Thanks Jo,
I have put together all the information I've found out so far here it is (I've printed it off)
RABBIT PREGNANCY HELP SHEET[/b]
Weaning:
When the babies are too old to be drinking off their mum but little too young to be rehomed and need to be separated from her.
Wean the litter (take them away from mommy) at 6 weeks of age. Sex the babies by 8 weeks and seperate them, boys from girls.
Nest Box:
About 27 days after the breeding, she should have a nest box. Put in whichever corner she does NOT poop or pee in.
The nest box should be about 10" x 12 ", with at least 4" sides (6-8" is better with a "dip" cut out for an entrance). I like to line the box with shavings or absorbant material (cotton batting, etc.) and pack the rest with straw or hay. Momma will dig out a hole in the middle and should line it with her fur. Some does pull fur the day before they kindle (deliver) some won't do it until after they kindle. (If she doesn't pull fur, you will have to do it for her. After she kindles, her hormones actually loosen the fur and make it easy to pull off her belly. You would pull enough off to cover the babies.) -BlueGiants
Plan on taking the nest box away from her and the litter when the babies are 21 days old. You can leave it longer if it's cold or drafty where they are, but it has to be cleaned frequently.
Food:
Give her the same amount of feed for a day or two after she delivers. Gradually increase the amount of feed you give her. The babies will not come out of the nestbox to eat until they are 15-18 days old.
At 8 weeks, you can start sending them to their new homes. Prepare a bag of feed to send witheach bunny that they can use to wean the babies over to their feed.
How many?:
A litter can be any number from 1 up to 14... Average is usually between 4 and 7
For lionheads - I've had anywhere from 2 babies in a litter- to 9 babies in a litter. My average litter size was around 6 I think - however, I had larger does and let them mate about 3 times with the buck in a breeding session. â Peg
Handling:
I handle our babies from the day they are born â BlueGiants
After Birth:
You need to make sure they are all alive and well. Remove any that didn't make it, clean up any "after-birth" (placenta's) that the momma doesn't clean up. Don't stress out the momma, give her a little treat (parsley, carrot, apple) pet her, then check the nestbox. And I check them once a day after that, to make sure they are getting fed, everyone is together inthe nest and warm, and to make sure the nestbox is clean and dry (if not, I clean it out).
Peanuts and Runts:
A "peanut" inherited dwarfing genes from both parents and usually will not survive. A large number of them have under-developed digestive systems that can not absorb nutrients. Both parents have to carry the dwarfing gene for that to happen.
A runt is usually the smallest baby in a litter. May have been the last egg fertilized, may have been squeezed by siblings in the uterine horn, may not have had full placental attachment in the utereus... a lot of them survive just fine, they are just smaller. Some will always have problems, (digestive problems, lower immunity, etc.)
Time Away:
You can give Fluffball time away from the "kids" after a few days, if she wants! Some does won't leave the kits for several weeks. You can assess her willingness to leave by opening the door of her cage and seeing if she is willing to come out. Give her the option to return and check on them if necessary. Some girls will, some don't care.
