Animal parents are quite different from human parents. People will never do anything to hurt their children intentionally. Human parents are much more aware of their behavior around their kids and how it can affect them.
On the contrary, animals do not have enough intellect to know these things. Animals picking up their young with their mouth is standard, as most do not have hands. However, stomping on a young one is unusual behavior.
Rabbits are fragile animals and look sweet. Imagine the horror when a mother rabbit starts killing its kit but stomping on them! As a pet owner, you must know what to do if your mother rabbit is stepping on its babies.
Baby rabbits are one of the most delicate animals. To prevent a mother rabbit from stepping on these innocent beings, you must understand the reasons behind the behavior. It will help you create the best suiting strategy to eliminate the horrible stomping of the kit.
It would be best if you always searched for the source to prevent any behavior from occurring again. Unless you remove the trigger point, the behavior will keep happening. To ensure the safety of the newly born baby rabbits from their mother, keep reading.
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The Reasons Your Mother Rabbit Is Stepping On The Litter
When people behave oddly, there is usually more than one reason behind it. Human psychology revolves around the multiple reasons a person can act in a certain way. For instance, if you are exhibiting aggressive behavior, anger cannot be the only reason.
You may be sad, hungry, frustrated, depressed, or experiencing hormonal imbalance. No behavior is the outcome of a single trigger or reason. The same thing applies to bunnies.
It could mean multiple things if your bunny rabbit is stepping on its litter. The poor rabbit could be sick, tired, or depressed. The possibilities are endless. As a pet owner, you must watch your precious rabbit’s emotional and physical health to figure out what could make your bunny step on her young.
Here is a list of reasons that can make your rabbit behave in this bizarre manner:
Anxiety
Bunnies have fragile emotional health and are anxious animals. As prey creatures, rabbits are always looking at things with the perception of survival of the fittest. If your bunny senses a threat or is near more giant animals, the poor mother can step on her litter to protect them from danger.
First Litter
People are flabbergasted at the birth of their first child. They need to learn what they are doing and make plenty of mistakes. Rabbits are no different. There is a high chance that your first-time mother rabbit is stepping on her kit unintentionally. The new mother rabbit does not know how to be around young bunnies and makes mistakes in learning to be a mom.
Existence of a Male Bunny
Male rabbits have a high sexual drive and want to mate constantly. If you keep the male and female rabbit in the same cage, the buck will try to mate with the new mother doe. In sexual chase and rejection, the mother bunny can accidentally step on the litter.
Small Space
Rabbits are hyperactive animals and require plenty of space to move around. A single rabbit needs a cage four times larger than the animal’s stature.
When the female bunny gives birth to its litter, it will be difficult for the rabbit to move around in its old cage with the babies. In the chaos, the mother rabbit can step on the baby rabbits. Expanding your rabbit’s cage is best if it starts a family.
Change in The Living Space
Bunnies are snobbish animals and do not approve of things very quickly. You might attempt to give your precious furry friend new bedding or litter. However, if the rabbit does not like it, it will pace to and fro in protest and discomfort. In the process of showing disapproval, the mother rabbit might unknowingly step on its babies.
The Doe is Uninterested
There can be times when the new mother doe is not ready to be a mom and handle the responsibility of a litter. Some female rabbits do not have the innate feeling of motherhood in them. In such a case, the bunny can step on her litter because the animal does not care. Getting your new litter a foster mother bunny is the best option.
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Signs That Your Mother Rabbit Stepped On The Baby Bunny
Knowing if a bunny rabbit is well and alive can be challenging as they have minimal movement. You must have noticed that your adult rabbit hops, plays, and zooms all over the place.
So, when an adult bunny is sick, you can see it in its decreased physical activity. Regarding baby bunnies, you will need a more vigilant eye to notice the slightest changes in the precious cuties.
Here are some signs to look out for:
Bruises and Scratches
Baby rabbits have fragile skin and organs. If your mother rabbits step on the little cuties, the babies will bruise or have scratches. There is a high chance you will not catch your mother rabbit stepping on the babies. So, you should regularly check the kits to ensure they are not bruised or scratched due to the mother rabbit stepping on the precious creatures.
Squished or Dented
Mother rabbits are heavier than baby bunnies. If adult rabbit steps on the tiny baby rabbit, it can squish the animal. You should check the baby bunnies for squished lower bodies or dents in their abdomen. It will be a clear sign of pressing or stepping.
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How To Prevent Mother Rabbit From Stepping On Its Babies?
A mother rabbit stepping on baby bunnies is a terrifying concept to experience. The thought of a helpless animal getting squished under its feet is traumatic. If your bunny rabbit is stepping on its poor litter, you must intervene and prevent it from happening. Here is what you can do:
Rearrange The Litter
While giving birth, the mother rabbit might choose an uncomfortable spot in its cage. Later, the mother bunny can get uncomfortable and step on the babies accidentally, as they are in an odd place. Shift the litter so that it is not in the mother’s way.
Get a Bigger Cage
If you have placed your bunny rabbits in a cage, ensure it is big enough to fit the whole family. Rabbits need ample space to hop and move in. When the new litter arrives, the mother rabbit will require more space.
Create a Nest
Baby rabbits are tiny. The mother rabbit can step on them accidentally while roaming in the cage. To prevent this, create a soft nest within the cage for the newly born baby rabbits. The mother rabbit will know where the kits are and avoid stepping on their space.
Let The Mother Handle It
Rabbits are burrowers. As prey animals, they like cozy spaces to hide. Your mother rabbit can attempt to dig a burrow in the cage, and the kits are in the way. If you notice such behavior in your bunny, provide the animal with a nice cardboard box and let the mother rabbit create a cozy burrow-like area for its kits.
The Mother Does Not Like The Nest
The new mother rabbit might be dissatisfied with the nesting material for its babies. The bunny might step on the kits when removing the material. Use straw, hay, and the mother’s fur as nesting material for the kits to avoid such trouble.
Pick a Quiet Spot
Rabbits have sensitive hearing. Loud sounds can make your mother bunny fidgety and scared, as bunnies are prey animals. Make sure to put the cage in a calm place where the bunny rabbit does not have to flinch at sounds and accidentally step on the litter.
Refrain From Frequent Visits
A constant eye on the bunnies is a great option to ensure they are safe. However, too many visits can stress your mother rabbit with the constant disruption in the animal’s daily routine.
You must maintain your distance and trust your bunny rabbit to care for the newly born fragile bunnies. Watch the kits to ensure they are well-fed and receiving love from their mother. However, go only sometimes.
Separate The Mother
If, after every effort and preventive method, the mother rabbit keeps stepping on its young ones, you should separate the family. It will be best to get a new cage for the kits or the mother rabbit and keep them away from each other. You can take the mother rabbit to the kits for feeding, but if that is too dangerous, you can give the kits formula yourself.
Final Word
Understanding rabbit behavior can be challenging, as it can have many layers. Before getting a pet rabbit, ensure you research the animals enough to handle most situations. Once you get a rabbit, decide if you want to expand your pet’s family.
If you do not want baby bunnies, spay or neuter your precious pet. On the contrary, if you want cute baby bunnies in your home, prepare for the responsibility.
