Raising rabbits – a fascinating National Geographic experience for kids

When most people get a bunny, it’s from either a pet store or a local breeder. We had kept bunnies and obtained them that way for years. That is until I found out how fascinating it is when rabbits have babies.

I allowed my kids to put a male and a female bunny together, and we all know what happens then. It was also a great way to teach my kids the sex talk, that it only takes once for a boy and a girl to get together to make babies. Honestly, a perfect real-life example of the birds and the bees and how it really only takes once. OK, so beyond the sex and talk, back to health fascinating it is to watch the process of rabbits having babies.

Well weren’t completely sure of the date of when the babies would arrive, but we would watch the mother in her cage, and then something started changing. The pregnant rabbit began ripping out all of her own chest for her, and putting it in piles in the cage. This not only made a nest for her babies to stay warm once they arrive, but this also exposed her nipples so that she was able to nurse the babies. Wow, it never would’ve dawned on me that she would need to get rid of all that fluff so that she could feed her babies. It makes sense, it’s just not something I ever thought about. Here's a video of the fluff and babies:

So one day, one of my daughters went to check on the bunny, and she watched as the pile of fur in the corner was moving up and down. She couldn’t see the babies, but the mother had first babies in the night and placed them underneath her furball to keep them warm. Miraculous! Nature truly is amazing. No one taught her that, she just instinctually new that she was going to need to keep her newborn, naked babies warm.

Over the course of the next few weeks, we watched as this amazing mother rabbit was able to keep her babies, warm, nurse them, and care for them as they matured.

Once the babies were about a week old, we were able to take them out of the cage, and certainly had some fun loving on the cutest little baby bunnies if you ever see. Once the baby rabbits were large enough, we were able to rehome them.

The process of having baby bunnies was not only adorable, taught my girls that it only takes once for a boy bunny, and a girl bunny to get together and have babies, but it also taught them how miraculous life truly is. It was really our own National Geographic show happening right before our eyes. if you have little kids, at some point, I highly recommend this experience. We have been there, and I'm glad for the experience that we had done that.

Xo,

Mama