Is My Rabbit Taking Care of Her Litter?
This is another one of those super common questions I see all the time. Many newer breeders mistakenly believe that their doe has rejected her litter because they do not see her with the babies (kits.) This is actually very normal behavior. While occasionally we do see does that are constantly looking in on their babies, most rabbits still have the instincts of their wild ancestors. Wild rabbits only feed their kits 1-2 times a day. The rest of the time they are nearby, but they stay away to avoid attracting predators to the nest. It is very common for domestic rabbits to wait until nobody is around before hoping in the nest box to feed their kits. It's also not uncommon for domestic rabbits to feed their kits in front of their owners. This is why it can be so confusing for newer breeders. Doe A has been seen feeding her kits multiple times, but Doe B has never been seen so much as looking at hers. It's logical to assume that Doe B has rejected her litter when you're not aware of typical behavior. So how can you tell if the babies are getting fed? Just look at those cute little baby bellies!
This is a newborn that has not been fed yet. It's perfectly normal for does to not nurse for 24 hours or so, although many nurse much sooner than that. This little one is not in the "danger zone" yet. His stomach is not sunken in and there are no excessive wrinkles in the skin. Notice how it's whole underside is the same color? This kit is perfectly healthy, but needs to be rechecked after about 12 more hours to see if it has nursed yet.
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This is a newborn baby that has been fed already. While not as prominent as I'd have liked to have shown, you can see some white showing through on the belly on either side of the belly button. That is the milk it drank earlier showing through. You can usually see some signs of milk in their systems for the first few days, especially when they've nursed in the past couple of hours. It's belly is also rounded, which is a good sign that it got plenty to eat.
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That's pretty much it! As long as the babies are showing signs of being fed by the 48 hour mark, you don't have much to worry about. Some girls just need their privacy.