# Doe unable to give birth



## Moonshine (Aug 28, 2013)

We bought a couple of NZ rabbits a while back and they are huge. They didn't want to breed but we insisted. One had babies a month ago and it seemed like she was in labor for three days. In and out of the box, up and down, didn't eat. She looked miserable. When she finally had them, 3 of the 4 were still born and the other died within 12 hours. She didn't want to have anything to do with the one still alive. All of them were HUGE! Biggest babies I'd ever seen and I feel like she couldn't have them. I think she ripped having them because there was a lot of blood and she still didn't eat much for about 3 more day but she's all healed up and fine now. We have since bred her again and her friend/sister is due to kid any day now. She has actually showed signs of maybe being in labor since Sunday and I'm worried she is going through the same thing as her friend/sister. Today she's panting harder and faster than all the other rabbits, not eating, and in and out of her box. She sits there like she tries to have them for about 10 mins then gets out. 
Is there anything I can do for this poor rabbit? I know nothing about their age or history. I did try to feel for babies yesterday and only felt one and it took me a while to feel that one. I know this girl is miserable and I really feel like its the same thing the other rabbit went through. If you can offer any advise at all it would be appreciated! 
Thank you!


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## Moonshine (Aug 28, 2013)

I just thought I'd update. My mom and I read a few suggestions on the web saying you could put half a cherry tums and that might help her labor. She didn't eat it. Also you could massage her belly, she crapped all over me and tried to bite. So we are just going to leave her alone and let nature take its course. I just hate to see her in pain. She's up and down and in and out of her box about every 10 mins now. I just feel so sorry for her.


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## Moonshine (Aug 29, 2013)

Update! She had 1 tiny baby. That's all no nothing else. Except there was blood (a lot) in her cage but they are both doing fine and she cleaned it up and she acts like she's going to take care of it. We'll see.


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## Four Winds Ranch (Aug 29, 2013)

Sorry, was of no help, but have never had this happen! 24 hrs is usually the longest any of mine have been in labour and they do everything them selves! Were your does over weight? 
What breed was the buck you breed them to? Was it super hot and humid on the days they were in labour?


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## Moonshine (Aug 29, 2013)

The first doe I talked about (Grande) is overweight but I don't think this girl (Ebony) is. The buck is the same breed as the girls and we actually bought them as a trio. Makes me think what on earth did their previous owners do yo them to make them not be able to have babies. Maybe a rabbit mill? The weather has been fine and nothing out of the ordinary. The only thing that is really unusual about them is they are really large rabbits compared to our other NZ rabbits and even the California rabbits. Maybe I'll take a pic of the 3 when I get home and show you what I mean. 

I understand not being able to help. She did finally eat her tums at some point last night. We have had a lot of bad luck this year with buying rabbits from people wanting to get rid of their problem and not being honest with us about what we are buying. I believe we are planning to keep some does from our healthy doe and then look for a good breeder that we can get a doe or 2 from.


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## Moonshine (Aug 29, 2013)

Oh my gosh y'all will never believe that Ebony is still in labor and sometime between 1pm and 4:30pm she had another baby!!! We didn't breed her back to the buck a couple days later or anything like that so I can only assume she is still in labor. She acts like she still is anyway may be more to come. She had this one in the box and its with the other one alive.


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## Four Winds Ranch (Aug 29, 2013)

Mmmmm..... thats crazy!!!   
Hope everything turns out fine!!!
Keep us posted!!!


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## Moonshine (Aug 29, 2013)

Well at about 7pm she had 2 more back to back, 1 dead and 1 alive. She's eating the placenta and cleaning the babies up so I do have hope for her. She still hasn't eaten anything other than that though so it makes me think she has more to come. She's not breathing as hard so Idk. My question is would she feed them if she's still in labor? I haven't seen her feed any of them and it kind of worries me.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (Aug 30, 2013)

*They only feed twice a day for about 5 minutes each time. 

Sounds like these does are having unusual problems, if it was me I wouldn't breed them again. *


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## Moonshine (Aug 30, 2013)

I completely agree WhiteMountain! 

We got up this morning and checked on her and she had 3 very large babies dead in the cage. The first 4 were tiny and it looked like the last one was deformed. Its arm head and back never separated and its face wasn't completely formed.

The good news is the 3 that were alive are still alive. Momma finally pulled hair and has eaten some. I hope she's finally done  she ended up having 7 total.


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## Moonshine (Aug 30, 2013)

I just wanted to let everyone know that she has cleaned up and she is done. Also she fed her 3 and they all had fat bellies this morning around 10. She is very protective of them and they are doing well. This doe is beautiful and I believe we are going to try to get some weight off of her and reevaluate in a couple of months. Hopefully she has a doe in her kits and we can keep her to raise up for breeding next year.


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## sawfish99 (Sep 3, 2013)

IMHO, I would cull the entire line.  What you are describing sounds like a major fault in the lines from the rabbitry you purchased the trio from.  The odds are high some of the problems were passed on to the kits.  We had some NZs that showed significant abnormalities in the reproductive tract when they were slaughtered (like cystic and fatty ovaries).  We no longer breed NZs.  Even if the rabbit was overweight in the first place, the kindling issues you described are justification to terminate that bloodline instead of just trying to breed something better into the line.


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## nawma (Sep 3, 2013)

I think that I would give the doe, if she were mine, one more chance. I would be hesitant to keep any of her kits if she has any more problems.


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## Moonshine (Sep 3, 2013)

Thanks y'all for your honest opinions and advice! It really is welcomed and appreciated!

The morning we found the 3 dead ones she fed her kits that were left and she hasn't fed them since. Mom and I were determined to keep these babies alive and have been pulling the doe and kits out of their cage twice a day to hold her down and let them nurse. They are getting bigger and stronger by the day but I too am worried that this might be genetic. We most likely won't be breeding her again and will be culling her. I just hate to see an animal suffer and I just couldn't let her babies starve to death. I'd rather euthanize than see them suffer. I don't know what the plan will be for the kits. I know my mom is hoping to keep a doe so we will just have to see what she decides if they make it.


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## sawfish99 (Sep 3, 2013)

Do you currently have a doe that is feeding kits of about the same age?  If so, you can try to surrogate the babies onto the other doe.  Use a little peppermint extract and put some on each baby from both litters.  put a tiny amount on the mom's nose.  She won't be able to distinguish hers and the intruders.  This will either work or result in a doe that kills the intruders, but you don't know until you try.


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## Moonshine (Sep 3, 2013)

Thanks sawfish. I had heard of that but I heard it was vanilla extract. The kits closest to her are too much older IMO. They already have their eyes open and crawling out of the box and hanging out with mama. These lil ones are just 5 days.


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## sawfish99 (Sep 4, 2013)

I think vanilla might work too.  The point is a smell that is more powerful than the babies' natural smells.


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## BYJR1434 (Oct 9, 2013)

I would have to concur with sawfish. I would sell or cull the does at this point. it seems like a problem with their lines. Get some good new pedigreed stock.
hopefully these kits will survive though, I hate losing kits lol, then get rid of them.


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