ANSWERS: 15
  • Yes. The scent on your hands will most likely cause the mother to reject her young.
  • There is a risk, but there is also a risk that she will even if you do not handle them but disturb her in some other way, and there is a risk that you may lose the litter if you do not examine them for any diseases, parasites, or other problems. So whaddaya gonna do? You want to disturb them and her as little as possible. Some people claim that you should wear gloves but that really doesn't help, its not that rabbits insist that their young be "untouched by human hands" as it that rabbits have an instinctive reaction to having the nest and litter discovered by predators. ( And if those gloves happen to be rabbit fur lined, she is liable to get the wrong impression about you.) And of course the scent may act as a stimulus that the nest has been discovered. In the wild if the doe comes back and discovers that "somebody's been here while I was gone" she may eject the babies from the burrow or, more likely, just abandon it, after all she doesn't want to be in there when the weasel comes back. That is a strong instinct and no matter how used she is to you and being handled by you it can over ride her domesticity. A lot depends on just how much you disturb them and on the individual rabbit. Some does don't mind a lot a lot of handling, some does mind a lot a little handling. Hmmm. lemmee start over. Some rabbits will put up with quite a bit of disturbance, even as much as completely removing the litter and having the bedding changed, but I do not recommend trying that. Other rabbits will reject, eject, or attempt to abandon a litter from just the disturbance of the normal activities of adding food or water, or even the rabbits, especially bucks, in nearby cages. Your best bet is to leave her alone as much as possible, move slowly and quietly when doing the cleaning and feeding. Does dose does do the doowop in da dew? Does dey do it a lot in da lot? Does da D.O.E. use a lot of Duz to wash da Energizer Bunny a lot? My rabbit sized brain gets fixated on stupid stuff like that, it really does, does yours? Or your doe's?
  • I've read that it's not always true that rabbits will reject them. For example, if someone found a nest of baby bunnies in the wild and picked them up or touched them, it's best to leave them in the nest rather than take them home because "the mother will kill them if we leave them". The mother will not always reject them. BUT, it's best not to touch them in the first place because it is likely that she will. Here is one site to reference: http://www.geocities.com/coonladylori/facts.htm but any local humane society will probably state the same thing. 'Tis a question with no definite answer.
  • Sometimes it does happen. This can be avoided by by putting your hands in the mother's feces (or Bathroom area)before handling. This will cover your scent so you can handle the babies without the fear of the mother rejecting them. It is not a good idea to handle them more than you have to though.
  • mum rabbits will not normaly reject them aless she can smell your sent on them its likely she will kill it if she can....
  • no,usually the mother will NOT reject her babies. rabbits are domestic animals and are unlike wild birds. or just to decrease risk of SOMETHING happening you may put a drop of vasaline or vanilla on the moms nose so by the time it wears away the bunnies will smell like normal.
  • If your rabbit is confident with you and you handle it regularly she will know your scent. I handled my rabbit's babies almost everyday and they turned out fine! :)
  • If you have a domestic bunny, chances are your smell won't scare her. She associates that smell with petting and food. She is used to smelling you all over her home. I've found mine not only doesn't mind my removing the babies, she prefers it. In the wild a mother rabbit only spends a few short moments each day with her bunnies. She visits them when her nipples start to feel sore with milk and uses them as pumps to relieve her discomfort. The rest of the time she simply finds them annoying. I take her kits out and keep them elsewhere so she can rest and return them to her every few hours to see if she is ready to nurse. You can tell if she is not in the mood - she'll run from them. Then when I know what her favorite times are. I've talked to many other breeders and have yet to meet one that is afraid to touch the kits.
  • yes there is a risk
  • if you really need to handle the babies rub your hands over the mother first so she will not smell your scent on the babies. if shes looking after the babies though theres no need to move the babies. oh if the dad rabbit is still with the babies remove him straight away.
  • Never put your hands in the bathroom area before handling them. This could really harm them. would you handle a new born child with poo on your hands. Nice clean hands are fine if your doe is use to being handled. Just make it quick - check what you need to and leave them alone. We check ours daily to make sure mom is feeding them. We have never lost any babies that way.
  • like it is said there is a risk that the doe might reject her young but that is only when she doesnt recognize your scent. that is why you must handle her before her litter is born so your scent will be recognizable to her.
  • No. Rabbits are domesticated, used to your scent and even wild rabbits don't usually reject their babies with human scent on them It is a MYTH! You must touch them to check how they are and remove dead ones and clean out the nest box at times. Don't over-handle them but touching them is okay. Take a peek when she's not in the box, cover them back up with hair and then leave. Don't wear gloves. Those DO smell strange. Use the hand you always use to take care of them. There is NO DANGER.
  • She will not reject them. That is a myth. She is a domesticated rabbit and used to having you or other people around. But don't play with them or anything else that may stress them. Just be quick, check them out, count them. Check their tummies to see if they are full and that she is feeding them well.
  • If it is a domesticated rabbit, she will not reject them. My bunny just had her babies 4 days ago, and I've handled them daily to check on their feeding and to keep the fur in the nesting box.

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