Rabbits are typically quite avid breeders and are known to become pregnant very easily.During their average lifespan of 5-10 years, these animals spend most of their years involved in mating! Female rabbits are typically able to become pregnant 24 hours after giving birth to their previous litter, which can cause a baby rabbit population explosion if not kept under control!A rabbit’s average litter size can include between 1-14 babies at a time. The litter capacity of a doe depends on several factors, which also affect if the babies are healthy or not. It is theorized that a rabbit’s amazing reproduction capacity is a form of defense against extinction, as the rabbit family has many predators in the wild. They also have no set breeding season, and rabbits mate throughout the year. To learn more, keep reading!If you enjoy this article, check out our other pages, like how often do ducks lay eggs and how long do rabbits live.How many rabbits are in a litter?The average number of kits born in a litter has been observed to be six to eight bunnies; however, this can depend on a number of factors.The number of rabbit kittens, or ‘kits’, depends on a number of factors such as age, size, and the health of the doe. First-time births usually result in smaller litters, with the number of babies born increasing from the second breeding period onward. As the doe keeps aging, the number of baby rabbits per litter will then continue to drop.The number of kits that survive also depends on the health of the mother. If the mother is undernourished or underweight, the baby rabbits born may be weak or stillborn. It is important to make sure expectant does are fed well, kept in a stress-free environment, and are kept clean. This helps better the development of the babies in the womb, resulting in healthier kits being born.Baby rabbits are born without fur and are called kittens. They depend on their mother to feed them as their eyes and ears are sealed shut. It is also important for their body to be kept warm due to their lack of fur.Healthy baby bunnies mature quite fast and leave the nest at 15-20 days old. These animals are able to survive on their own at just three weeks old in the wild, as they are weaned off of milk by then. They can be observed running around the cage at this point, which means they are getting ready to live separate lives from their mothers. Male bunnies sexually mature at 10-14 weeks of age, whereas females become ready to reproduce at around three to six months of age. This means that they are able to mate and give birth from a very young age.A rabbit’s gestation period is also quite short, lasting around 28 days. A peculiar fact is that, after giving birth, does are able to procreate and become pregnant almost immediately, after only 24 hours! Males and females left together tend to mate very easily, which is why it is best to keep any rabbits of the opposite sex separate from each other starting at eight weeks of age. Females are able to give birth consecutively throughout their whole lives, which means one pair of rabbits can have hundreds of offspring by the time they die! At any given time, the majority of the rabbit population is under a year old due to their excessive mating speed!How many baby rabbits survive out of a litter?Out of the usual 6-14 kits born in a litter, there are quite a few which may not survive. This number changes from doe to doe.Due to a large number of babies being born in a single litter, there can be competition in the womb which may lead to an unequal distribution of nutrition among the developing kits. Due to this, there may be a few stillborns, as well as a few undernourished and weak babies. In the wild, these weak babies may also end up dying due to a lack of maternal attention, in which case they receive little to no nutrition or warmth, as the mother tends to focus on healthier kits.Pet rabbit babies can be fed and nurtured to become stronger from birth. If you notice any underfed babies at the edge of a rabbit’s nest, it is better to intervene and take care of them yourself, as they are likely to die without outside support or food. To check if the babies are being well cared for, observe if they are being kept warm and have round bellies. If not, you must care for them yourself and feed them milk.Rabbit Size Vs Litter SizeThe size and species of the female rabbit do play a part in how many babies are born per litter.The average number of babies per litter has been observed to be 14. This is in terms of larger mother rabbits. Dwarf species will mostly produce only two rabbits at a time, whereas medium-sized rabbits have litters of six babies on average.Why does a rabbit eat her babies?Though rabbits can birth up to 14 bunnies at once, a percentage of these kits may be stillborn or born weaker compared to the rest and may not survive for long. Rabbit mothers do not have strong maternal instincts and tend to favor the stronger kits, which are more likely to survive. They prioritize feeding and making sure these babies grow, while the survival of the weaker ones often depends on human intervention.The weaker babies can often be found at the edges of the nest, where they do not have access to any food or warmth from the mother rabbit. It is theorized that mother rabbits do not have much maternal attachment to their babies as it is very easy for them to reproduce, and they can end up producing more babies merely days later to replace the weak ones.When it comes to stillborn babies, they often end up being consumed by the mother rabbit if not removed from the nest. This is done in order to keep predators from tracking the scent of a baby rabbit’s body and finding their nest. A female rabbit uses her survival instincts to remove babies as well as any placenta, to keep the scent from becoming too strong.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for ‘How many babies do rabbits have?’ then why not take a look at ‘How long do pugs live?’ or ‘Angora R=rabbits facts’.
Rabbits are typically quite avid breeders and are known to become pregnant very easily.
