Baby rabbits

[paul2641]

irishbunny wrote:

paul2641 wrote:

irishbunny wrote:

Did the vet tell you how to feed them right? If so tell me what you were told? I don't think petting and giving TlC to Suki is forcing her to bond with you and sectioning her off will make her worse..........

The woman in the store told us to put it in from the side and let the rabbit suckle. I never said I was forcing her to bond to me. And she is doing great now like nothing happened. Just finished the rabbits 3rd feed every 2 hours I feed them.

You should take every baby out individually, lay them on their backs and then let them feed, then you need to penetrate them so they can pee, their mother usually licks them there.

That's what I have been doing. By cousin is very good at first aid even for animals and she told me what to do. Also the one at the store was very helpful. We have 2 babies left they seem to be fighting, one is missing half an ear the other has major bruising inside her body. The vet said leave them along for the next few days if there going to survive there going to survive.

 

[irishbunny]

I still think you need to relax on the whole being desperate to be a breeder thing and be realistic about it, I think your living in a bit of a fantasy world and not thinking what's best for the rabbits.

 

[TinysMom]

paul2641 wrote:

Finally someone who understands me. I will try very hard to love suki. I do love her body and her coat she is a charly(I think anyway) she is really pretty to me. It's just the personality, say you could get more love from hitler.I will try to bond with her tomarrow.

Paul....don't try to bond with her yet. Let her handle her babies (if they survive) and get through the weaning process. Maybe play with her a bit - but she is going to have enough on her plate being a mama - to not have to worry about trying to bond with you.

When things have settled down - then take the time to work with her. It can be done - just keep telling yourself it can be done.

But let her be a mama first and get the babies weaned and all that.

Oh - I almost forgot - one of my most aggressive first time mamas (that killed all her babies) - went on to become one of my best mamas with her second, third and fourth litter. She also learned to trust me before those litters and while she would still charge me when I went to check on them (till their eyes were open) - she was also ok with me and didn't try to bite me - she just wanted to warn me away.

With time - Suki can change and she can not only trust you - but be a good mama.

 

[irishbunny]

TinysMom wrote:

paul2641 wrote:

Finally someone who understands me. I will try very hard to love suki. I do love her body and her coat she is a charly(I think anyway) she is really pretty to me. It's just the personality, say you could get more love from hitler.I will try to bond with her tomarrow.

Paul....don't try to bond with her yet. Let her handle her babies (if they survive) and get through the weaning process. Maybe play with her a bit - but she is going to have enough on her plate being a mama - to not have to worry about trying to bond with you.

When things have settled down - then take the time to work with her. It can be done - just keep telling yourself it can be done.

But let her be a mama first and get the babies weaned and all that.

Oh - I almost forgot - one of my most aggressive first time mamas (that killed all her babies) - went on to become one of my best mamas with her second, third and fourth litter. She also learned to trust me before those litters and while she would still charge me when I went to check on them (till their eyes were open) - she was also ok with me and didn't try to bite me - she just wanted to warn me away.

With time - Suki can change and she can not only trust you - but be a good mama.

It all comes down to respect

 

[polly]

Ok Paul so you have 2 live babies that are somewhere away from their mum. How are their tummies with your hand feeding them? The bruising will go down sometimes they can get a bit bruised being born (or I have found that with the nethies)

Is there absolutely no way you can get your mama bun to stay still while you get the babies under her for a feed? its certainly the best for the babies its much harder to hand rear them though it sounds like you are doing a good job.

ANd Tiny's mum (Peg) is right don't try to bond with her right now let her hormones settle down

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

paul2641 wrote:

Sabine wrote:

How much are you selling Suki for?

I'm not it was an over-reaction my sister is really at me to get rid of her. But I don't know I'm all confused. And well I can't wait for a whole month of sleepless nights.WOOOOO

Where is this coming from?1 month of sleepless nights?Do you think the babies are going to cost you those sleepless nights?
They're not like human babies... I don't see how you'llget 1 month of sleepless nights? :?

If you mean you'll get less sleep from hand-rearing, you should only be feeding them at least 2x a day, I would think. Mothers only feed them in the early morning, and sometimes they'll feed again at night.

Emily

 

[paul2641]

Starting from 2am last night

I was heading to bed and something rang in my mind check on the rabbits. So I went down stairs I noticed suki had her mane all pulled I was like oh uh she is going into labour I took roger out. But then it stuck me this has happened before and I just ended up with a great mess. So anyway I put roger back in suki began to attack I took him out again. Then 10 minutes later suki gave birth to 6 live babies she just left them and cleaned herself up.

2.40am

I notice she hasn't tended to her kits so I rub my hands all over her and in all her poo and urine so her scent is on me. I touch the babies to see there all ice cold. I run to my labtop to set up this thread to look for helpful advice. I was told to build a nest with hay and bedding, I did this put them all in it. they weren't staying they wanted to move about. so them suki begins to build a dome shaped nest witch she set next to for about 2 hours I sitted there from a far distance with all lights off watching she didn't tend to them but just set next to the nest.

4am

I went to bed.

7.02 am

I got back up to notice all kits were alive but scattered I put them in the nest suki built(suki had no interest in them). I stayed for awhile just to make sure they were alive.

9.30 am

I left the house for 34 minutes to go to mass.

10.04 am

I returned to see she had half eaten one of the babies. I left them in thinking it's the runt but then she went over to another one(I just thought she was getting it ready to go to the toilet) but she began to chew off an arm.

10.07 am

I began to remove babies witch were all cold( only 4 left). I rapped them into warm blankets.

10.24am

I got the yellow pages to look for the number of a vet they were all closed. Thank god one had an emergancy number( this was an emergancy) so I rang the female vet(meave) didn't really know what to do but she contacted another vet rabbit savvy and got me the information I needed.( She called back in about 35 min). And told me to get kitten milk formula.

11.00am

My aunty calls saying would we like a lift anywhere and mam goes to pet mania we need to get kitten milk formula for the baby rabbits. ( we still had four at this stage) So she got in like 15 min later. We got are plans set and we left. Thank god my aunty didn't take us to pet mania but rather mezi zoo plus( something along that line) Where the assistent was very helpful she set us up with a little bottle and the forumula. Then my aunty wanted to look around that took an hour. So then we go to pet mania to get a hutch but none of them were what we needed. SoI just buy food for the rabbits(pellets and hay the hay from mezi zoo plus)and hamster food. So then we got home.

3.45pm

We went for dinner aswell that's were all the time went. So it takes us some time to get the formula ready about 15 min (still had 4 kits) We got feeding but in the process 2 died. And I have fed them 3 more times now. and I am feeding them every 2 hours.The 2 alive one has part of his ear missing, the second one has internal bruising from suki.

We tried to get suki to feed them twice no chance.

But the thing is there not extremely fat but way less skinny then they were, Is this good?

Just checked this minute and there going good.

 

[irishbunny]

polly wrote:

Ok Paul so you have 2 live babies that are somewhere away from their mum. How are their tummies with your hand feeding them? The bruising will go down sometimes they can get a bit bruised being born (or I have found that with the nethies)

Is there absolutely no way you can get your mama bun to stay still while you get the babies under her for a feed? its certainly the best for the babies its much harder to hand rear them though it sounds like you are doing a good job.

ANd Tiny's mum (Peg) is right don't try to bond with her right now let her hormones settle down

I suggested this to him various times and so did Tiny'smomand he said he would try it at the last feed but didn't

Where is this coming from?1 month of sleepless nights?Do you think the babies are going to cost you those sleepless nights?
They're not like human babies... I don't see how you'llget 1 month of sleepless nights? :?

If you mean you'll get less sleep from hand-rearing, you should only be feeding them at least 2x a day, I would think. Mothers only feed them in the early morning, and sometimes they'll feed again at night.

Emily

Paul called the doe a bitch and said he hated her so Sabine said she would take her if he didn't want her. I also agree about the 2x daily thing, that's what I was told aswell.

 

[paul2641]

BlueSkyAcresRabbitry wrote:

paul2641 wrote:

Sabine wrote:

How much are you selling Suki for?

I'm not it was an over-reaction my sister is really at me to get rid of her. But I don't know I'm all confused. And well I can't wait for a whole month of sleepless nights.WOOOOO

Where is this coming from?1 month of sleepless nights?Do you think the babies are going to cost you those sleepless nights?
They're not like human babies... I don't see how you'llget 1 month of sleepless nights? :?

If you mean you'll get less sleep from hand-rearing, you should only be feeding them at least 2x a day, I would think. Mothers only feed them in the early morning, and sometimes they'll feed again at night.

Emily

The vet told me every 2 hours because it's a supplement. And it's not half as good as mommas milk.

 

[paul2641]

irishbunny wrote:

polly wrote:

Ok Paul so you have 2 live babies that are somewhere away from their mum. How are their tummies with your hand feeding them? The bruising will go down sometimes they can get a bit bruised being born (or I have found that with the nethies)

Is there absolutely no way you can get your mama bun to stay still while you get the babies under her for a feed? its certainly the best for the babies its much harder to hand rear them though it sounds like you are doing a good job.

ANd Tiny's mum (Peg) is right don't try to bond with her right now let her hormones settle down

I suggested this to him various times and so did Tiny'smomand he said he would try it at the last feed but didn't

Where is this coming from?1 month of sleepless nights?Do you think the babies are going to cost you those sleepless nights?
They're not like human babies... I don't see how you'llget 1 month of sleepless nights? :?

If you mean you'll get less sleep from hand-rearing, you should only be feeding them at least 2x a day, I would think. Mothers only feed them in the early morning, and sometimes they'll feed again at night.

Emily

Paul called the doe a bitch and said he hated her so Sabine said she would take her if he didn't want her. I also agree about the 2x daily thing, that's what I was told aswell.

I'd rather chance hand rearing then them getting eaten.

 

[Sabine]

Shouldn't it be possible with the help of two people to hold Suki still and let the babies suckle. I have never done this but with a bit of help and perserverance it should be possible

 

[paul2641]

Sabine wrote:

Shouldn't it be possible with the help of two people to hold Suki still and let the babies suckle. I have never done this but with a bit of help and perserverance it should be possible

I can't get her out she keeps attacking me.

 

[aurora369]

I have not hand fed babies, I've always been able to get them fed off of the mother rabbit, so I have no first hand experience hand rearing.

Naturstee, I believe hand reared her little Dora bunny. Paul, you may want to send her a PM asking for her input in this thread.

I do know that kitten milk replacement is no where near as good as mom's milk and that many people advise feeding more often to make up for that.

Is it possible for you to hold mom with her belly exposed, like on her back, while someone else holds a baby to her nipples? This method really needs two people to be done properly. Someone always has to keep their hand on the baby in case mom struggles, so that the baby doesn't get kicked get scratched.

I think we all need to forgive Paul for calling his bunny names. We all do things in the moment of high emotional strain. We need to move forward, and focus on the care of the remaining babies.

Lets all agree to stay calm, and help Paul through this difficult time. Getting all riled up is not going to help the situation or the babies.

--Dawn

 

[paul2641]

aurora369 wrote:

I have not hand fed babies, I've always been able to get them fed off of the mother rabbit, so I have no first hand experience hand rearing.

Naturstee, I believe hand reared her little Dora bunny. Paul, you may want to send her a PM asking for her input in this thread.

I do know that kitten milk replacement is no where near as good as mom's milk and that many people advise feeding more often to make up for that.

Is it possible for you to hold mom with her belly exposed, like on her back, while someone else holds a baby to her nipples? This method really needs two people to be done properly. Someone always has to keep their hand on the baby in case mom struggles, so that the baby doesn't get kicked get scratched.

I think we all need to forgive Paul for calling his bunny names. We all do things in the moment of high emotional strain. We need to move forward, and focus on the care of the remaining babies.

Lets all agree to stay calm, and help Paul through this difficult time. Getting all riled up is not going to help the situation or the babies.

--Dawn

I'll try now. 3rd attempt to try and get her out.

 

[polly]

Did you give her a treat or anything to keep her occupied while you tried to let the babies feed? just wondering its def. easier if you can.

As for the hand rearing you are right Paul you have to do it every few hours as they don't get as much as they would from mum. Its harder for them to suckle from the bottles and generally when I have had to do it we use a very small syringe and do it drop at a time. Just use some damp cotton wool (warm) on their tums afterwards to stimulate them to go wee and poop.

 

[irishbunny]

Try everything before you give up, if at all possible they should get their mothers milk, because for kits that don't there is a high mortality rate. Do the treat thing and hold her still, she might let the kits suckle. I'd be carefull about holding her on her back because you don't have a good bond with her she will struggle and injure herself or the babies.

 

[aurora369]

Paul, I found Naturstee's thread on her hand reared babies.
http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=39089&forum_id=8

You should give it a read and see if you can get any tips from it.

--Dawn

 

[paul2641]

LADS I brought suki up to see would see let them suckle(I am all bitten and scratched up) Anyway we spent a good 15 min at it.The one missing an ear latched onto a nipple and sucked, I don't know did s/he get anything. Bad news is that the one with the bruising wouldn't go near the nipple he went on it for a second and pulled away. I am not going to give the supplement to them from 8.00am to 12.00am tomarrow so they will be hungry for mommas milk. Is this good?

 

[paul2641]

I read just there that If I have to hand rear the babies I shouldadd the chain poos (if any of my rabbits have them) and add them into the formula shoud I do this?

 

[polly]

Well done I know its not easy I would give the doe a treat afterwards for letting you try it. It can be a fiddly business especially whenthey don't want to cooperate. I have hand fed a few but not thatmany so Naturestee or someone would be better at telling you than I am but I would give it a few hours then have another go with the motherif it was me.