UPDATE motherless babies... at my house

[naturestee]

One baby has the stripe and the other doesn't. If they aren't domestic (which I'm really sure they are) then the owners concocted quite the story. But James saw the dad and the owners said the parents were both pedigreed buns that had been to "breeder shows."

Polly, your description of a German-bred Nethie makes sense. Maybe someone's importing them to breed with the local stock?

Julie, they are seriously thin. More so than the pictures show. James didn't post the pics that show it the most because he didn't want people to be upset. They looked slightly better this morning, most likely because they are not as dehydrated.

I got a hold of the vet this afternoon as I wanted more info on how to tell if a baby bun is dehydrated. I can't do the skin tent thing as they don't have enough excess skin. She said that if you can get their mouths open and feel their gums, dehydrated babies will feel tacky there. And to watch the gum color. Just in case, she had me schedule an appointment for tomorrow to get sub-q fluids (neither of us could get in this afternoon) and I'll call if I don't need it. The poor receptionist was a bit flustered trying to figure out which babies I'm talking about at the moment. Between Jazzy and the current babies, her older babies, and the orphans there's been a lot of baby rabbits in my house!

 

[polly]

well can't say you are bored with all those babies if teh mum was more gray is there a chance she could have been opal? it springs to mind as opal is the dilute of chestnut agouti and looks a lot more gray.

 

[myheart]

Is it supposed to be good things that come in three's? I think you have had your full run of "good things" happen. I bet Obi feel neglected and would like to visit me for a week, or two, or three...

Have the families started to say that it is enough with the bunny babies....?

myheart

 

[Mr. Stee]

Just got done feeding them again. The instructions we had decided to use said that they should eat 25% of their body weight of the mixture daily, and with them both at a around 2 ozs. that would mean 15 cc's of formula. They both just took in over 1 cc of formula (fifth feeding today between naturestee and me) and were happy for it, bouncing and exploring, only to fall asleep within two minutes. They seemed more alert and the little one more active. I am starting to let myself get a little optimistic, which means alot because I try not to get unrealistic.

I am slowly increasing the amounts given so that I don't shock them with a ton of food all at once. They probably didn't know a full belly their whole short life, so I am going slow and often with the food.

Edit: oh and they started making mouth sucky motions as soon as I picked them up. They must already know that to be picked up means food.

 

[naturestee]

James, I just got back from my break, spent looking for better nursing equipment. There's not much to be had. But I did find replacement nipples for the bigger nursing bottles that are also supposed to fit Luer Lock syringes. I know we had one of those on the garage table last night.

The nipples might be a little big to fit in their mouths, but we'll see.

 

[Mr. Stee]

Actually, I stopped using the tip on the last feeding, not enough was coming out to keep the adventurous one interested. They suck up a cc now in the matter of a minute from the smallest oral syringe without an attachment.

I have decided to name them for their temporary stay here for easier reference. These probably won't be their real names (especially since I don't know sexes) once they go back home.

The one without the white will be Dora, because she constantly wants to explore. I have a hard time keeping her reined in while her "brother" feeds and she will go over, under, or through anything in front of her to be able to keep going.

The one with the white will be Girr because he attacks the syringe with an insanely ravenous manner (I thought his movements in this looked like Girr from Invader Zim)
and in the last two feedings seemed to have no end to its hyper, eating attacks on it so much that I stopped giving him in fear of overfeeding. After all, he eats a lot more than his "sister" even though he's smaller.

Here is the just took pictures after 24 hours of care.

Girr looking for more food. "in another two hours little one"

Dora off on another explore. Girr keeps tagging close behind so that he can cuddle when Dora finally stops.

Finally she stopped. CUDDLE TIME.

 

[Maureen Las]

Dora and Girr still look really really tiny.

I'm glad that they are better but they probably have a long way to go yet

Hope that they keep improving

 

[naturestee]

POOP! WE HAVE POOP!:yahoo:

James is right on with how Gir eats now that he's gotten some energy in him. My taquitos! My taquitoooooooossss!!!!!

Little bugger just sucked down 2 cc's and still would have taken more but I didn't want to push it. His scrawny belly now has a little milk bulge in it. And I did read that babies will sometimes over feed if you let them.

The nipples weren't that great as they're a bit big to easily fit in their mouths. Also I'm not sure but they may have lost the suckling response, which I read can happen in a day or two of not suckling. But they're very good at licking and nibbling. Gir seems to like the nipple, Dora does not.

Maureen- yes they're still... well I guess the word is emaciated. But they're far and away better than last night.

Future reference for others: SNUGGLE SAFE. It's a lifesaver! Otherwise I'd have cold scrawny babies, instead of toasty warm scrawny babies.

 

[TreasuredFriend]

Dear Foster Grandparents (wisely referred by the humane society) ~
um, for when this becomes a yearly fill in vocation.

Angela, your mention on nipples had me diggin' for my box of cannulas. Something that works on smaller syringes is Jorgensen Laboratories, Inc., J-12 Teat Infusion cannula.

Individually packaged, disposable, length 1 & 1/3-inch. Contents: 100 Cannula per box.

Found at Farm and Fleet, reasonable cost!
'Tis what I relied on for feeding e/c's or when one of the domestics needing hand feeding.

I snip off the top to widen the opening and decrease the length going in-between their teeff port. Hope the suggestion may help.

I'll be so happy to hear they are doing well as each day goes on. You guys will still need our wishes and support. :brownbunny

 

[myheart]

Is no new news good news? :?

myheart

 

[naturestee]

Well there's nothing new to report. I canceled the vet appointment for fluid shots as they don't seem to need them, although I think I'll bring the little boogers in while I'm there tomorrow with Jazzy and her crew. That way Dr. Bixler and the vet techs I've been talking to can at least see what I'm working with... which still isn't much.

Their appetites and energy are up, although my cheap kitchen scale says they haven't gained weight yet.

I'm actually about to run home for my lunch break so I can feed them, as James was scheduled to work till 8 and I want more food in them.

Julie, I actually do have a cannula that we used the first night. Now they'll lick it from the tip of the feeding syringes and I prefer that to having the syringe in their mouths. Less risk of aspiration.

 

[naturestee]

Woot! 2.5 cc's before they started getting too tired to take more. I think that's a record.

 

[myheart]

:woohooThey should be feisty and running about in no time!!!!

Great job on rescuing a pair of beautiful babies in the nick of time!!!! Maybe vet training is in your future...?

myheart

 

[naturestee]

If I lived closer to Madison (nearest vet college) I'd be doing that already...

Just keep in mind that we have a long way to go before the babies are healthy and safe.:?

 

[Mr. Stee]

I'm actually about to run home for my lunch break so I can feed them, as James was scheduled to work till 8 and I want more food in them.


So that is why they wouldn't eat. I shorted one client ten minutes and got to the next five late to run home and feed them, but neither of them wanted to eat.

 

[naturestee]

:laughsmiley:

I left a note on the laundry basket, ya know.

 

[Mr. Stee]

DORA ESCAPED! I went down to feed them and...only one baby. I pick up the baby and search every piece of paper and blade of hay in the cage...only one baby. I got down on my knees and began a to do a through search of the room...only one baby. I finally found her wedged between two cages in a space I couldn't even see and tucked under hay droppings stuck between the cages. I wouldn't have noticed her if not for a blade of grass move. She was starting to feel cold to the touch. I warmed her up and got her with her sibling. Feed them a small amount, then started taping empty flattened soda cartons to the outside of the cage like a fiend.

She took her exploring too far and jumped over a six inch plastic lip to the cage and squeezed out of the bars. I was starting to worry about this, but thought they didn't have the energy to try it yet. I was wrong. The whole time I was putting up cardboard, they both were taking huge leaps across the pen that spanned a third of their very large (for them) pen in order to keep up with following my hands around the cage. Once I saw Dora racing around I stopped feeling as guilty because I assume there would be no way for her to be that active if she were hurt or sick because of her breakout.

 

[myheart]

OMG that was like having a little heart attack just reading about Dora's adventure!!!:shock:I am so glad she responded well to the warmth and the food. They are getting to be just well enough to start causing trouble--lucky buns

myheart

 

[naturestee]

EEEK!!! Naughty Dora!!! :shock:

Thank goodness she's ok. I'd hate to loose her not from healthissues but because she felt up to exploring too much!

 

[Mr. Stee]

They both are doing great this am. And their bodies are no longer emaciated looking. In fact, I would say that they are starting to look more on the thin side of normal. And the energy! I have to incapsulate them with my hand just to keep them still long enough to feed them. I'll get pictures later.