Rabbit childbirth: how lambing goes and what to do at home

Animals of the order Lagomorphs breed very quickly. In order to get offspring several times a year, to avoid undesirable consequences and at the same time not harm the uterus, the breeder must have an idea about the birth of the rabbit, about the number of offspring. The quality characteristics of the litter are affected by the age of the female, diet, living conditions and breed.

How rabbits give birth

The babies are born 28-34 days after mating. The more children, the shorter the gestation period. The fact that the birth is approaching, the breeder will understand by the restless state of the female. In the mother liquor of straw and wool, the rabbit begins to make a nest.

Lambing time is early morning or night. The help of the owner of the expectant mother is extremely rare. His main task is not to interfere, to quietly control the process. The rabbit's maternal instinct is extremely developed, she herself knows what to do. After the birth of the last baby, the rabbit bites the umbilical cord, licks the children, eats the afterbirth.

On average, a round lasts 20 to 30 minutes. If the female cannot give birth for more than 1 hour, you should seek help from a veterinarian.

The beginner's guide to caring for rabbits at home says that after lambing you need to be careful not to frighten away the mother, examine the nest, remove dead and weak babies from it.

How many baby rabbits are born to a rabbit

For one lamb, a rabbit brings from 4 to 12 babies. The number of children depends on the tribe, age, conditions of the female and diet. Representatives of decorative breeds at a time give birth to up to 6 rabbits, mammals of the middle weight category breed 8-12 copies, giants can have up to 16 individuals.

A female who becomes a mother for the first time has a small offspring (3-5 babies). Also, low rates of lambing in animals with obesity. Their sexual desire weakens, the rhythm of reproduction is disturbed, and the birth itself takes place with complications.

How often they breed

Animals of the hare order can produce up to 70 rabbits per year. Theoretically, a female rabbit can bring 11-12 offspring per year, but lambing is an exhausting process for a rabbit. Both the body and the nervous system of the female need rest.

3 technology rounds:

Industrial. After a successful lambing, breeders re-mating after 21 days. Such a schedule makes it possible to receive 7 rounds per year.
Compacted lambing. The animal already on the second day after birth enters the state of hunting, mating is carried out on the 3rd day after birth.The rabbit can simultaneously feed the babies and bear a new offspring. Then on the 28th day, the children should be weaned from the mother so that she prepares for a new birth. The schedule of compacted births leads to the rapid depletion of females, which negatively affects the he alth of the offspring.
Standard. The female is placed with the male on the 30th day after lambing. After 2 weeks, children are separated from her, the expectant mother has 14 days left to prepare for a new birth.

Preference should be given to the 3rd method, as it is the most gentle.

What to do after childbirth

After the female has littered, it is forbidden to touch the litter with your hands. The uterus eats the placenta, licks the rabbits, covers them in the nest with pre-pulled fluff. Smelling a foreign smell, she may refuse to feed her offspring. To examine the children, the rabbit is temporarily isolated from the babies, the inanimate and sick individuals are removed.

A rabbit with children should be provided with peace, therefore, access to the cage is limited for domestic animals and people, and sources of loud noise are excluded. These animals easily fall into a state of stress, which is fraught with the refusal of the uterus to feed the children. It is necessary to record any changes in the behavior of the rabbit. Timely measures taken will relieve the problem of what to do next.

Making milk requires a mother to drink plenty of fluids. It is necessary to provide the rabbit with fresh water in sufficient quantities. Another condition for the successful feeding of offspring is a balanced diet. In addition to hay and water, the diet should include root crops, chalk, fish and meat and bone meal, mineral and vitamin supplements.

If lambing occurs in winter, the breeder should insulate the floor in the mother liquor by pouring sawdust, and cover it with straw on top. In severe frosts, the cells are brought into the barn. Preferred temperature regime: +18 ˚С. Water or food should also not be frozen and too cold.

In summer, animals should not be allowed to overheat. In hot weather, the cage is rearranged in the shade, providing good ventilation (no drafts), protecting from direct sunlight.

Temperature should not exceed +23 ˚С. In hot weather, the female should have round-the-clock access to water. Dandelions increase lactation. They should be included in the summer diet of a nursing mother.

Possible problems

A female that kittens for the first time can give birth to 1-2 dead rabbits. Sometimes a young mother abandons her litter, does not want to feed him. Reasons for abandoning offspring:

Sexual hunting - the female scatters the babies, tramples them. This behavior indicates that it must be transferred to the cage for the night with the rabbit, and the offspring at this time should be heated. After mating, the mother returns to the children.
Lack of milk - the female does not approach the children, does not feed them. The litter is placed with another rabbit who will take care of them.When moving the rabbits, all the fluff of the uterus is removed from them, and in the new nest they are covered with wool so that they are saturated with the smell of the individual that will replace their mother.
Inexperience of the female. Rabbits who are kittens for the first time may not let babies near the nipples. It is necessary to calm the young mother and bring the offspring again. Soon she will understand what needs to be done.
The instinct of protection of rabbits - the female leaves the children and the nest. So, in the wild, female rabbits confuse predators to ward off danger from the litter.

It is necessary to look after the rabbit, as she can eat her children. There are several reasons: poor diet, lack of sodium in food, unintentionally (confuses living offspring with dead ones).