Newborn baby bunnies are tiny, fragile, and easy to get wrong, whether they are a litter born to your own rabbit or a wild nest you have stumbled upon. Knowing what a newborn rabbit looks like, whether you can touch it, and what to do if you find one can genuinely be the difference between the kits surviving or not. This guide covers everything about newborn bunnies, for both pet and wild rabbits.
What do newborn rabbits look like?
Newborn rabbits, called kits, look very different from the fluffy bunnies people picture. At birth they are tiny, usually only a few inches long, and are born blind, deaf, and completely hairless or with only a very fine fuzz. Their eyes are sealed shut and their ears are flat against their heads. They cannot regulate their own body temperature, cannot move around much, and depend entirely on their mother and the warmth of the nest.
Over the first two weeks they change quickly. Fur grows in within a few days, their eyes open at around 10 days old, and they become far more active and recognisable as little rabbits.
What is a baby rabbit called?
A baby rabbit is called a kit, which is short for kitten. A group of kits born together is called a litter, and the mother is called a doe. You may also hear baby rabbits referred to as bunnies, but the correct term for a newborn is a kit.
Can you touch a newborn rabbit?
This is one of the most common worries, and the truth surprises people. It is a myth that a mother rabbit will abandon her babies if you touch them. Rabbits do not reject their young because of human scent the way people fear. If you need to check the nest, count the kits, or remove one that has strayed, you can gently do so.
That said, newborn kits are extremely fragile and are best left undisturbed as much as possible. Check them quickly and gently once a day if needed, then leave the mother to care for them in peace. Keep handling to a minimum, not because of scent, but because the kits are delicate and easily stressed or chilled.
What does a rabbit nest look like?
A rabbit nest is easy to miss. Mother rabbits build a shallow nest lined with grass and their own soft fur, which they pull from their body before giving birth. In the wild, the nest is often just a shallow dip in the ground, covered with grass and fur, tucked into long grass or a quiet corner of a lawn. The doe deliberately keeps it hidden and only visits a couple of times a day to feed, which leads to the next important point.
What to do if you find a newborn bunny
If you find a nest of wild baby bunnies, the most important thing to know is that they are almost certainly not abandoned. Mother rabbits only visit the nest briefly, usually at dawn and dusk, to avoid drawing predators to it. So finding a nest with no mother in sight is completely normal and does not mean the babies need rescuing.
The kindest thing you can do is leave them alone. Keep pets and children away from the nest, and if you have accidentally disturbed it, gently rebuild it and cover it back over with the grass and fur. Only intervene if you are certain the mother is dead, or a kit is visibly injured, cold, or covered in flies, and in that case contact a wildlife rehabilitator rather than trying to raise it yourself. Wild baby rabbits are very difficult to hand rear and usually do best left in the care of their mother.
When do baby bunnies leave the nest?
Baby rabbits grow up fast. Wild kits typically leave the nest at around three weeks old, when they are fully furred, their eyes are open, and they are about the size of a tennis ball. If you see a small but fully furred, alert baby rabbit hopping around on its own, it does not need rescuing, it has simply left the nest as nature intended. Domestic kits are usually weaned and independent by around six to eight weeks.
Frequently asked questions
What does a newborn rabbit look like?
Newborn rabbits are tiny, blind, deaf, and nearly hairless, with sealed eyes and flat ears. They grow fur within days and open their eyes at around 10 days old.
Can you touch a newborn bunny?
Yes. It is a myth that the mother will abandon kits touched by humans. You can gently check them if needed, but keep handling to a minimum because they are fragile.
What is a baby bunny called?
A baby rabbit is called a kit, and a group born together is a litter.
What should I do if I find a wild baby rabbit?
Leave it alone. Wild kits are rarely abandoned, as the mother only visits briefly. Only intervene if the mother is confirmed dead or a kit is injured or cold, and then contact a wildlife rehabilitator.
When do baby rabbits leave the nest?
Wild baby rabbits leave the nest at around three weeks old, once they are fully furred and alert. A small but independent, furred baby rabbit does not need rescuing.
Final thoughts
Newborn bunnies are delicate, but they are tougher and better cared for by their mothers than most people realise. Whether it is a litter from your own doe or a wild nest in the garden, the best approach is usually the same: keep watch, minimise disturbance, and let the mother do her job. If you find wild kits, remember they are almost never truly abandoned, and the kindest help is to leave them be.
If you breed rabbits and want to track litters, birth dates and kit survival properly, the Rabbit Breeding Calculator app records every litter and helps you monitor the kits’ growth from birth to weaning. You can try it free for seven days.