How Long Is A Rabbit Pregnant

How Long Is A Rabbit Pregnant?

My late wife and I were blessed with 8 healthy children.  We experienced a few early miscarriages in there as well.  All of our births were full term, 40 week pregnancies. 

That’s about 2,240 days of pregnancy – how about that! To me pregnancy and birth are miracles… 

If you’re reading this, you may be wondering how many days is a rabbit pregnant?

A rabbit is pregnant for 29 to 35 days with the great majority of mother rabbits (does) giving birth on the 31st or 32nd days.  The number of baby rabbits (kittens) typically ranges from 5 to 8 but may be as many as 14!

Learn How To Tell If Your Rabbit Is Pregnant!  And Why People Use The Term
“Breeding Like Rabbits”

How Long Does A Rabbit Stay Pregnant

The Michigan State University Extension Service tells us that a rabbit stays pregnant for 31 days.  From mating to birthing her babies, or kindling, is a fast 29 to 35 days. Most rabbits give birth, or kindle, on the 31st day after mating.  

Giving birth is also called kindling.  Baby rabbits are called kittens, or kits. 

Mother rabbits have an average 31 day gestation and the ability to safely re-breed after about 4 weeks, as her kits slow down on milk and begin to eat some solid food (…as kits begin to wean). 

So, this means that mother rabbits can safely perform 4, to at most 6, gestation, kindling and kitten milking cycles each year.  

An adult female rabbit is called a doe.  An adult male rabbit is called a buck.

How Many Months Is A Rabbit Pregnant 

A rabbit is pregnant for one month.  A rabbit stays pregnant for about one month before she kindles, usually giving birth to 5 to 8 kits.  When a rabbit kindles she gives birth to a litter of babies. 

How Many Weeks Does A Rabbit Stay Pregnant

A doe is pregnant for about 4 ½ weeks. 

During this gestation her body is devoting a lot of energy to growing out the kits in her womb. Then, she gives birth to her kits and her body naturally devotes a log of energy to making milk for her kittens. 

Newborn bunnies - 4 day - bunnies in fur nest

How Many Days Is A Rabbit Pregnant

The doe is pregnant for about 31 days. 

The pregnancy period is called the period of gestation. So, the rabbit’s gestation is 31 days long. 

Mother rabbits need high quality food to help them grow babies and make rich milk. 

How Soon Can A Rabbit Get Pregnant Again

A mature doe can get pregnant again within days of kindling.

Getting pregnant again is also known as getting “breeding back”, as in rebreeding the mother rabbit after a kindling.

However, getting pregnant again right after giving birth is not healthy for your rabbit.  The mother rabbit is pouring a lot of energy, in the form of protein, fats, minerals, etc, into making milk for her new kits. 

To have to simultaneously grow another set of babies in her womb places a tremendous stress on her body. 

Gestation Period Of A Rabbit

The Gestation period of a rabbit is the same as the time that the mother rabbit is pregnant.

Therefore, the gestation period of a rabbit is 31 days. Actually, it is a range of 29 to 35 days, with most pregnant rabbits giving birth on the 31st or 32nd day. 

Baby Bunnies - The Three Amigos

Rabbit Gestation Period Chart

The great majority of rabbits share the 29 to 35 day gestation period, with day 31 or 32 being the most frequent kindling day.  For those who prefer a chart:

Type of RabbitAverage Gestation Period
Lionhead31 Days; With range of 29 to 35 Days
Pet Rabbit31 Days; With range of 29 to 35 Days
Californian 31 Days; With range of 29 to 35 Days
Standard Rex31 Days; With range of 29 to 35 Days
Meat Rabbit 31 Days; With range of 29 to 35 Days
Angora Rabbit31 Days; With range of 29 to 35 Days
Wild Rabbit31 Days; With range of 29 to 35 Days
Cotton Tail 31 Days; With range of 29 to 35 Days
Jack Rabbit31 Days; With range of 29 to 35 Days
House Rabbit31 Days; With range of 29 to 35 Days

3 Simple Ways To Tell If Your Rabbit Is Pregnant

Here are some easy ways for you to tell if your rabbit is pregnant. 

  1. Day 1 – Did the Buck Fall during breeding, did you see your Doe Get Bred
  2. Day 14+  – Palpate her lower belly to gently feel for marble size embryos
  3. Day 26+ – Is she “Hay Stashing” – Eating all the Hay she can

And lastly, if your rabbit pulls hair for a nest, then she is either pregnant or is experiencing false pregnancy.  Here is a video that elaborates on these 3 easy ways to tell if your rabbit is pregnant. 

What To Do For A Pregnant Rabbit

During gestation or pregnancy the mother and her kits have better outcomes if her nutrition is augmented by extra protein and calcium. 

Her body uses this protein and calcium to grow the kits in her womb and keep her healthy. 

If the pregnant mother does not have adequate nutrition to grow the babies in her womb, then her body condition declines, her kits have lower birth weights and lower survival rates. 

In particular, protein and calcium are needed for the babies to grow bones, muscle and other tissues. The extra protein and calcium can be provided in the form of a high quality alfalfa hay while the extra vitamins, minerals and micronutrients can be provided in the form of a measured amount of high quality rabbit pellets.   

The following Hay Nutrition Chart, adapted from House Rabbit Society, shows that Alfalfa hay is considerably higher than timothy, orchard grass and other hays in protein and calcium. 

                  Hay Nutrition Chart

Hay% Protein% Fiber% Calcium
Alfalfa15.3271.4
Barley4.0380.3
Meadow7330.6
Oat7.329.50.3
Orchard9.8300.3
Rye7.4260.5
Timothy6.330.20.5
Wheat7.4250.2

We readily see that Alfalfa hay provides the extra protein and calcium that pregnant and nursing Does, and growing young rabbits need. 

We see that Orchard Hay and Timothy Hay are pretty similar.  Both are great for dry does and adult bucks.

Pregnant and nursing Does, and their kits, are healthier and stronger when they have a higher source of calcium such as alfalfa hay.  

The pregnant and nursing Does pass a lot of calcium to their kits.  If they do not eat enough calcium, then the calcium may leach out of their own bones in order to be available for the growing kits. Higher calcium and protein levels are important and beneficial for bunnies that are weaning off their mother’s milk and beginning to eat hay. 

From weaning through about six months, bunnies’ benefit from bodacious amounts of beautiful protein and calcium. Protein and calcium help bunnies grow strong bones and muscles. 

Similarly higher protein and calcium intake is beneficial for pregnant and nursing mother rabbits or does.  They are passing along extra protein and calcium during pregnancy and then while nursing kits. 

Outcomes for mothers and kits are much better when healthy foods are provided. 

Wild Bunnies in Grass nest

How Do I Prepare My Rabbit To Give Birth

There are several things that owners can do to help their pregnant rabbit have a better kindling experience.  A better kindling experience also benefits the kits.

  • Hay Stashing – The expectant Doe may do some “hay stashing”. Hay stashing means the mother rabbit literally eats as much good hay as she can find. As always, make sure that she has unlimited access to high quality hay. And as discussed, many owners feed pregnant rabbits alfalfa hay, for its higher levels of protein and calcium. 
  • Fresh Water – Ensure that your rabbit has plenty of fresh cool water to drink, both before and after kindling. If you’re in the southern United States or in a tropical locale, the rabbit’s water can get very hot if it is directly in the sun. Rabbits will happily drink warm water, but not hot water. 
  • Nesting Box – On day 28 of the gestation period, be sure to place a nesting box in the hutch or cage with the expectant mother. Line the nesting box with some clean straw or your bedding of choice.  The mother will be sure to arrange the bedding and straw as she prefers. She will eventually begin to pull some of her fur to line the nesting box and create a nice cozy nest for her kits before she kindles. 

Tip: Do not provide the pregnant rabbit with a nest box before day 28.  It will end up fouled with urine and droppings. 

Nesting Box Video

How Long Does A Rabbit Pregnancy Last?

The average rabbit pregnancy lasts 31 to 32 days.  

The pregnancy period of gestation is the time from mating to birthing.  Gestation may be as quick as 29 days or as long as 35 days. 

Rabbit Age For Breeding? 

Many people ask, “When Can Rabbits Mate?

Small breed rabbits reach puberty in 4 to 5 months.  We encourage you to not breed your small breed female rabbit until she is 8 months old. This lets her reproductive system fully mature before being exercised. 

Large breed rabbits reach puberty in 5 to 8 months.  Here at Hobby Farm Heaven we encourage you to not breed your large breed female rabbit until she is 10 months old.  This allows her reproductive system to catch up with all the rapid growth of her body. 

Do Rabbits Absorb Their Babies?

Unborn fetuses may be absorbed by the mother’s body up to the 20th day of gestation. 

This is known as “fetal resorption” and is typically due to poor nutrition or disease.

Female Rabbit Nipples

A female rabbit (doe) has 8 to 10 nipples that swell with milk late in her pregnancy. 

Are Rabbits Born In Eggs?

No, rabbits are mammals, so they give birth to live babies. Baby rabbits are born in a nest made by their mother. 

Sometimes the nest is in tall grass, sometimes in some bushes, and sometimes underground in a rabbit burrow or warren.  Baby rabbits are born blind with eyes still closed and without fur. 

Wild rabbit Babies in grass nest

Final Thoughts on How Long Does A Rabbit Stay Pregnant?

As discussed in this post:

  • The average rabbit gestation period is 31 to 32 days. 
  • The pregnant rabbit will pull fur and use grass, hay, and sticks to make a nest for her babies a day or two before she gives birth.  
  • Owners can improve healthy outcomes for both the mother rabbit and her baby rabbits by feeding the mother a diet high in protein and calcium during her gestation period.
  • Mother Rabbits (does) have 8 to 10 nipples and typically give birth to 5 to 8 kits; but she may have as many as 14 kits in a litter. 

If you have any questions regarding pregnancy in rabbits, we would love to hear them, please leave them in the comments section below!

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