Handlng Newborn Kits

[irishbunny]

Ok, here is question I can't seem to get a straight answer for.

I read somewhere that you shouldn't handle kitsor the nestbox because the dam will kill them. Then I read somewhere else that it's ok to handle them and you need to check the nestbox for sick/dead kits, which seems logical to me. So I'm asking you as breeders what exactly do ye do?

 

[whaleyk98]

Well Im not as experienced as some of the other breeders here but I can tell you that when I have litters of any of my babies...I breed fancy rats too,... that I like to get immediate hands on with them. I like my animals to be VERY friendly and tame and used to human contact. My moms (rabbit or rat) never cared as long as I was respectful of her too. You will have to check the nest for dead babies etc. and Im pretty sure that the mom will not care as these are domesticated animals and are used to people and trust people. I have never has a doe kill or reject her babies because I touched them or the nest....soI wouldn't worry.Just my two cents.:biggrin2:

 

[irishbunny]

Ok thanks,

I can't see my doe getting aggresive towards me, she's like an affectionate dog lol

 

[whaleyk98]

My doe wasnt aggressive but once her instincts kicked in, she got a little defensive over me taking the babies out...which was a good thing. I was hoping she had good mothering instincts.:biggrin2:

 

[pamnock]

We give our does a little treat and generally have no problem when handling/inspecting babies. The "human scent" tale is just a myth.

Pam

 

[clevername]

I actually go a little further and take the nest box from mom and revisit whenever its time to feed them. I do this for a number of reasons but mostly this gives me a lower mortality rate (I can catch those babies that get left out on the wire and I can monitor who is and isn't getting fed). Plus my rabbits end up being the most docile little things you can imagine--I play with them from day one.

 

[irishbunny]

I'm too sure if you take the babies and just bring them to be fed or do you take out the nb, handle them and put them back?

This is directed to Clevername by the way

 

[clevername]

irishbunny wrote:

I'm too sure if you take the babies and just bring them to be fed or do you take out the nb, handle them and put them back?

This is directed to Clevername by the way

I take the nest box and keep it in my office. Everyday I handle them, shuffle kits (the weaker looking ones go to the better moms) then I bring them to be fed. When mom is done she hops out, I take the box back (checking to make sure she didn't drag any babies out onto the wire) and repeat the process the next day.

I realize a lot of source material advise you not to touch the kits overly much too early. But a lot of breeders (angora raisers in particular) use this method to get healthier, friendly rabbits.

If I can get to the kits quick enough I average almost a 95% survival rate.

 

[irishbunny]

clevername wrote:

irishbunny wrote:

I'm too sure if you take the babies and just bring them to be fed or do you take out the nb, handle them and put them back?

This is directed to Clevername by the way

I take the nest box and keep it in my office. Everyday I handle them, shuffle kits (the weaker looking ones go to the better moms) then I bring them to be fed. When mom is done she hops out, I take the box back (checking to make sure she didn't drag any babies out onto the wire) and repeat the process the next day.

I realize a lot of source material advise you not to touch the kits overly much too early. But a lot of breeders (angora raisers in particular) use this method to get healthier, friendly rabbits.

If I can get to the kits quick enough I average almost a 95% survival rate.

Oh right I never even knew that was possible lol, I mean I didn't think the mother would accept them if you took them like that.

 

[clevername]

irishbunny wrote:

Oh right I never even knew that was possible lol, I mean I didn't think the mother would accept them if you took them like that.

Quite the opposite. Every morning I bring the babies back to feed and the mom is right there pawing at the cage door like "Hurry up what took you so long?!?"

 

[irishbunny]

Oh right that's cool they must be really friendly!

 

[BlueGiants]

There are a lot of different ways of raising the litter. You don't have to take them away. My babies get handled from the day they are born. And unless there is a reason, I leave the nestbox with the mother.

If the mother is not caring for them properly, if she is urinating on them or pooping in the nestbox, if it is too cold in the barn, if the mother needs time to recouperate from a hard birth, I'llbring the nestbox inside, between feedings.

99% of my does are great mothers. They do an excellent job of raising her kits. And I prefer to leave them with her. Some of my does get frantic if I remove the kits, and I don't like to stress them out if I don't have to.

No matter what, All the babies get handled every day. I make sure the nestbox is dry and clean,and make sure their bellies are full, check to make sure their development is on schedule... eyes opening? Growing normal? eatting? etc. I take weights on them at certain intervals.So they all get handled and used to people.

Just what works for me....

 

[Star and Stone Rabbitry]

Is it really true that the human scent thing is just a myth Pamnock?? Are you kidding me? lol

Well what I dois feed the doe at first, and then when sheis absorbed in eating her food or treats that I give her, I get the nest box and set it on my table. I part the fur and sometimes examine the babies very carefully (okay, okay, I'm an eccentric Dutch breeder and I'll admit it lol. I just can't wait to see what the markings look like) I do pick them up and remove any diceased if there are any. They say you should get rid of the runts, but I absolutely refuse! They make great pets.

I used to put vanilla extract on the doe's nose when returning the box, but I actually haven't done that for a long time. They really don't seem to mind all that much, especilly when they get food =)

-Tiff

 

[BlueGiants]

A mothers instinct to take care of her young is much stronger than any smell you will leave on a baby. (I've used the vanilla trick too, when fostering a baby to a new litter, if I was worried that the doe would smell the other doe on the baby, but not to cover my smell.)

 

[Dublinperky]

I think that when my baby bunnies are born I'll handle them alot so they won't be all skiddish and stuff! I knew that handling the babies would not make the mom abandon them, but I thought that the moms wouldn't like it very much..... Well that is great to know!

Aly!

 

[BlueGiants]

She may NOT like it, but you should still do it.

 

[Star and Stone Rabbitry]

lol Then you will have happy, very tame babies that will lick you on the nose! *bunny kisses!*

 

[clevername]

BlueGiants wrote:

Some of my does get frantic if I remove the kits, and I don't like to stress them out if I don't have to.

That's a good point. My rabbits were raised in this fashion and they don't protest when I take the babies overly much. I wouldn't advise taking the nestbox from a rabbit that isn't completely okay with the babies being touched or removed, stress on a new mom is unhealthy and it shouldn't be chanced unless you have a very good reason.

In my case taking the box is a real necessity as a lot of things can go wrong with the babies. Angora fur is long and can wrap around the kits through the natural squirming they do in the nest. In the worst cases strands of fiber can twist around a limb and cause a lot of damage--even death. Since mom pulls fur whenever, I can't always be there to cut the fibers short enough to be harmless, so I just take the nest box out of her care.

Also, most angora moms take a few tries to "get it right". In the worst cases I've had to rescue babies from new mom's in "instinct overload". Fortunately the last one only lost half an ear:?.

Overall this method is a lot more work on my part, but its been sucessful so far. Most of my kits survive to adulthood and they are extreme tolerant and friendly little rabbits--which helps because the grooming they need to endure wouldn't be possible otherwise.