# ****Fostering Help*****



## BYJR1434 (Jan 21, 2013)

Ok. so doe #2 had her litter last night while o was asleep. i went in to check, and there were seven babies on the wire, scattered around. the nest box was in stuffed full. she didnt pull any hair. i know this is her first time so its different i just have to accept it. but they were all still alive. kicking around so i grabbed them all rushed them to the sink and stuck em in warm water to warm them up qiuckly. i warmed to of the smaller ones up and fostered them to doe # 1. i only did 2 because they are florida whites and 8 babies is the max i think she could sufficiently handle but i need input on that so help. lol there was one baby that had cuts on its legs, probably from momma trying to clean it off idk. but it was stilll alive, but i didnt want to expose the others to infecton which its cuts were bound to be. so she had 7. i got them stuffed in the nest box but momma didnt even really care and pretended like they werent there. so i wrapped her head in a towel and turned her over and let the 4 kits nurse. now they are in the nest box and idk where or what to do now. i started prefusely sweating  and almost passed out in the midst of it all. this is my first time. plz help iif u have any advice. i was almost thinking about putting the other 4 in with doe 1 but i know that wouldnt work.


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## animalmom (Jan 21, 2013)

First off, take a deep breath.  Seems to me that you have done all good things for the litter.

So apparently you are raising Florida Whites, and think that 8 is the max a doe in milk can handle...  are you sure, have you flipped that doe over and counted nipples?

How many kits, all together from both does, do you have?

If it were me, I would put all surviving kits in with the doe who is taking care of her kits.  If that makes 12 kits for the doe then that makes 12 kits for the doe.  More milk demand on the doe from the increased number of kits will prod her body into producing more milk.  It is up to the kits to grab a teat.  You may lose a small one, but the fighters will survive.  

Keep an eye on all the kits to see that there is something in their bellies after the doe nurses. 

Give Doe #2 another chance at mom-hood with another breeding.  Could be she just didn't know what to do with the babies and a second try might get the instincts working and she turn out to be a good mom.

Keep up posted on your progress.  Hang in there you are doing just fine.


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## currycomb (Jan 21, 2013)

yeah, first timers can be hard to deal with. rabbits only feed once or twice a day. it may take her a day or two to figure it out. pull some of her fur from her belly and put in nest box. continue feeding the way you did. if she still does not show interest in feeding them(usually in the late evenings), you can continue to feed them as you have, foster to the other rabbit(may be more than she can feed, maybe not)or try to find someone near you that has some nursing does that would be willing to foster. we had someone bring an entire litter an hour and half away. mom had died. we rearranged our exisiting litters and put the orphans on one doe. she raised them all and they returned 7 weeks later and took their bunnies home. bottle feeding can be done, but usually does not work. rabbit milk is unique, and we cannot duplicate it with our formulas. just be prepared that all may not make it, but that you have done all that you could to help them


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## BYJR1434 (Jan 21, 2013)

Thank you lol 
there are 15 altogether. 
Im gonna go ahead and put 2 more in with the other doe.
and the rest ill continue to feed like i have and keep a close eye on mom to see if she feeds.
im thinking shell pick it up soon.
thank you comb thats a good idea, ill start looking.
the other does kits are lively and full so shes doing great. 
ill update 2night


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## BYJR1434 (Jan 21, 2013)

so i again, took her out flipped her over and fed the kits. ill do this 3 times a day for awhile. She still is kinda oblivious. but i know she'll do good in the future shes such a nice gentle girl. 
the other doe has 10 and they look great, she can definetly handle them, ill keep an eye on the small ones to make sure there getting there share.


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