Surprise! Baby Bunnies

Now this is the biggest surprise I have had in a very long time. I know the ducklings, but this really knocked my back. I was cleaning out the rabbit hutch and noticed that in the main three tiered area, which normally never has droppings, was building up a good amount of poop. So I cleaned each tier. Then I open the “Hide box”, area that has no windows. I find a big nest and it was moving! I looked down and I saw a bunch of baby rats!! Just kidding they were baby bunnies (Kits) but I was in shock at first as I did not know what it was and how. We always believed they were females and sexed them ourselves as well as the breeders.

We found that Bell was the mother and Val was the father. Of course we are wondering what to do now. They already look to be a week old and the mother can be pregnant again within hours of giving birth. We do not want to have 5000 bunnies. Well maybe we do, but most diffidently do not have a big enough hutch for that many. They do have the bunny mansion ( 😉 Not the one in LA.)

We know we have to build yet another addition to the hutch to keep the babies from falling down the ramps.

 I built the screened room with droppings pan on the third level, it is almost identical to the first floor addition. Now the hutch is 7 foot wide but 6 foot tall and 2 foot deep.

The hoppers

Now that we have a secure area for the new little ones they are about 15 days old and just starting to open their eyes. This is when I was able to get the full count on just how many babies their are. We lucked out and only have four little ones. A typical litter is between 4 and 12 babies. But we are not out of the woods yet. Bell may have another litter soon.  She needs to nurse these for 8 weeks and may give birth to another litter in the meantime. This is why we are getting Val neutered ASAP.  One to stop the reproduction and secondly is for Bell’s health. She should not give back to back births.

With the addition in place and the little ones are fluffing out. They are becoming more adventurous. All of them are exploring outside of the nest for short periods and it is just one of the cutest things. They are so small and three look like their dad, Val, a rex mix and one is a spitting image of their mother Val. This little one is just so darling with its little lion mane.

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