Do female rabbits kill eachother's babies?

[Rabbitcutie]

Our rabbits are all together in a big place where they have tons of holes going in other directions. I decided to leave the pregnant doe in with them so she feels comfy. Will they kill her babies? We have an extremely aggresive doe.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I can't recall her name, but one of our members lost a litter to another doe recently in her colony cage.

It might be safest if you could remove either the aggressive doe or the soon to be mama to a cage for now.

 

[Rabbitcutie]

yeah because last time we left a pregnant doe with the aggresive one, her kits were found all bit up. I cant catch the pregnant doe or the aggresive doe so i can allways redbreed her.

 

[ladysown]

whereas I've housed aggressive and non-aggressive does together and they've kindled without issue while having full access... so I say it all depends on the animals involved.

 

[akane]

They can. If you have enough space generally not but I've had 3 does kindle at once with 2 being aggressive and the 3rd doe lost her litter because they were protecting such a large space for theirs. Sometimes does make stupid choices on where to kindle as well and other rabbits will accidentally kill them. I've had a few first time moms choose high traffic areas where everyone runs over the nest several times a day. Most of the time though I have no problems. My 2 most aggressive does have litters again and are doing just fine with a 3rd nesting away from them in the other half of the colony.

 

[srhymes87]

I've got a large colony style cage I built out of an old trampoline. One of my does just kindled, like 30 minutes ago. She built her nest under one of the crates I have in there for extra shelter, so I think the babies are safe from traffic. They have a large hutch they generally gather together in. The crates are in there so when they're moving around they still have places to duck under if/when they're feeling threatened. Anyways, there are two other females in with her, one who is very gentle, the other one is a bit more aggressive, she keeps mounting my new mom. Is this normal behavior or a sign that I should probably separate her like I did my males?

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

I've got a large colony style cage I built out of an old trampoline. One of my does just kindled, like 30 minutes ago. She built her nest under one of the crates I have in there for extra shelter, so I think the babies are safe from traffic. They have a large hutch they generally gather together in. The crates are in there so when they're moving around they still have places to duck under if/when they're feeling threatened. Anyways, there are two other females in with her, one who is very gentle, the other one is a bit more aggressive, she keeps mounting my new mom. Is this normal behavior or a sign that I should probably separate her like I did my males?

Mounting is usually a rabbit showing dominance

 

[MnCanary]

Quite a bit of research on group housing was done in the Netherlands. The idea was that group housing of does would be more humane for rabbits, compared to individual cages.

When they had enclosed nest boxes in the group area, kit mortality was high and the adults were frequently wounded. They then tried a system that allowed each doe her own nest box, with entrance controlled electronically by a chip in the rabbit's ear. Infant mortality went back to normal, but there were still sometimes rabbits with wounds--indicating that there were still fights although less fighting than without the electronically controlled nest entrances.

The kits also had lower weight at weaning age compared to traditional individual cages.

 

[Scooter1A]

My doe throws my cat to the ground and stands over her hhahaha first time it freaked the cat out....now she knows it's kinda play.

 

[Scooter1A]

yeah because last time we left a pregnant doe with the aggresive one, her kits were found all bit up. I cant catch the pregnant doe or the aggresive doe so i can allways redbreed her.

rabbits do the darndest things

 

[MsTemeraire]

Quite a bit of research on group housing was done in the Netherlands. The idea was that group housing of does would be more humane for rabbits, compared to individual cages.

When they had enclosed nest boxes in the group area, kit mortality was high and the adults were frequently wounded. They then tried a system that allowed each doe her own nest box, with entrance controlled electronically by a chip in the rabbit's ear. Infant mortality went back to normal, but there were still sometimes rabbits with wounds--indicating that there were still fights although less fighting than without the electronically controlled nest entrances.

The kits also had lower weight at weaning age compared to traditional individual cages.

Very interesting - do you have a link to the study?

 

[MnCanary]

Very interesting - do you have a link to the study?

http://world-rabbit-science.com/Documents/Cost848.pdf The article on group housing of does starts on page 108.

 

[Preitler]

I keep my breeding does in pairs, each pair has 2 hutches connected by a tunnel which I can block when needed.

I never had any issue with one doe interfering with the others litter. Actually, when the litters are about the same age they become one mob. once mobile, although they mostly return to their own nestboxes for feeding. Age differences of 2 or more weeks make things a little tricky, and measures need to be taken to keep the older kits out of the youngers nest.

As I said, never had an issue with the does. Even my hyper dominant Fury (now 10yo) always was nice to any kits.

The only doe I have that attacks kits, or any rabbit but her patner, is my spayed free range house bunny Dotty.

 

[judymac]

http://world-rabbit-science.com/Documents/Cost848.pdf The article on group housing of does starts on page 108.

Fascinating reading, thank you so much for sharing this.