Mystery baby rabbit death

[bunnymumma]

Hi all,

My rabbit had six kits last week, all of which seemed really healthy and happy until this weekend when we found four dead. Two were just inside the door to the rabbit house, one was at the far end of the run and one was OUTSIDE of the run! I have no idea how it got there as they are not old enough to be using their legs yet and mum could not have got out to take it there herself,

Has anyone ever experienced anything like this?

I am pretty upset about losing so many in one night and just have no idea what happened.

Any insight would be amazing!

Thanks

 

[ladysown]

When they were nursing they were latched on when she left the box, the kits then scattered looking to stay warm. They can crawl through holes about 1 inch in diameter.

You need a higher nestbox or one with a baby scratch bar to keep this from happening again.

 

[Aki]

:yeahthat:
Babies can't hop but it doesn't mean they can't crawl. They start moving around pretty soon after the birth even though they shouldn't, so finding babies outside of the nest when it isn't placed in a good nesting box isn't that uncommon - they are also really fragile so death occurs quickly if they aren't put back in very fast.

 

[majorv]

I agree with the others...newborns can crawl and until they get a good coat of fur on them they are very vulnerable to high and low temps. It's important that they be in a nestbox they can't crawl out of but mom can jump in and out. Even then, they can get carried out with mom while nursing. I've had one do that but never four. At any rate, when I have newborns in the nest I always check on them every night to make sure they are still in the box.