I went to check on my bunnies this morning...We had 5, which was bought around easter, in a 12X12 lot. All of which were suppose to be females. (We're new to bunnies) Well this morning, one of them is dead and laying through the pen were 4 kits, also dead. Have many questions...Did the other bunnies kill them all??? How do I sex to see which one is a male?? Would the male have killed the mother as well??? Really confused, and would like to seperate who ever needs seperating. Please help.
Momma Bunny and 4 kits all dead..please help
- Thread starter BossMare
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bunniekrissy
Well-Known Member
Maybe the mother was too young and small so she died giving birth. Rabbits normally shouldn't be bred until 6 months of age at least, depending on breed. This could also explain why the babies didn't make it if the birth was difficult. If one of the other rabbits killed the babies they would appear to have been attacked, bitten, etc. Here is a web page that shows how to tell boys from girls. Although it should be fairly easy once the male's testicles have descended.
I'm so sorry.
I think you need to separate all your rabbits now because you are facing more litters. If one is a male then you potentially have another three pregnant does.
It sounds like she had birthing complications. Its very common for mums to not look after their first litter, and it may be she was too young to know. If the others had been involved there would be a lot of blood and things around, but if the babies are all intact they probably died of natural causes.
Are you able to separate them all? Preferably today.
If you could put your location in your profile it will enable people to give you more appropriate advice and help. Thanks.
I think you need to separate all your rabbits now because you are facing more litters. If one is a male then you potentially have another three pregnant does.
It sounds like she had birthing complications. Its very common for mums to not look after their first litter, and it may be she was too young to know. If the others had been involved there would be a lot of blood and things around, but if the babies are all intact they probably died of natural causes.
Are you able to separate them all? Preferably today.
If you could put your location in your profile it will enable people to give you more appropriate advice and help. Thanks.
aurora369
Well-Known Member
I moved this to the Rabbitry for you. Hopefully the breeders that frequent this area will have some advice for you.
So, you had 5 rabbits in a pen.
Now one of them seems to have given birth? It sounds like she had complications during birth and probably died due to a stuck kit or some other complication.
If the babies where scattered around the pen, it sounds like the mom didn't know what to do. Sometimes with a first litter, the mother rabbit will not know to build a nest or where to have the babies. She will just have the babies wherever and the babies normally die from exposure.
Here is a thread on how to sex a rabbit from our Library section:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12064&forum_id=17
Chances are, that you have other pregnant females if there is a male in the group. I would be inclined to separate all the bunnies until you figure out if any of the others are pregnant (for about 34 days). Or, find a vet that will be willing to spay and neuter all your bunnies so you can keep them together.
--Dawn
So, you had 5 rabbits in a pen.
Now one of them seems to have given birth? It sounds like she had complications during birth and probably died due to a stuck kit or some other complication.
If the babies where scattered around the pen, it sounds like the mom didn't know what to do. Sometimes with a first litter, the mother rabbit will not know to build a nest or where to have the babies. She will just have the babies wherever and the babies normally die from exposure.
Here is a thread on how to sex a rabbit from our Library section:
http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=12064&forum_id=17
Chances are, that you have other pregnant females if there is a male in the group. I would be inclined to separate all the bunnies until you figure out if any of the others are pregnant (for about 34 days). Or, find a vet that will be willing to spay and neuter all your bunnies so you can keep them together.
--Dawn
I wasn't aware of any being pregnant. But then after getting the deceased rabbits out, I went back to feed, I noticed them when I watering. And noticed another rabbit. After bringing this one out, I believe it was the actual mom, as she had what looked like a baby? or placenta? and a lot of flies. While trying to clean her up, she passed away. Now, would that have been the mother, the other the buck??? I am just really confused.
It's really an unknown. It might be that one was the mum of the litter you found and the other was the mother of another litter, or the second one was the mum and the other died of natural causes.
If they (adults or kits) didn't look like they had been attacked and ravaged then the other rabbits were not involved in the deaths.
If they (adults or kits) didn't look like they had been attacked and ravaged then the other rabbits were not involved in the deaths.
wasn't expecting none of this, when my son wanted rabbits. We live on a farm. Horses, Dogs, Cats, Chicks, Ducks and Rabbits...separating the three that is left is a challenge. I have dog crates?? That is all I have to put them in for now. Would that work?
That's good enough for an emergency situation 
But I would think they would need to be indoors in those to make sure they are safe and protected.
Once you've got them all separated we can then try and help you in terms of sexing and then also advice about the potentially other pregnant does, but separating them is the very first step that you need to do.
I'm so sorry that they have brought you so much chaos and pain. Hopefully we can help you through this.
But I would think they would need to be indoors in those to make sure they are safe and protected.Once you've got them all separated we can then try and help you in terms of sexing and then also advice about the potentially other pregnant does, but separating them is the very first step that you need to do.
I'm so sorry that they have brought you so much chaos and pain. Hopefully we can help you through this.
BossMare wrote:
ray: i hope the otehrs are ok, in your capable hands
i think it might of been fly strike, a stuck baby out/in her and maybe stress of the whole labour thing. im sorry you lost another one... have you told your son? how old is he?
ray: i hope the otehrs are ok, in your capable handsindoors indeed. And I sure hope you can help me, because rabbits are new to us, and I sure dont want to put the other three in any kind of danger. My gf is a vet tech, I will ask if she will have the vet spay my rabbits. Thanks friends.
aurora369
Well-Known Member
Yes, dog crates will work for a temporary situation.
Is the pen area that they are currently in covered? If it is, you could put the crates in the pen that they normally reside in.
The other option is to split their pen into three sections. You need to make sure there is some space between the separated areas (just an inch or two) as rabbits have been known to breed through cage bars.
Take a look at the link I provided above for help with sexing your bunnies. You can also take some pictures of the rabbits' genitals and post them here for a second opinion. Make sure to push the genitals open, by gently pushing the anus down and the genital up. Look at some of the pictures to see.
It is possible that you had two pregnant girls, and they both died from birthing complications. Or as Flashy suggested, one died of natural causes and the other from birthing complications. It really does sound like she had a stuck kit.
--Dawn
Is the pen area that they are currently in covered? If it is, you could put the crates in the pen that they normally reside in.
The other option is to split their pen into three sections. You need to make sure there is some space between the separated areas (just an inch or two) as rabbits have been known to breed through cage bars.
Take a look at the link I provided above for help with sexing your bunnies. You can also take some pictures of the rabbits' genitals and post them here for a second opinion. Make sure to push the genitals open, by gently pushing the anus down and the genital up. Look at some of the pictures to see.
It is possible that you had two pregnant girls, and they both died from birthing complications. Or as Flashy suggested, one died of natural causes and the other from birthing complications. It really does sound like she had a stuck kit.
--Dawn
My son is 7. No, he is at camp today, will be home this evening. He is awesome around animals, and knows that death does happen, although he mourns each and everything we find on our farm. We foster and are board members of our local humane society, so he has had first hand lessons, on birth, death, diseases, and cruelty. And when he gets home, more will be added to our pet cemetery. And little stones with their names will be laid on top. But hopefully, now that I have found you friends, this will be the end of laying our hoppy friends to rest. Thanks all.
ps. males= netured
female= spayed
and i advise this to be done when the rabbits are around 6months.... but ofcousrse.. yours might be older than that!
i hope this fourm can help aswell
its very friendly, i learnt that when i just joined
female= spayed
and i advise this to be done when the rabbits are around 6months.... but ofcousrse.. yours might be older than that!
i hope this fourm can help aswell
its very friendly, i learnt that when i just joined
SweetSassy
Well-Known Member
If you post pic's someone on RO could sex them for you. They would have to be pretty good pic's. Could you post pic's?
Sorry for your lossray: ...April
Sorry for your loss
ray: ...April
DyemondRabbitry
Well-Known Member
Ok- can you turn them over? You should definately be able to tell which one is the buck if they are at least a year old. It's very hard to tell what they died of. If there were only 4 kits its hard for me to imagine that there were 2 litters. Was the first rabbit bloody on the rear? Most does who have a hard time do not clean themselves very well.
The second rabbit- was it ACTUALLY a baby? Are meaning that she had something hanging out? If you can't tell that it was a baby- did it look more like a fluid filled sack? I had a doe once that, through her hard labor.. um.. her inner parts came outter... needless to say, she died. But if there were already maggots/flies she may have been in labor the day before.
Bottom line- figure out which is the male, seperate all the females.
Give them some sort of box (even a shoebox) and some bedding (hay will work.. just not mouldy) as they are probably pregnant also.
Make sure everybody has lots of water and keep them out of the heat.
The second rabbit- was it ACTUALLY a baby? Are meaning that she had something hanging out? If you can't tell that it was a baby- did it look more like a fluid filled sack? I had a doe once that, through her hard labor.. um.. her inner parts came outter... needless to say, she died. But if there were already maggots/flies she may have been in labor the day before.
Bottom line- figure out which is the male, seperate all the females.
Give them some sort of box (even a shoebox) and some bedding (hay will work.. just not mouldy) as they are probably pregnant also.
Make sure everybody has lots of water and keep them out of the heat.
