# Sudden death-Kits 3-4 weeks old separate litters at separate times



## smtwnfarmer (May 26, 2013)

Hey everybody! I am stumped, so I am hoping someone can help me.  We decided to try raising rabbits.  We have one doe who has had two litters a few months or so apart. The first litter was five kits and the second was seven. In both cases, the kits appeared healthy and reached about 3 weeks with no problems.  Then, suddenly around 3-4 weeks, they started developing sudden on-set severe diarrhea and dying within 24 hours.  The sick ones sit in the corners of the pen fluffed out.  The first time, I removed the first two sick rabbits and cleaned everything out and the remaining three did fine.  This time, I have removed sick rabbits and changed things out but it hasn't helped.   I started them on corrid treatment yesterday as it was the only thing I could think of.  Since then, 2 have died and one more has developed symptoms.  Of seven bunnies, I am now down to one well bunny and one that just developed symptoms. Through all of this, the Mom seems totally un-affected.The final "healthy" kit has poop stuck to its rear end but it does not appear to be diarrhea.  It is heart breaking to have them dying.  The cage is clean and the water refilled daily.  They are in a 1.5 x 3 foot pen with the smallest hardware cloth for a floor.  The nest boxes are wooden with hay in them.  They have been with Mom and are presumably still nursing.  They have started trying the food, which is a complete rabbit pellet. (Faithway, I think?)  I'm totally lost on this- can anyone please help me figure this out??

Thank you so much!


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## VickieB (May 26, 2013)

I am new to rabbits also. Right now I have 2 does with 3 week old litters (my first time for babies) so take what I say with a grain a salt. I have read that babies need to eat some of the mother's droppings, the small ones called "cecotrope," in order to build the right flora in their gut before eating something besides the mother's milk. My rabbits are just now trying out the food in the bin. If yours is doing the same, could it be they have not had a chance to eat the mother's cecotrope yet?


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## smtwnfarmer (May 26, 2013)

I have no idea- but, since the bottom of the cage is hardware cloth, the droppings pretty well fall through the floor.  So unless she is dropping them in the nest box, they probably have not.  What would you do?  Should I put a wooden board or something in the cage??  Thank you so much for your reply!


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## VickieB (May 26, 2013)

I've been wondering the same thing. One of my mothers has been using her nest box to poo in (I'm going to have to break her of this, just don't know how yet) but the other has not. While cleaning the tray the other day I saw some of the cecotrope in the bottom of the tray. I scooped it up with a stick and dropped it in the litter box for the babies. 

What do those of you with experience do? How about those of you that don't use trays, how do you see to it that the babies have access to this?


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## xa.logan (May 26, 2013)

This may be a bit gross but have you examined the dead kits at all? Also, what did the feces smell like? Was it particularly foul?


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## smtwnfarmer (May 26, 2013)

There was no distinct odor at all. The diarrhea is watery And a light brown color. The kits are healthy and fat one day. The next day, they are huddled, fluffy, with the bottom Half of their body covered in burnt orange/light brown watery diarrhea. Is there something else that I should look for??


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## currycomb1 (May 26, 2013)

maybe put a ceramic tile in the cage. it gives everyone a nice solid place to rest, and the babies can eat the manure. we had heavy losses also, same symptoms. what worked for us was a bit of tetracycline antibiotic in the water. we also lost adult does and had necropsy done on them, nothing definate on the results, but with lots of hay and minimal pellets, we seemed to slow the "disease"


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## xa.logan (May 26, 2013)

This link may prove helpful. 

http://www.raising-rabbits.com/rabbit-diarrhea.html


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## smtwnfarmer (May 26, 2013)

That is a great link! Thanks! I am still not sure what is going on though. I guess enterotoxemia fits better than anything, but the cage is clean and we only give a rabbit pellet. They don't get sweet treats. Also, I don't understand why it would affect two different litters raised in different pens at different times at the same age when they were so healthy up to this point. The only thing the two had in common, besides age, was the doe and buck.  Also, that link makes the diarrhea sound like a possibility but it has been the main symptom. Obviously I am doing something wrong, but I am at a loss for what it is or how to fix it.


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## smtwnfarmer (May 26, 2013)

Is it possible that the doe may have some sort of intestinal imbalance that is not affecting her but is affecting the kids when they begin to Wean?


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## Kirsten miller (Jun 10, 2017)

I would take a good look at what pellets you are feeding enteroexemia due to ingredients in their feed could be it.  Next time u find diarrhea pull their pellets and give a big handful of hay to calm their gut down for a day or so then give it back they don't seem to be agreeing with the food.  I'd give mama one more try and if u experience the same result I would move her along


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## alsea1 (Jun 11, 2017)

Try giving them ginger tea. i have had good results with it.


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## Kirsten miller (Jun 11, 2017)

alsea1 said:


> Try giving them ginger tea. i have had good results with it.


Ginger tea?! Like soaking ginger root in water? Never heard of that one! May have to give it a try!


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## Bunnylady (Jun 11, 2017)

Might I point out that this is a 4-year-old thread, and the OP hasn't been around for only slightly less time than the thread has existed? While adding thoughts on treatments might be useful from an information standpoint, it's kind of unlikely that we'll get feedback.

The OP mentioned treating with CORID, though they didn't say "coccidia," that is one of the usual treatments for coccidiosis. That's a reasonable diagnosis, given the age of the kits and the fact that the adult rabbit wasn't having a problem. Diarrhea like this isn't typical with coccidiosis, but it could still have been playing a part.


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## lcertuche (Jun 11, 2017)

What a terrible thing to have happened. So sorry! I never had this problem before when I had rabbits. I think I would take Mama doe to the vet and get her check out before breeding again. Of course I've heard of coccidia but never had it in any of my critters. Mama may have had this and recovered. The survival or the strongest. I've often thought that it best to feed rabbits hay if possible with a little pellets. You need to know that the hay doesn't contain pesticides of course. Also do you have a mineral block for them and lots, and lots of water. Good luck!


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