Baby Bunnies!

Jason and I were up late last night having our monthly budget meeting.  We are really wild like that.

I decided to check on our bunny, Ninia, before I headed to bed, knowing that Friday had been her "due date" for my first attempt at breeding our two Holland Lops.  And there they were - 5 freezing cold, hairless, squirmy and adorable bunnies.  Success!

31 days ago, I put the two rabbits together and watched in horror as they attempted to breed.  The female jumped on the male.  The male jumped on the female backwards.  What was wrong with these rabbits?  Don't rabbits have the reputation for making a million babies each year?  It was my first attempt at this, so I knew I needed to plan for the potential for her to have babies.  Let's just say, I wasn't holding my breath.  The pathetic part is that I even palpated her belly several times this month and didn't feel a thing.  So much for my nurse experience....

The 5 little bunnies would have quickly died in the 9 degree weather outside.  50% of Holland Lops loose their first litter due to their inability in knowing what to do with them (I never claimed they were the smartest breed).  We had placed a nest box in her cage for her to, theoretically,  build a nest for the upcoming bunnies and birth them in there - but she didn't do that.   Her lack of nesting only confirmed my suspicions that there wouldn't be any babies.

No nest built, and babies born on the cold wire, could have been devastating.  The providential moment that I walked outside to check on her saved those little naked babies.  Jason and I brought all of them inside and began warming them up.  As I held them skin-to-skin, I was rocking back and forth.....what's with those intense mothering instincts?  We had to get Ella out of bed to share in the excitement!

Now Ninia just needs to keep them alive.  We aren't so sure about her mothering instincts - but hopefully she can dig down deep and find some.

Baby bunnies will be for sale in 9 weeks. And don't worry, they will be much cuter by then!