The question of whether rabbits engage in cannibalism is complex, as the term itself has different interpretations. Cannibalism is defined as an animal consuming all or part of another individual of the same species. While adult rabbits do not hunt or consume fellow adults, a mother rabbit, or doe, sometimes consumes her newborn offspring, known as kits. This behavior is rare, not predatory, and is confined almost exclusively to newborns. Understanding the context behind these isolated events requires looking closely at the rabbit’s biology and survival instincts.
Defining True Cannibalism
Rabbits, belonging to the order Lagomorpha, are classified as obligate herbivores, meaning their digestive systems are specifically adapted to process plant matter like hay, grasses, and vegetables. Their entire biological structure is built around a high-fiber, non-meat diet. They are prey animals, not predators, and exhibit no hunting instincts toward other conspecifics.
True cannibalism—the predation or scavenging of an adult member of the same species—does not occur in the common pet or wild European rabbit (Oryctolagus cuniculus). Adult rabbits attack one another for territorial or aggressive reasons, not for consumption. Rabbit behavior firmly establishes them outside the definition of a predatory cannibal.
Infanticide and Kit Consumption
The behavior that causes people to question a rabbit’s status as a cannibal is the consumption of newborn kits by the mother. This is a form of infanticide, which is distinct from predatory cannibalism because the motivation is rooted in survival and resource management. The consumption of newborns can happen accidentally during a common and expected postpartum behavior known as placentophagy.
Placentophagy is the act of consuming the afterbirth, or placenta, common among most placental mammals. By eating the placenta, the mother cleans the nest area and removes biological evidence that could attract predators to her vulnerable young. This instinctual act provides the mother with a quick surge of nutrients and hormones following the physical stress of birth.
During placentophagy, a first-time or stressed mother may inadvertently bite or consume a live kit while cleaning the birth sac or severing the umbilical cord. More deliberate consumption occurs with stillborn or compromised kits. A doe consumes these deceased or sickly kits to eliminate potential sources of disease and remove the scent of decaying matter, which attracts predators. This calculated removal is a survival mechanism to protect the healthy members of the litter.
Contexts for Kit Consumption
The specific reasons a doe consumes her young are almost always tied to environmental or physiological pressures. High levels of stress are a common trigger for infanticide, especially in domestic rabbits. A doe that feels threatened by loud noises, sudden environmental changes, or the presence of other animals near the nest may act on instinct to eliminate her young quickly.
Nutritional deficiencies, particularly a lack of protein or water, also contribute to this behavior. Birthing and nursing a large litter demand significant energy, and an insufficient diet may cause the mother to consume a kit to replenish lost resources and sustain her own health. Ensuring constant access to fresh, cool water is particularly important, as dehydration can cause extreme stress.
Inexperience in first-time mothers is another factor, as they may lack the refined maternal instinct to differentiate between the afterbirth and a live kit. Furthermore, the instinct to cull the weak is a natural form of triage. If a mother perceives a kit as too weak or deformed, she may eliminate it to focus limited resources, such as milk and warmth, on the stronger, more viable offspring.