Uhhhh ohhhh!

[Emmy]

Hi, I’m fairly new to rabbits.. I rescued a boy about 4 months back and just got him neutered so I thought it was time to get him a female to bond with. I found this beautiful jersey woolly on Craigslist a couple weeks ago and things were going great. Until two days ago she started pulling her fur out and had 4 little babies. They didn’t tell me she was pregnant. She was living inside a cardboard box, not even being fed hay.. Well now I have 6 rabbits with these 4 babies. They were born dec 1st and I just don’t know what to do with them.. I cannot keep them all maybe two of them… My rabbits have a very big space and are very very very spoiled and loved. I want the same for these precious babies but I already have a bunch of rescued animals and having 6 rabbits is too much for me right now… What can I do?

Thanks,
Emma

[Emmy]

I might also add that I will not take the rabbits to a rescue… I would like to do this In a more personal way… I would love to stay in contact with whoever takes the babies, see pictures of them and know they are living a quality life… I don’t think I could bare not knowing what happens to these babies. I have fallen so in love with their momma she is so sweet and cuddly. She loves when I pick her up and has been great with me around the babies… Which I’ve read if she nested she will most likely take good care of them. I’ve been checking tummys, they aren’t compleley round but babies are warm and pink.. Haven’t seen her feed, sounds like I probably won’t see it happen from what ive read.

[Sr. Melangell]

Advert in shop window when they are old enough to leave the mother, or contact Animal rescue,  you’ll be stuck with them over Christmas and new year.

[Liv]

Like what Olly said, you can’t really get rid of them quickly and safely. Baby buns should stay with their mothers until at least eight weeks. That doesn’t mean you can’t start trying to find them good homes now. I would contact the local 4H- even though) these wont be show quality (I’m assuming, I’ve never done show but don’t most want pedigrees?), some kids might want them for agility training or a first rabbit. Also, people will often contact 4H when looking for rabbits and some offices keep records of who’s looking/who is rehoming. Another idea would be to contact your local vets. Lastly, word of mouth can be surprisingly successful. Post on social media, tell your friends/co-workers, and maybe they’ll spread the word! The good side of finding folks early is that you can help teach them how to work with buns and get them socializing with their future pet. Be aware, there is a chance these babies wont make it, especially since it doesn’t sound as though the mom had an easy life. I hope I am wrong about this though… 

Good Luck!

~Liv

[Emmy]

I defiantly will be keeping them with mom until they are grown and ready to be away from her! I’m not in a hurry! Im just spreading the word now since I know Im going to be pretty particular about where they go. Thanks for the good ideas! Hoping for the besmt is there anything I can watch out for with the babies?

[tobyluv]

It can be very difficult to find good homes for rabbits, so you may have to consider a rescue in 8 weeks when they are old enough to leave their mother. It is usually not a good idea to advertise rabbits on Craig’s List or similar places, as you may get people wanting the rabbits for reasons other than as a companion animal. It’s best to concentrate on people you know, or friends of friends, instead of advertising to the general public. Make sure that anyone who is considering taking them, is well versed in rabbit care and their ways, or that they are willing to learn. They need to know that a rabbit is a 10 year or more commitment, that they need specific diets, they need plenty of exercise and play time out of a cage each day, and their cage or pen should be large enough to give them space, that they are not the best pets for young children, since they are delicate and could be injured through mishandling, that most rabbits don’t like to be held, that they are usually bad chewers, so any rooms they are in need to be bunny proofed, that they will need rabbit savvy vets. The Bunny Info link here is very helpful and has info on all the basics of bunny care.

If there are any rescues near you that are accepting rabbits, or will be in a couple of months, speak with them and find out how they try to make sure the rabbit is going to a good home – what they require of the adoptive parents, that they charge a high enough fee, if they have home inspections or follow up visits, how long they’ve been doing the rescue, etc. You probably wouldn’t be able to keep in contact with the babies once they have been adopted, but at least you could feel good about the homes they are going to, if you like the rescue and feel confident about their ability to find good homes for the rabbits.

[Author]

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