Baby Kits not getting fed

[gazzapi]

We have 2 female rabbits and both have now had 2 litters. The first litter seemed to be ok but died just before a week. We had the rabbits in together and didnt know one was pregnant. When we noticed the kits one rabbit seemed more protective than the other so we assumed she had had both and split the other away. All the kits died.

The 2nd time they had a litter one rabbits again all died and the other rabbits are now 2 days old but dont look to be getting fed again. We couldnt get milk from the teets but eventually got some food into a couple of the kits from 2 nipples although the others dont seem to be producing. I gave them some milk formula to help them along and put them back with the mother. She hasnt taken any out but keeps jumping in with them and this scratches them. Is she just been protective or is she trying to harm them? Should I take them away and try and hand rear or keep doing a mixture of both forcing her to feed them?

Please help as I want some of this litter to survive and then get the rabbits doctored to stop them having any more , I feel they should have one each as its only natural.

 

[GorbyJobRabbits]

rabbits feed ONCE a day...and most my does you can't tell are producing milk.

 

[gazzapi]

Do you know why she keeps jumping on top of them? Most of the babies are a little drawn and not full. Should I keep forcing her to feed them? I dont want her getting that stressed she ignores or hurts them.

 

[hillrise]

Like Crystal said, rabbits only feed once a day. What kind of nest box are you using for the babies? It might be that the box is too big and she thinks it's a nice resting place. The ideal nestbox should be just big enough for the doe to hop in, tightly turn around and hop back out. I prefer ones that have at least a partial top, instead of completely open or "subterranean". If you plan to force her to feed the babies, I would suggest pulling the nest box out of the cage for most of the day, then putting it back in her cage (or taking her out of it) and making her stand over the babies for a few minutes to make sure she nurses, then separate momma and babies again. Some commercial rabbitries have used the method of forced separation successfully.

Are you still housing the two does together? I don't recommend keeping does together after they've been bred, so you know which one has which litter. (And then don't put them back together again afterwards, either). Are you purposefully breeding them or are they just "getting pregnant"? You might want to double check that both of your does are indeed does (young, especially small, rabbits tend to "change sex" on us).

 

[gazzapi]

No we are not planning on breeding them but wanted to let them have a successful litter each. They are separated at the minute and will remain so whilever babies are alive. The box is a little bigger than the rabbit and is probably 450mm x 300mm. It appears like she has flattened an area to the side of the nest now. She mainly lies outside the entrance to the box and only goes in when disturbed.

It appears that only 2 of the teets are producing milk as they have suckled on the others while we held her but didnt get anything. I am trying to give them just a little milk to try and keep them going and dont know whether to take the weaker ones out and try hand rear these and hope she looks after the stronger ones.

We have also cut her nails to try and stop the scratches the babies are getting.

How often should I check on the babies a day as I know they can die pretty quickly.

Are they more likely to survive if brought into the house and only put with the doe during the day to see if she feeds them



I know this is a lot of questions but everyone seems to have a different answer to them.



Thanks

 

[gazzapi]

Sorry forgot to put that we have 2 females and 1 male lucky guy as he was the one which altered sex.

 

[majorv]

If the kits aren't getting enough to stay nourished they'llgrow weaker and then won't have the strength to suck.It's hard to keepnewborns alive if they aren't gettingmilk from the mom. If you're afraid the mom will accidentally trample them getting in and out then you could bring the nestbox/kits inside and only take it out once a day. That way you'd alsoknow whether any or all of them are being fed.

 

[GorbyJobRabbits]

forcing her is honestly going to make her angry. Bring the kits in the house now, if you think she isn't feeding them, bring the whole box. Then take them out in the morning and she should feed them. If not take them out in the evening. I honeslty would leave them be. You will NEVER see her feed unless you take the kits out once a day. then they seriously eat for like 2 minutes and they're done.

and honestly I think you are making her nervous and that is why she keeps jumping in and out of the box.

 

[Brittany85]

There is no reason to breed rabbits if you do not have the knowledge or experience. It is not necessary for rabbits to have a litter.
Your babies will most likely not make it if she does not feed them. Do not feed the babies yourself unless you are using Goat Milk or Kitten Milk Replacement from a tiny syringe. Research the correct way to feed them as you don't want them to aspirate the milk.
I really hope your babies make it but please do not breed them again as they don't seem to be good mothers and without the experience it can be risky.
Good luck!

 

[gazzapi]

Thanks for that. We did try getting her to feed them again last night but it did stress her out so stopped and bottle fed them. They didnt take much but hoped it would be enough to get them through the night and hopefully they will be big enough to get food from her.

2 more died last night due to lack of food I think and maybe she left them away from the others when she moved her nest slightly.

I am tempted to give them some more milk again this morning and night leaving them with her the rest of the time as she doesnt seem too upset about this and im careful to have them in her bedding and wash them with warm water when finished.

I am struggling however to get them to feed and cant use a syring as it just pumps milk at them.



Gary

 

[GorbyJobRabbits]

Just leave them with the mother and leave them alone. feeding them a tiny bit here and there isn't going to help. Leave them with the mother, because you're not helping. If she takes care of them, she does, if not then mother nature took its course.

 

[gazzapi]

I understand what you are saying but because they are pets it is hard to watch them die for no apparent reason. One more just died while they were in the house , I think as daft as it was it was too warm. The remaining 3 are back in the hutch with the doe. She is guarding over them but Im sure she cant feed them and even if she did they wouldnt get enough unless they were suckling for an hour.

When they are given milk they end up sneezing is this normal?

 

[Brittany85]

Of course you want to help them but the only thing that can help is their mother. You do not know how to properly feed the babies so you will do more harm than good.
Sneezing mmeans they got some in their nose which can be deadly.
What are you feeding them?

 

[gazzapi]

Ready made KMR. We tried holding the doe the other day and laying them on her 1 at a time and they got a little bit of milk but not enough and she wasnt happy. There was however only a couple of teets that seemed to work and when they tried the others she jumped. She has not removed the hair round the teets either.

I know I should just leave them but finding it hard to do as they are moving round the nest presumably looking for food and with them then split up they get cold.

 

[HappyFarmBunnies]

I totally understand your anguish at watching babies fade away. You have tried hard to help them and we all know you mean well, but at this point I strongly suggest you leave them alone and let nature take its course.
If you unnecessarily stress the mother out too much with all your anxiety and constant adjusting and moving them around, etcetera, you might actually just give her a stroke or a heart attack. It's not unheard of, as bunnies are very fragile and delicate creatures especially when they are on edge from pregnancy and birth. And since they are pets you would of course be brokenhearted about that.

Cut your losses and hope for the best. Best of luck to you.

 

[gazzapi]

She isnt feeding them at all and they were all cold again today so decided to bring them inside and let nature take its course. Personally I think they will both die tonight although one has a decent sized belly. She aint happy again on her own but will put them back tomorrow if still alive and if not put her back with the other doe but not the male this time.

Thanks for your comments I just cant understand why out of 30+ kits not one has survived even when left alone.

 

[Brittany85]

Research how to properly feed newborn rabbits. Keep them in a bow with a towel and a bottle filled with warm water covered with a towel.
Try keeping them inside only and perhaps you can save them.
I know you already feel bad but I hope you will not breed your rabbits again. As you have found out it isn't easy. I have raised purebred bunnies for many years now and have lost 1 litter to a bad mother. I got her a pet home where she would not be bred.

 

[gazzapi]

Thanks for that. I have brought the last 2 inside and 1 died last night as hadnt been fed. The last one is hanging on in there but only just. It has 2 hot water bottles in with it and a towel over the top and bedding on that. It is asleep at the minute but dont think it will survive the day as we cant get it to feed properly.

I am having the male doctored so they cant have any more litters and am keeping the doe away until that happens althought the other doe is probably pregnant so will let het have the litter then there will be no more.

 

[massie777]

I had a litter that mom was very mean to and would throw the nest around the cage. So I had to remove the babies and have her just feed them. I tryed the flipping mom over and having her feed them but that didn't work. I think when the moms are too stressed they do no release the milk so even if the babies tryed they would not get any. Mom has been feeding them now for 3 weeks. I take them out every morning to her and put them in a small litter box with just a blanket and put mom right on top of them. I step away a little so that mom doesn't get upset and she feeds them on her own. Because she is more comfortable that way they get lots of milk. Maybe try doing that with your rabbit. If your mother seems to want to jump out of the litter box you can use a box with large sides but you want it to be small enough so that she can not turn around.
I hope this helps you. bottle feeding babies has never worked for me. And deff get your male fixed, these mothers don't seem to be very good at taking care of babies on their own.

 

[HappyFarmBunnies]

When you get your male fixed, MAKE SURE to keep him separated from the does for 6 weeks after the surgery. He will still have hormones and can still impregnate them.