# Doe Killed Most of Her Kits And Now Doe Is Dead - Need Care Advice



## choochootwo (May 5, 2012)

I have three 1 day old kits and I need some advice. I have no idea how much to feed them. References online say 2 cc twice daily, but their bellies look so full after 1 cc. They look like fat ticks. Mother was a small mix breed, smaller than a mini rex and father was smaller than mother. They're not making noises like they're still hungry after they eat. Is this enough? 

I'm using a mix in equal parts of raw cow colostrum, raw goat milk, and kitten milk replacer. Does this sound okay? I'm assuming since the milk is raw and we've got real colostrum from another mammal that there will be some good digestive enzymes available. 

I have another doe who's caring for 5 kits, and they're 6 days old. She's been a great mom. Could I add these three to her? There's a 5 day difference.


----------



## Hens and Roos (May 6, 2012)

Good luck, hopefully someone will have some answers for you,  not sure if the 5 day age difference would be okay- the older ones might push the younger ones away from getting food.


----------



## WhiteMountainsRanch (May 6, 2012)

*It sounds like your doing everything right.

I would go ahead and try to introduce the new babies. 

Put some vicks or spearmint oil or other on the does nose and cheeks right before you introduce the babies, and also rub it all over the kits faces and genital areas.

Stick them in in the evening before she has fed, stay and watch her feed and see how she reacts to the new ones.

Worth a try IMHO.*


----------



## bunnylovincowgirl (May 6, 2012)

Yes, I would foster.  I think that's your best chance of saving them.  Keep them in their own box and take the 6 day old kits out of the doe's cage.  Give the doe one batch of kits for a feeding, then another batch 12 hours later.  If you put them all in the same nest, the bigger ones will keep the smaller ones from getting to the milk. 

I've never hand-raised kits, and though I know people have done it successfully, there seem to be a number of different methods and I'm not sure which is best.  Here's a quote from one website though that's interesting. 


> Newborn rabbits are quite unique in that they have no living microorganisms in their stomach or intestines. They start off life with a pH of 5-6 and are protected by the special milk oil in rabbit milk.
> 
> Rabbit milk oil has an anti-microbial property. No other animals milk has this property. This is one reason why Ive never bothered to feed babies a substitute milk (since my first litters when I was panicking because I never saw her feed the babies). Nothing can substitute for rabbit milk.
> 
> (Thats not to say that orphans cannot be fed and live, its just to say that the return on investment of time is poor.)


(I own the copyright to the site but I didn't write the article.) http://www.thenaturetrail.com/rabbit-health-feeding/baby-weaning-digestive-system/


----------



## terri9630 (May 6, 2012)

WhiteMountainsRanch said:
			
		

> *It sounds like your doing everything right.
> 
> I would go ahead and try to introduce the new babies.
> 
> ...


I've fostered several litters and have never needed to use oil or any scents on the doe or kits.  I would as the other poster said though.  Don't put them together but rotate litters.


----------



## choochootwo (May 7, 2012)

Well, everybody died last night. Two from aspiration, not sure why the other one passed away. I checked this thread several times yesterday and didn't see any replies until today. It's good to know for next time.


----------



## Hens and Roos (May 7, 2012)

Sorry to hear that!


----------

