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Pregnancy in Rabbits

What to Do if Your Rabbit is Pregnant

Updated on February 03, 2023
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Reviewed by Petco’s Animal Care
Education and Compliance (ACE) Team

How to tell your rabbit is pregnant | Caring for a pregnant rabbit | Baby bunny care | The importance of spaying and neutering

Breeding age in rabbits can vary depending on the species, however, some females can become pregnant as early as three months old. After this age, any un-spayed female rabbit kept with an intact male rabbit for any length of time may lead to a pregnancy. Whether intentional or accidental, your pregnant rabbit needs special care before and after the babies are born to ensure health of mom and babies. 

rabbit with its baby

How do rabbits get pregnant?

Female rabbits—also known as does—become pregnant through sexual reproduction, just like most mammals. Female rabbits have similar reproductive cycles to those of female humans, with a 28 to 31 day long menstrual cycle. And during this cycle, a doe will go into “heat”, meaning that she’s fertile and able to get pregnant. Once pregnant, a rabbit’s pregnancy period is usually around 31 days, and a doe can give birth to a litter of between 4 and 12 baby bunnies. 

How to Tell Your Rabbit is Pregnant

Although a rabbit’s gestation period is generally 31-33 days, pregnant rabbits may not have noticeable weight gain or a visibly rounded belly until the end of the pregnancy, which may make it difficult to tell early on if your rabbit is pregnant. Some other signs of pregnancy you can look for include an increased appetite, weight gain, and nesting behaviors, such creating burrow by digging and carrying bedding or hay to a specific corner of her habitat. Your rabbit will also likely experience behavioral changes with pregnancy, including pulling fur to make a nest and mood swings that can include heightened aggression. Even if your female rabbit is not kept with an intact male, false pregnancies are not unusual in rabbits and can bring on all the same behavioral changes and weight gain.

Caring for a Pregnant Rabbit

As soon as you suspect your rabbit may be pregnant, isolate her to a habitat by herself to reduce stress and prevent continued breeding. Rabbits can re-breed within 24 hours of a litter being born, so even if you were unaware your female rabbit was pregnant, she should be moved to her own enclosure as soon as possible. A nest box with nesting material, such as hay, should be provided for privacy to help her feel secure to give birth and care for the newborn babies. This should be cleaned daily until babies are born to prevent build-up of feces or urine that would discourage mother from using the next box as intended. Feeding a high-quality diet is essential during pregnancy and nursing as the babies may deplete mother of many vitamins and minerals. Extra fresh vegetables and alfalfa hay as well as unlimited timothy hay and pellets will help ensure your rabbit receives all the nutrition she needs.

Baby Bunny Care

Baby rabbits, also known as kittens, are born completely dependent on their mother. They have no hair to keep them warm and are unable to hear or see.  You will want to keep a close eye on them, especially with a first-time mother, to make sure she is properly taking care of them, however you should not handle the babies unless absolutely necessary until they are old enough to move around the nest and habitat on their own. Mother rabbits will only nurse babies 1-2 times a day, but well-fed babies should have full bellies that are not sunken in. If you have any concerns that mother is not lactating or feeding the babies, you should contact a veterinarian experienced with rabbits immediately. Baby rabbits are generally weaned by around 6 weeks of age and will then soon be ready to find new homes of their own away from mom.

The Importance of Spaying and Neutering your Rabbit

Spaying or neutering your rabbit is important for the health of your rabbit, even if you are not keeping males and females together. Both males and females have significantly higher chances of developing several types of cancer by mid-age if they are not altered. They can also display behavioral issues and increased aggression if left intact. Rabbits should generally be spayed or neutered at sexual maturity, around four to six months, depending on what your veterinarian recommends.

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