Two week old bunnies - can they have contact with the Dad bunny now?

Question
QUESTION: Hi - my doe gave birth to baby bunnies in a burrow she built beneath the hutch.  That was two weeks ago and for the first time, today a couple of the little babies have peeked their heads over the top of the burrow.

The doe and buck love sleeping together in the hutch cuddled up (its ok I know about de-sexing/re-impreganting etc), I'm just wondering if he's likely to harm the kits now they are 2 weeks old, or is it only newborns that the male bunnies might harm/eat?  He is a youngish dwarf lop and has a lovely gentle nature and showed no aggression (only curiosity) when they peeked their heads out.  In fact he seems to be showing more concern for them than the mum!

Do you think I have to remove him?



ANSWER: hello

congrats on the litter of bunnies.

im sure that he will be just fine as if he wanted to hurt them then he would have done at first sighting of the babies.They only time he may get aggressive is if the babies wont leave him alone and keep jumping on him when the litter get bigger.keep a close eye on them when the baby bunnies first come out of the nest and see how they all are.

if you are wanting your female to have more babies then i would wait atleast 2-3 months to give her a break, also if she is already pregnant then the next litter in more likely to be still borns or very unhealthy.

good luck and i hope this helps

sarah

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hello
Thanks for the helpful answer.

Also with the female - I'm pretty sure she is pregnant again, the poor little thing, and I really want to get her de-sexed as soon as possible.

After the next kits arrive, how long after that is it safe to get her de-sexed by a vet?  Should I wait till she is no longer feeding the kits, if they survive?  I'm wondering if the op might put too much stress on the feeding mum.  

I am having the boy bunny de-sexed this week but I understand he could still get her pregnant again for a month or so after his procedure.

Answer
hello

If your getting your male rabbit neatered then there really is no need to get your female spayed as well as she wont be able to get pregnant again if he is neatered. Also after two litters then i dont think she will be able to cope with an operation.

when you neauter your male rabbit, he will need to have at least 6 weeks rest to recover properly before putting him back with your female rabbit. Any time before this then yes he will still be able to get her pregnant.

hope this helps

good luck with the next litter

sarah