my mother rabbit

Question
my female reabbit just gave birth this morning to one almost mumified dead bunny and one that appears to have a broken neck. shes a dwarf but isnt she till supposed to have more than just 2? do you think shes haveing complications? can she still have more babies even tho the first ones were born around 8 this morning?

Answer
There is a very rare chance that rabbits can deliver more babies at later times.  We have had them deliver up to 2 days apart.  If she is a first time mommy she might have had a difficult birth and got confused and tried to the pull the baby out which may have caused the broken neck.  We have infact seen them bitten right in half on first time moms.  The other one was probably still born which also happens often.

There is great difficulty with dwarf rabbits having babies because they were cross bred over many generations with other breeds to produce a dwarf gene.  The mummified baby could have been what was called a peanut (double dwarf gene) and they never survive no matter what you do.

As for small litters, well dwarfs generally have small litters and can usually have anywhere from 2 to 3 but they can have larger litters at times also.

If she was a first time mom don't worry to much.  If after tomorrow there are no knew kits go ahead and breed her again.  Sometimes it takes them 2 or 3 litters before they really get the instinct down.

I am sorry for the loss of you babies but don't give up.

Goodluck and if you have any further questions please let me know.

Pam