Do male rabbits kill the babies?
by raysto18
Do the males kill the babies? And should the males be separated from the babies right after birth?
***** Karen Sez *****I don't have personal experience with leaving male rabbits in with the babies, but from all I've heard and read, the males don't typically kill the babies. In fact, I understand that they can be quite solicitous of the youngsters.
I can also imagine that the answer to this question might vary from rabbit to rabbit. Some bucks might easily be trusted with its kits, but perhaps others might kill them, possibly like male lions attempt to kill the young offspring of rival males.
But there's another reason why you might want to remove the sire
before the doe kindles the litter - he'll be only too happy to rebreed the doe within minutes of delivery. That's what happens in the lives of wild rabbit pairs so it's a natural behavior, but, two litters back to back may drain the doe's reserves. If it happens, just give the doe a break before the third litter, so she can regain her weight and condition.
Good luck, and enjoy your rabbits!