heat, and baby rabbits dieing

Question
hi,  what are the signs that a rabbit is in heat? i have 2 rabbits witch are female Netherland Dwarfs. my brother has a male polish and we breed them twice. it wasn't successful because 1 of my rabbits ginger ate her baby on the first try and the second try we breed them and she chewed off the abiliacord and she "talked" to it and licked it but it didn't survive. my other rabbit shadow barried her baby on the first try and the second try it still didn't survive. can you please tell me why they are dieing?     sincerely,
           Jenna :)

Answer
Hi Jenna,

Technically speaking, rabbits do not have a heat cycle.  They are induced ovulators.  They can become impregnated for something like 12 of 15 days.  The doe becomes fertile within minutes after a buck mounts her.  You can look at the does genitals to see if she can conceive and it should be red, bright pink or even a purpleish color.  As far as the kits, make sure there is an appropriate next box for them to feel secure and have some privacy.  The doe will not stay with her kits like other animals...it's a holdover from when domestics were really wild rabbits.  Have the mom an area outside the nest box so she can spend her time until she is ready to nurse.  That is most often very early in the morning.  Make things as stress free for the mom and kits as possible.  

We do not breed here since we are a rescue...but I have some very good friends that are very successful breeders.  I will try to get in touch with them either tonight or tomorrow to see if they have any other ideas.  I do hand raise a lot of cottontails....hundreds of them....and keeping things as close to natural and as stress free as possible is very important....and so too with the domestics.  I will be back in touch after I get in touch with my breeder friends.

Randy