Why is my female rabbit eating her kits?

My female rabbit just gave birth today, when we were not home, when we found them one was half eaten and there were 2 others, still in the cage, this is her first litter, as she young yet, about a year. HOW MANY DO THEY USUALLY HAVE WITH THE FIRST LITTER? AND WHY IS SHE EATING THE KITS?Why is my female rabbit eating her kits?
Most animals, at least the smaller ones live by the policy of 'waste not, want not'


Many reasons can be given, but most actually require you to see the birth.


Any still born kittens are eaten so that the protein is not wasted. Mum's really need the energy after labor.


Sometimes kittens are damaged during birth.


And sometimes, they just aren't up to mothering or are a little too enthusiastic and vigilant cleaning off the new born.





As said waste not, want not!


Don't think too hard on that one ;)Why is my female rabbit eating her kits?
litter size depends on the breed obviously a dwarf breed such as a netherland dwarf will have a smaller litter usually around 3 kits while a larger breed such as a giant chinchilla will have a larger litter in average 6-8 kits . alot of first time does will eat their litters its just something that happens i have been a breeder for 10 years now and my first time does will often do the same thing i just wait a few months to give her a rest and try again.
though my experience with rabbits the most common reason for a mother to eat or kill young is because she is missing something in her diet. go out and buy a minral and salt lick they make small circle sized ones for rabbits and let her have them in her pen and hav free choice...do not remove them. as unusal as it seems they eat the babies because they need that salt and protien in their diet.





yes sometimes if the baby is sick they may kills it but it may be that she needs those minerals. tractor supply or any feed store will have them.





keep in mind that if the babies are tuched within the first fews weeks the mother wil kill them unless she is comfortable with you.





another possibility is that its her first time and sometmes that just happens.





depending on the breed of rabbit depends on how many she will have. netherlands dwarfs have 1-3 larger breeds may have more. it really depend on the breed but also the rabbit the size can vary


I hope this helped
Sometimes if a mother rabbit believes that one of her kits is sick she will kill it and possibly eat it. It is a natural thing. And normal litter size would be 3-5.
A lot of times rabbits will kill their babies because they're simply not ready. It's unusual for them to do it to their later litters. 3 to 5 is about normal