The gestation period for rabbits is 29-35 days with 1-12 babies per litter; birthing can occur in as little as 10 minutes per litter. The short birthing cycle means a female rabbit can give birth to a new litter before she is finished weaning the previous litter.
Rabbits prefer to have their young in a nest that is safe from predators and lined with the mother's fur. Mothers sometimes eat their young after birth for a number of reasons such as a stillborn baby.
Baby rabbits are blind at birth and take approximately 10 days to open their eyes. They begin weaning at four weeks but should stay with their mother until they are six to eight weeks old.