Multiple pregnancy

Question
I have four pregnant rabbits and i just find out that one or two of them had babies, there is a group of seven babies alive and on the other side of the hutch there were two dead babies. I don't know which of the rabbits had babies which one is the mother of the living ones and if I have to separate the other pregnant rabbits from the one with babies. Can you please help me! Thanks Roberta.

Answer
Dear Roberta,

There is no easy way to tell which mother had the babies unless you can examine them all and palpate to see which one is still pregnant.

Putting a nest box in with the mothers will allow her to make the nest and tend her own babies.  If the mothers are not crowded and stressed, this should come naturally.

If you find that the mothers are not feeding their babies, please see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/orphan.html

But please also see:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/breeding.html

I am sorry about the loss of the babies.

Dana