Giant????

[njpal]

Hi my bunny gave birth to six babies on Sunday.I can't tell if they are being fed or not. I have read that the onesthat are fed will have rounded bellies. They all seem to haveshrivelled skin apart from one of them who seems slightly larger thanthe others, and seems to have a rounded belly. Does this mean that heis a giant and is taking everyones feed. Is it true that giants diesooner or later so they should be removed otherwise the rest of thelitter can die too?

 

[ayglnu13]

If a baby is being fed it will look like this

They will usually look like that in the early morning, sometime around5-6 AM. If you can check on them early in the morning and see how theyare doing. Their mother will only feed them once MAYBE twice a day,once early in the morning and once again dusk.

If you are able to check on them in the morning and they still looklike that, try gently pinching their skin and if it doesn’t roll backthey are dehydrated. Also if they haven’t been eating since Sunday Idon’t think they would have made it, so obviously they are getting somenourishment

I am not sure about the whole "giant" thing, I am not sure I have heardof that, maybe agressive rabbits taking all the milk...but giants? Iknow about peanuts where die within a couple days. What breed is yourdoe?

Let us know how they look in the morning

~Amy

 

[njpal]

Amy, thank you so much for your reply andreassurance that the babies are being fed. Our does name is Riya, Sheis nine months old and is a White Dwarf lop with dark eyes, just likeher mate.

I will have a look at 6am today and report back.Thank you.

 

[ayglnu13]

I found this site, about giants....I have never heard of them until now

http://www.bunnyrabbits.org/bunnylove/babybunnies.htm

*This is also posted in your other post*

 

[ayglnu13]

So according to the site dont remove the"giant", they will die on their own and nothing bad will happen to thelitter

~Amy

 

[njpal]

A wonderful site, I've never come across. Cheers.

The large baby does make everyone else look small, bt doesn't look deformed from the head (possibly ruling out a giant?)

Some of the babies are more skinnier and smaller than the others. Ifthe big one is being too competitive for the feeds, should the babiesbe repositioned, to maximise their feeding chances?

After kindling we noticed 4 of the babies were in the center of thenest and 2 were huddled on the other side. I think this was because thenestbox's size was quite big. I took the 2 secluded babies andpositioned them with the other babies. Hopefully this was the rightthing to do?

Also we have noticed that there is a mouse in the room where the hutch is? Could this be dangerous for the mother and babies??

 

[ayglnu13]

njpal wrote:

A wonderful site, I've never come across. Cheers.

The large baby does make everyone else look small, bt doesn't look deformed from the head (possibly ruling out a giant?)

Some of the babies are more skinnier and smaller than the others. Ifthe big one is being too competitive for the feeds, should the babiesbe repositioned, to maximise their feeding chances?

I think that they are fine the way they are, if you movethem they will just squirm around and be right back where they werebefore

After kindling we noticed 4 of the babies were in the center of thenest and 2 were huddled on the other side. I think this was because thenestbox's size was quite big. I took the 2 secluded babies andpositioned them with the other babies. Hopefully this was the rightthing to do?

I would have also moved them with the other ones, it takes 2to 3 babies to keep eachother warm, so moving them with the other fourwas a good idea

Also we have noticed that there is a mouse in the room where the hutch is? Could this be dangerous for the mother and babies??

Yes they can be a health hazard. I would get a humane trap...

This is the one we use, we have like 5 in the bunny room, just in case there happens to be a mouse in there!

We found that cheese with peanut butter works really well at attracting them

Then when they are in the trap we bring them out to the woods and it is free willy for them!

 

[njpal]

Hey you are very helpful you.

It's 3 AM here in the UK, another 3 hrs and I'll be able to examine the kits.

I don't have a digital camera, but have taken photos of Riya and the kits, which I hope to post soon.

Next post @ 6AM UK time.

Cheerio.

 

[njpal]

Hello everyone,

I had a close look at 7am andI spotted the round bellies. I'mvery happy and satisfied now. I will still need to scan and send thephotos to eliminate the ideas of dwarfs and giants.

Can I just ask, is it okay at this stage (day 3) to take individualsout of the nest and examine them in my hand , without causing them todie of heat loss (they don't have any fur yet)? If so how long would beapproproate to handle them outside? When examining them in the nest Iusually part the fur that is covering them causing them to squirm, butthen I feel I may be causing them distress and quickly cover them aftera few secs, is this true?

I read that you should generally leave the doe and children alone for72 hrs. Is it okay now for me to take the doe out of her hutch and playwith her. Will she get funny about leaving her children alone inside?

Riya (doe) has lost a lot of weight since kindling. Should I increasethe diet considerably as she probably wants to gain weight and isfeeding her young at the same time. At the moment we are giving herhalf a bowl of food 2 times with a handful of veggies i.e. cucumbersand broccoli and plenty of hay every day.

 

[ayglnu13]

njpal wrote:

Hello everyone,

I had a close look at 7am andI spotted the round bellies. I'mvery happy and satisfied now. I will still need to scan and send thephotos to eliminate the ideas of dwarfs and giants.

Can I just ask, is it okay at this stage (day 3) to take individualsout of the nest and examine them in my hand , without causing them todie of heat loss (they don't have any fur yet)? If so how long would beapproproate to handle them outside? When examining them in the nest Iusually part the fur that is covering them causing them to squirm, butthen I feel I may be causing them distress and quickly cover them aftera few secs, is this true?

Where is the hutch located? Inside or outside?Inside you will have no problem holding them because it is usuallypretty warm in the house. But if you babies are outside and it iscolder then 70 degrees I would only hold them for a short period oftime, just to make sure that they dont get cold.

I read that you should generallyleave the doe and children alone for 72 hrs. Is it okay now for me totake the doe out of her hutch and play with her. Will she get funnyabout leaving her children alone inside?

Rabbit mothers usually have nothing to do withtheir babies besides feeding time, so not she wont get a funny feeling She probably wont evencare.

You can handle the babies as long as the motheris comfortable around you. If she gets all freaked out then I wouldnttouch them, but if she has always been friendly around you the you canpick them up

Riya (doe) has lost a lot of weight since kindling. Should I increasethe diet considerably as she probably wants to gain weight and isfeeding her young at the same time. At the moment we are giving herhalf a bowl of food 2 times with a handful of veggies i.e. cucumbersand broccoli and plenty of hay everyday.

How muchwould you say she weighs now?

~Amy

 

[njpal]

I think she's 2.5 kgs

 

I would giveher free feed for now till she isdone with nursing , All my rabbits have sifter feeders and its full allthe time some days they eat a lot others they dont and none are overweight , just be sure she has plenty of fresh water at all times .