# How long can a litter stay with mum for?



## DottyRabbit (Dec 27, 2012)

Hello guys  Sorry if this is in the wrong section!

As you may be aware I had an unexpected litter of bunnies... and my question is in the title, how long are they able to stay with mum for? I know the general age is 8 weeks but I was wondering if that is the age that they MUST be separated. 

I'm currently looking for perfect homes for them and am being picky as they're my babies, so wondering when to separate them!


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## Korr_and_Sophie (Dec 27, 2012)

You can keep them with mom past 8 weeks, but it can be hard on her and you do run the risk of them breeding. Some males can be able to breed at 9 weeks, so the males need to be separated from mom and the other females before that point, they can usually stay together for a few more weeks as long as they are not fighting. 
You would probably do best to separate them from mom at about 8 weeks, but just separate them be sex. As they get older, they may need separate cages but hopefully they will find new homes by then.
Do keep in mind that some moms are not as tolerant with babies as others, so you may need to separate them from her before 8 weeks.


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## ldoerr (Dec 27, 2012)

My friend leaves the girl babies with mom until she has a cage for them. When I go over there there are cages where the baby girls are as big as the mom and still have not been seporated. With the does it does not seem to matter. With the bucks it does matter. The bucks can impregnate a doe (even their sisters or mother) at 8 weeks old. My friend left a litter of 1 buck and 3 does together a bit to long. When they turned 3 months old all 3 does gave birth to their brothers babies. If I were you I would move the bucks to a seporate cage as soon as posible.


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## majorv (Dec 27, 2012)

In general, you shouldn't have a problem keeping them together a little past 8 weeks, if necessary. There are always exceptions, as Lauren mentions, but I haven't had any unwanted pregnancies keeping a litter together for a couple of weeks past that. I only do it if I'm short of cage space. Like someone said, some Moms get irritated with having the babies around much past weaning age.


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## BinkyBunny (Dec 28, 2012)

I know a breeder here who had a doe that had a singleton doe for a litter. She just left them together so long they became a bonded pair  Now they are together forever haha


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## DottyRabbit (Dec 28, 2012)

Thank you for your answers, very helpful as always!  My babies are 9 weeks now, and I sorted another hutch for the boys to go in today. From what I can see I've got two bucks and four does. Girlies will stay with mum a bit longer whilst I sort homes out for them, mum seems very happy and content with them still - if there are any problems I'll sort out another cage  I hope the boys haven't managed to get up to anything they shouldn't have! anic:

Boys were feeling very sorry for themselves with just the two of them in a hutch together  I feel so bad because their enclosure is smaller as well, but they'll get plenty of attention and runs around the house! And it's better than more unwanted litters!


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