What now?

[cmany]

Hey All...

SO I still only have one litter of bunnies...of those I lost 3...1 at birth, one got squished under the box...and the tiny runt finally gave out...

Now my other 2 does, I thought were pregnant...last they were bred they were very very receptive to the bucks...and since then...if I put them together (to see the reaction) they are rather nasty...

My Flemish has not gained any weight at all and was due this week. My Californian, she has put on weight...hard belly...and is due this week...both are actually overdue by now...by a day or so...

I cannot believe that I got 2 doe that cant breed...the Californian I can understand...she is about 3...so it could be that she is done...But the Flemish is now a year or a little over that...

My concern is that with my Californian, the last time she was pregnant, she did not go into labor...and when I bred her...that night she passed a very large very dead baby...

So if she is carrying now...what do I do? I did try breeding her to see if that would stimulate labor...but she really wasn't having anything to do with it...

Can I induce labor in her...I have tried exercising her too...

Its just so weird...she has even gone as far as nesting...then gives it up hours later or the next day and eats the hay...

I just don't know what to do...

 

[LakeCondo]

I really don't know & so can only suggest you try another forum, such as rabbittalk.com. I hope all goes well & you let us know. It's sometimes useful to belong to more than one forum.

 

[majorv]

If you want to induce labor you can try giving them chewable Tums. I know other breeders who use it. If they're more than 2 days overdue then I'd try that.

I have a doe who will make a nest with hay and pull some fur about 3-4 days before she kindles. The next day after building it she'll eat most of the hay and leave the hair :?. Anyway, on day 30 I'll put more hay in the nestbox and give her some to eat. Sure enough, she'll have the kits that night and pull a bunch more fur to cover them with.

 

[woahlookitsme]

Ive also heard you can try giving them a ride in the car?

 

[Samara]

Raspberry leaves are supposed to induce labor also.

 

[cmany]

Thanks folks...

I must be an idiot...

Well the Californian delivered this afternoon...she was pulling hair this morning...and when I went to give her hay so she could finish...there were 3 babies...although one was definitely not alive...didn't have a head????

But the other 2 seem fine...she is quite tired tho...

And my Flemish, she started pulling hair like crazy and as soon as I gave her hay, she went right on to making her nest....so hopefully tonight, there will be more...

Going to be picking up 2 more doe tomorrow...Californian/Flemish crosses...

Our other babies are 4 weeks old and doing GREAT...what little jumpers...

I know they only get a little, but she I be overly concerned about them eating some of her veggies???

Must run..again, thanks everyone...

Christine

 

[woahlookitsme]

Glad everything turned out ok. At 4 weeks they should be nibbling on pellets and eating hay. People say to wait until they are 6 weeks to start feeding veggies. If you can wait and then slowly introduce them later that's what i would do.

 

[cmany]

Well, the flemish kindled...2 babies...both died...I tried warming them...but to no avail...

One was really tiny...like half the size of a californian...and the other was very long...like the length of the 4 wk old babies...just not that fat...

I know it is common to have small litters the first couple of times...but all dead???

Poor thing was so confused...and this morning she actually looks sad...maybe its just me...but her face just look drawn out and sad...

 

[RoyalLions18]

cmany wrote:

Well, the flemish kindled...2 babies...both died...I tried warming them...but to no avail...

One was really tiny...like half the size of a californian...and the other was very long...like the length of the 4 wk old babies...just not that fat...

I know it is common to have small litters the first couple of times...but all dead???

Poor thing was so confused...and this morning she actually looks sad...maybe its just me...but her face just look drawn out and sad...

I had a doe who lost her first litter of 5, she was sad for about a week. Just sat their, digging and almost looking for them. The worst part is it was my fault! Miss counted her day's had 6 litters due. Thought she still had over a week to go, so i put no nestbox in. Give her a day or 2 and breed her again.

 

[woahlookitsme]

Sounds like one got stuck. I would breed her and do it more times. The more they breed the bigger the litter size and the smaller the babies are born. My doe had 7 babies on her first litter and we bred her 6 times (3 tomes first then waited an hour or two and bred 3 more times)