This post is dedicated to my friend Min, whose deep and abiding feelings for rabbits is unsurpassed.
Pippin, the Daddy Bunny
"She had HOW MANY babies?!"
Pepper, Mama Bunny
I’d pull out my own hair, too, if I didn’t have an 18-gauge Touhey pouring anesthesia into my spine during labor.
What I discovered when I got home yesterday afternoon:
At first I couldn’t see anything, but then the wind blew the pile of fur and shavings. Except there was no wind. It slowly dawned on me WHAT I was seeing, so I gently pushed the fur back.
Pink & black, furless, tailess, blind mice-like creatures, wriggling and snuggling.
I’ve learned a lot the past week about bunnies giving birth–
- When the otherwise docile, gentle mama goes ape-crazy–scaling the rabbit hutch, ripping out her own fur and that of anyone near, chasing Daddy Bunny and when she catches him, biting and squeaking at him–her time is VERY near.
- Start boiling the water–NOT for
hasenpfeffer!–to keep YOU occupied while she’s in labor. Except that could take a few days, so maybe it’s a step you can skip unless you need to make a few vats of tea or boil a few dozen eggs. - Separate the mama and the daddy bunny, cause if she doesn’t kill him with her vampire hex, he’s gonna eat the babies for breakfast. I’m not sure, but this might be what human daddies feel like right after birth–they just saw this AMAZING miracle of LIFE, they watched their wife run a marathon that ended in this little person exiting her body; OF COURSE it makes ’em hungry, so they eat the first thing they see. Thank goodness for hospital food and vending machines.
- Mama bunnies don’t "act" the way you might expect. They don’t stay in the nest with their babies, they stand over them to nurse, and they may not begin feeding them for a day or two.
This little adventure should be interesting. Stephen and I are like two mother hens, so proud of the behbes, but understanding the best thing we can do is keep our distance. My in-laws told us there’s a good chance none of them will live, so we’re hopeful; I’m not sure how Stephen would respond to that.
It was extremely difficult to photograph them in the hutch, but while Pepper was taking a well-earned nap, I took advantage (and based on my research, this should be okay to do)–
I scooped him up, then he snuggled right back to his brothers and sisters and my maternal instinct soared. How could I love these little fella like I do?
In related news, Pippin is moving to a friend’s farm today…might be a few tears on our end. We’re city folk and won’t be able to keep all these bunnies. No worries, though…the kids’ friends were bidding on them before they even arrived…I just hope their parents know ;).
Wow. Very exciting news from out there. So glad you shot pictures too. I wouldn’t have expected any less! Seeing them in your hand showed me they were much bigger than I’d have expected. Thanks for writing about this experience. Wasn’t it better than having to explain that they were gay?
Alll-riiiight!!! Congrats on having your very own warren!! (Hey, I read “Watership Down”!)
Watership Down was the most painful book I ever had to read.
What little babies (squeak!)
How are you holding up Min? Shaking yet?
“there’s a good chance none of them will live, so we’re hopeful;”
I’m hopeful too.
Thank-you, Robin, for contributing to the downfall of the human race as we know it.
Awwwwwww….I knew it!!! =) Congrats!!! They are sooo cute! It takes me back to when I had all my rabbits for FFA!!!
Well this makes for an interesting post~it’s a long time since I saw baby rabbits. I hope Pepper turns out to be a good momma and they do survive 🙂
Wow, I’ve never seen newborn bebeh bunnies before!! Check out rabbit.org or check with your local aspca to see what you can do to take care of the bebehs…and maybe they can help place them???
Congratulations!!
Awwww well isn’t that the cutest thing EVER!! Congrats on the new babies!
Dear robin. Aww poor little bunnies. I hope they get strong and healthy (and then you’ll have to figure out where all these new bunnies are gonna live, I guess!)
Congratulations, Grandma….oh, did you know you were a grandma? hahaha.
TOO CUTE!
Maybe you could find someone who owns a snake….and then you wouldn’t have to get rid of Pippin – you know, just keep up a supply of babies for those snake owners.
I’m being morbid. I know –
Well, I guess this explains the crazy bunny behavior! Aren’t they cute?
So, they’re uh… NOT brothers after all?
Those are some dem cute critters! I loved having baby bunnies in the house. 🙂
HA HA HA! Another great laugh…over bunnie births, no less… Those gestations are quick, aren’t they? I think I acted like a mama rabbit when I was about ready to give birth too…
my rabbit just had 6 babies today awesome experiance
so cute I want one
what type are they??? I found some and I really wanted to know!
They’re lion head rabbits. Adorable but kinda mean :).