It is common for mother rabbits to do everything in their power to protect their young. This maternal instinct makes them want to use an age-old method for keeping the baby rabbits safe. The idea is to start digging small holes and placing baby rabbits in them before covering the holes up with dirt. It is a trick that is always seen being used by rabbits, but it also makes you wonder, how do baby rabbits breathe underground?
Baby rabbits breathe underground by finding air pockets through the loose dirt. When covering the hole, mother rabbits will not pack them tightly making it easier for the baby rabbits to breathe and to be uncovered when the mother returns.
This is a key reason why baby rabbits are kept safe underground.
The key details to think about include:
- Placement of the Holes
- Connection to Underground Tunnels
- General Habitat
It is these details that are going to end up determining where the mother rabbits puts her babies. It is one thing to keep baby rabbits underground and another to make sure they are safe.
This is why asking, “How do baby rabbits breathe underground?” becomes important.
This is a part of nature that is taken into consideration when the mother rabbit is finding a safe spot for her young. To learn more about the query, “How do baby rabbits breathe underground?” this guide is a nice starting point that will highlight what the process entails.
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Reasons for Keeping Baby Rabbits Underground
1. Accessible Air Pockets for Breathing
Let’s begin with breathing as that is the core focus of this article.
In general, the idea is to find the right balance between breathing and survival. Baby rabbits are incapable of protecting themselves, which means they can be exposed to dangerous elements around them.
As a result, the baby rabbits are placed underground to ensure they stay safe over the long haul.
By having them underground, the rabbits are out of sight, but are still going to breathe well.
The best part is, mother rabbits know how deep to dig the hole making sure there are necessary air pockets available for their young. This is something that does come naturally to mother rabbits as they grow up creating complex tunnels throughout their habitat.
It is a natural survival instinct and it is something that is passed onto the baby rabbits too.
2. Protection From Predators
When asking “How do baby rabbits breathe underground?” you also have to focus on the other dangers that are lurking around.
Baby rabbits are going to be completely exposed to everything that is around them. If they are left in the open, most predators are going to sniff them out and find a free meal.
This is why mother rabbits find a safe way to protect their young.
This ensures even if a predators comes around to the area, they are not going to see the baby rabbits.
Yes, they may smell them, but that doesn’t mean it is easy to get to the baby rabbits. As a result, they stay safe until the mother rabbit returns from wherever she has gone.
3. Easy to Relocate After Coming Back
It’s also essential to realize a mother rabbit needs peace of mind while finding food.
If she is unsure about where her young are, she won’t know where to go. This can be challenging and that is why they find one safe spot to put them in.
The hole is going to be easy to find because they are the ones who dug it.
This ensures when the mother rabbit returns, she can quickly hop over and dig them out the way she expects to.
Final Thoughts
“How do baby rabbits breathe underground?”
Baby rabbits can easily breathe underground and will find available air pockets to do so. This ensures they get to enjoy the safe spot while their mother finds food.
It is a natural part of a rabbit’s life cycle especially when there are other predators in the area. Just having them underground goes a long way in keeping the baby rabbits safe and out of the way.
If they were to be left exposed to the elements, it is possible the baby rabbits would get snatched in a matter of minutes. Remember, a mother rabbit herself can’t stay safe when predators are involved.
Here is more on rabbits – rabbits digging holes, cleaning rabbit poop on grass, giving food to wild rabbits, and rabbits that dream all the time.