Please help me with 5 day old bunnies

[Bunny Mum]

Our bunny had 7 kits we suspected she waspregnant and has so far been a fantastic mum providing a great warmnest for her kits. My dilemma is 4 of the kits are strong and healthybut the other 3 look skinny, still alive but a littlelethargic. I have left Mum and kits alone mum with plentywater and food checking on the kits once a day trying not to disturbthem too much. Is there anything i can do to help these lesshealthy kits it would break my heart to lose one.

 

[aurora369]

Hi,

I just moved this to the rabbitry where the breeders can see it and help you.

I would start giving the little babies an extra feeding with mom once aday. Take the big babies out of the nest and put them in anextra box or somewhere safe. Then place mom in the nest withthe smaller babies, position her over them so they can feed.

Give mom some treats/pets, just something to keep her calm so her milkwill come down. Try to keep her on the nest for at least 5minutes.

Do this once a day until the small babies have caught up with the big babies.

Also, what kind of rabbit is this? A dwarf or large breed?

How old is she and is this her first litter?

Where is the male? Is he in the same cage or is he seperated.

--Dawn

 

[clarzoo]

Aurora gave great advice.

Do the all of the babies have full, round bellies? You can often seethe yellowish milk through their skin. It looks as if they have swollena ping pong ball. That's how you can tell who is getting enough milk ornot. Giving the runty ones an extra feeding alone with mom is your bestbet.

What breed are the mom and dad? There are some genetic problems thatoccur in baby rabbits of certain breeds that cause them to die at a fewdays old even if they are getting plenty of milk from mom and goodcare.

If it looks like the mom just isn't making enough milk. You can alwayssupplement the babies with formula (Kitten Milk Replacer plus a bit ofHeavy Whipping Cream). But that is some serious around the clock workwith such young kits.

Good Luck! Please keep us updated.



-Lindsay

 

[Bunny Mum]

Hi guys,

Last night when i got home from work i noticed only 4healthykits and 1 looking a bit malnourished and 2 deadkits!! Very upsetting.......Both Mum(Flo) and Dad(Thunder)are dwarf lops Mum is (black)7mths old Dad (white/fawn) is 12months old.

Flo has been wonderful and made a fantastic nest. The kitsare very deep below the top fur and the dead kits were trapped in theside of the nest. Maybe discarded when deceased notsure. They are definetly warm enough and Flo is feeding butit seems some more than others. The darker kids are huge andthe fairer kits seem to be the ones perishing any thoughts?(P.S Huge is exagerating, well fed!!)

This is her first litter and the cage is 4 storey and the dad has thetop two levels, so they can talk to each other but obviously notremate. Dad has no access to nest box.

I will get the doe to feed the weaker ones on there own tonight (ifthey've survived) as advised any other info would be greatlyappreciated.

Flo and Thunders Mum

P.S if u can see anything am doing wrong please let me know.

 

[clarzoo]

Sounds like you are doing everything right. Itis normal, but unfortunate, to lose kits in a litter, especially withfirst time moms.

I'd continue trying to feed the runts an extra time a day. I'm sure youalready have, but remove any dead kits from the nestbox.

When you say the dad is in the top two levels, can the mom see him? Itis possible that he might be upsetting her by being so close. I'd blockher view of him if you are able to.

As long as the four bigger kits keep doing well, it sounds like the momis doing a good job. Make sure she has access to as much hay, feed andwater as she wants.

 

[Bunny Mum]

Hmmm yes thats veryinteresting aboutthe male. If she is downstairs with nest box and toilet box which iswhere she is spending a lot of her time she cannot see themale. If she decides to jump up to next level she can seemale and they usually try to groom each other through wire or they lienext to the wire on each of there respective sides and sleep.

Although if the male is outside the cage he will poo andsprayfloor around her lower level then lie down beside cagealmost protecting her itseems?!? Increasingly so sincethe kits have been born so that may be annoying her. (Itannoys me!!!)

You know thanks so much for your help am feeling more confident all thetime as a first timer, not sure il ever do it again but for someone whohas a weak stomach im getting better. Yes removed dead kitslast night hopefully no more surprises tonight.

There are no addedproblems i need to know about associated with breeding dwarflops?