dwarf rabbit an babies

Question
Why is the mother running away from the babies they are just over a week old.

Answer
Hi Patsy,

She senses danger.  Mother rabbits do not stay with their kits like dogs or cats.  They nurse only once a day.  It's usually very early in the morning, before sunrise.  She nurses standing up.  In just a couple of minutes, she has fed that high powered milk, groomed them and stimulated them to use the bathroom.  And she is off for the remainder of the day.  Domestic rabbits are bred from wild rabbits.  This behavior, noted in cottontails too, is to stay away from the den as much as possible to avoid being detected by a predator.  The kits should be in a warm nest box to simulate a natural nest.  The mother should have a private area away from the nest in which she can monitor the activities in a natural way.  Do not force her to be with the kits as this will cause stress and can be detrimental to both the mother and the kits.  Only intervene if she is not feeding them.  As long as they are fat and warm, she is doing her job.

A side note since I rehab baby cottontails....hand feeding rabbits is a difficult task and requires special formula.  Many breeders suggest kitten milk replacer or goat's milk...sometimes mixed with something like Karo syrup or cream.  That is not proper nutrition and will result in health problems down the road.  Try to let mom do her job.

Randy