goes quickly, but sometimes difficulties arise that the farmer can overcome on his own or with the help of a veterinarian.

Birth of a female rabbit

Beginning breeders often ask what the birth of a female rabbit is called. This process is called childbirth or lambing. A female rabbit's pregnancy lasts 30-40 days. She gives birth only in the absence of her owner. Most often, no assistance is required for the animal.

In preparation for childbirth, the rabbit (female) is placed in the queen cell. She is provided with hay and straw to build a nest. If calving occurs in the summer, then no additional effort is required from the farmer. In winter, it is necessary to cover the floor of the queen cell with a layer of sawdust 50 mm thick, and sprinkle hay on top.

Birth of a female rabbit

Important! Do not use wood scraps from resinous or strong-smelling wood.

You can ask your veterinarian how rabbits give birth. The duration of birth does not exceed 20-30 minutes, but in some cases this time is extended to 60 minutes. The more rabbits are born, the shorter the duration of the process. If the female was unable to bear offspring within an hour, it is recommended to call a veterinarian.

A rabbit who has given birth for the first time may have 1-2 dead babies. A young mother can abandon a litter for the following reasons:

• the instinct to protect the offspring forces some female rabbits to leave the nest. In nature, the mother confuses predators with this;
• the female can scatter the young rabbits and trample them. This is a sign of sexual heat. Therefore, the rabbit is covered again, and her offspring are warmed up. The mother returns to her children after a night of mating;
• At first, the female rabbit does not approach the offspring at all, and then practically does not feed it. This happens when there is no milk from the mother. The newborns are transferred to another female who will care for them;
• A rabbit giving birth for the first time may not allow the litter to come near her nipples. You need to hold the female and bring the babies to the mother. Gradually everything will return to normal.

The farmer will see how rabbits are born when he receives his first litter. Usually these are small pink lumps up to 5 cm long. They have clearly visible ears, closed or open eyes. There is no fluff or fur on the bodies, so it is better to immediately cover them with hay. If everything is normal, the female will begin to feed her babies, bringing them to her nipples.

The rabbits are separated from their mothers after 1-1.5 months. If they get divorced decorative look animals - 60 days after birth.

Rabbits are separated from their mother after 1-1.5 months

Note! If a farmer breeds rabbits of large breeds (they are called Giants), then the babies are removed from the mother after 3 months.

How many rabbits does a female rabbit give birth to at one time?

It is almost impossible to guess the exact number of babies born. It all depends on many reasons, for example, the health of the female, her diet, etc. When asked how many rabbits a female rabbit gives birth to at one time, you can answer that on average the number of babies born is 5-6. But sometimes this figure fluctuates between 1-3 or 7-8 copies. Females often fail to give birth to all their young rabbits alive, so there are 1-2 dead animals in the litter.

Important! Dead cubs must be urgently removed from the queen cell, otherwise the mother will not approach the living young or will begin to eat them along with the corpses.

Due to pregnancy, the female becomes fearful and cautious, so any stress can lead to miscarriage or premature birth. This circumstance greatly affects the number of rabbit babies born. If everything is in order, then the farmer should expect to receive 5-7 copies. Sometimes from 8 to 13 individuals develop in the womb, but such cases are quite rare.

The rabbit gave birth - what to do

After the female gives birth, it is recommended not to touch the living babies with your hands. Otherwise, sensing someone else's scent, the animal will abandon its offspring. First, you need to call a veterinarian to examine the offspring and free it from the intrauterine membrane. The birth of the offspring most often occurs without any problems, but sometimes the mother remains motionless in the corner of the queen cell. In such cases, only a qualified doctor can help. The patient may develop various diseases, for example, endometritis or listeriosis.

During the examination and possible treatment, the mother is transferred to another room.

Note! If there is a female rabbit with her babies in the cage, then during the examination and possible treatment the mother is transferred to another room, and the babies are placed with another female.

The farmer must monitor the female, otherwise the rabbit may eat her babies. Sometimes this happens for the following reasons:

• not enough sodium in the female’s food;
• poor nutrition of the mother leads to the fact that the newborn baby becomes an attractive food;
• the mother accidentally eats the living offspring along with dead specimens.

The livestock breeder must monitor the feeding that the female and the newborn group of rabbits receive. In summer, the mother should be given more greenery, such as grass. Most often the animal is fed clover, alfalfa or oatmeal. If the rabbit lambs in cold weather (winter), then she is given high-quality hay and the food is diluted with legumes.

After placing the babies in a separate cage, they gradually begin to feed them not only milk, but also other foods. Add grains softened by boiling water and herbs (except parsley) to the diet.

Additional Information: It is better not to give fresh milk to babies. This can cause them to develop diarrhea. This disease cannot be treated on your own; it is better to call a doctor.

How to tell if a female rabbit is in heat

Before she begins to mate, the female changes her behavior. Her genitals change their condition. The genital slit turns red, and white and red discharge begins to emerge from it. The heat intensifies, and the animal’s nipples begin to swell greatly. The frequency of this condition in females is 40 hours, and lasts about a week (sometimes up to one month). At this time, the female's behavior becomes more restless.

Her genitals change their state

How to know that a rabbit is in heat, what needs to be done? The livestock breeder will be helped by observing the female:

• if she aggressively gnaws and scratches the cage bars with her paw, wheezes, snorts, and fights with other individuals, then she should be let out for a walk;
• she carries hay in her teeth from one corner of the cage to another due to the manifestation of an instinct that forces her to build a nest;
• the female can pluck her own down and fur herself;
• the rabbit loses her appetite and stops eating.

You can check the condition of the animal by stroking from its head to the tailbone. If the female is waiting for mating, then she will have a desire to raise her pelvic part.

Important! To speed up the state of hunting, you need to lengthen the daylight hours. Therefore, in winter and autumn they use artificial lighting. If this condition is not met, then there is no need to expect a large offspring.

Can a female rabbit give birth to one baby rabbit?

Some breeders ask why only one rabbit is born when more animals are due. This happens quite rarely. This happens either due to the weakness of the expectant mother or the presence of any disease. To prevent this from happening, the female should spend more time in the air and receive a varied diet rich in vitamins and minerals. The breeder must closely monitor the rabbit at all times and call a veterinarian in time if there are problems.

Baby rabbits

Blood in a rabbit's cage

Rabbit producers often notice blood spots or stains in animal cells. The cause of these manifestations may be any disease or the female’s readiness for mating:

if the rabbit has bloody discharge in her urine or feces, then it is recommended to remember if she ate carrots or pine needles;

• if there is a lack of moisture, animals may have red discharge in the summer;
• blood may appear in a rabbit’s cage if she is under stress;
• when sick animals are treated with antibiotics, their urine turns red;
• if the female has bloody discharge without signs of heat or estrus, then the diagnosis of this condition is sad - cancer;
• red stains appear in animals even if the time for menstruation in rabbits has come;
• another reason is miscarriage or infection of the uterus.

Note: If the farmer cannot pinpoint the cause of the bleeding, it is better to call a veterinarian. He will examine the animals, prescribe medications and provide the necessary treatment.

Rabbit fur, fluff, and animal meat can be obtained with proper nutrition and normal care. If these conditions are met, then even a novice livestock breeder will receive tangible profits from the farm.