# 2 separate piles of kits in nest box



## Stina (Jun 4, 2019)

Is it normal for there to be a bunch of kits (6) at the back of the nest box & (3) at the front of the box? They are 2 days old. & this happened for the past 2 days so far....all are warm & wiggling (actually flopping around). A couple seem skinny but they are very active.


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## AmberLops (Jun 4, 2019)

How old are they?
It could be that they're too warm. When it's hot outside and they have tons of fur in the nest they will usually spread out to cool off.
I always put the kits back together when they're separated, just to be sure they all get fed


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## Bunnylady (Jun 4, 2019)

The kits move around in the box so much, especially when the weather is warm, that they often wind up in different groups. During cool weather, it's pretty important that they be together to keep each other warm, but as long as they are all getting fed, I don't worry about it during warm weather.


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## Stina (Jun 4, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> How old are they?
> It could be that they're too warm. When it's hot outside and they have tons of fur in the nest they will usually spread out to cool off.
> I always put the kits back together when they're separated, just to be sure they all get fed



They’re 3 days old today. Yes I suppose that the warm weather is the reason. It’s been around 83 degrees the past couple of days.


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## Stina (Jun 4, 2019)

Bunnylady said:


> The kits move around in the box so much, especially when the weather is warm, that they often wind up in different groups. During cool weather, it's pretty important that they be together to keep each other warm, but as long as they are all getting fed, I don't worry about it during warm weather.




I was just worried that because she has 9 kits, they wouldn’t get fed if they were is different spots of the nest box. After work I will check them again to make sure all are alive.


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## Stina (Jun 5, 2019)

The 3 biggest kits are overly fat & the other 6 are thin. I’m assuming it’s time to start bottle feeding


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## AmberLops (Jun 5, 2019)

Do you have another doe with a litter around the same age? Putting them in with another doe to foster them is their best bet. If you've never bottle-fed kits before...just be forewarned....it's very rare for kits to survive being bottlefed. And you would need to give them cecotropes from their mom or another healthy rabbit so the kits GI systems work properly. There was a member on here a few days ago who bottlefed an entire litter and at 3 weeks they started developing GI issues...she put them in with other babies so the kits could eat some cecotropes and last I heard, they were doing better


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## Mini Horses (Jun 5, 2019)

Maybe pull the 3 fat ones out part of the day, to allow others to be fed.   Or out at one feeding every other day?

I don't raise rabbits -- I'm just thinking how to limit their intake and increase  thin ones.


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## Stina (Jun 9, 2019)

I tried taking the 3 big ones out so she could feed the other 6 but that didn’t work & I didn’t want to loose the whole litter so I just put them back. Over the past 2 days, I’ve noticed they are all with full belly’s, even the runt! so I’m not bottle feeding them anymore, but I do feel that the little that I did, helped the 6 hold on. Today they are 1 week old. Big milestone in my eyes, kind of a sigh of relief. I hope things keep going good. Thanks for all of the advice friends


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## AmberLops (Jun 9, 2019)

Yay! I'm glad it's working out and that the babies are doing well!


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## Stina (Jun 10, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Yay! I'm glad it's working out and that the babies are doing well!





 Here’s the biggest & the runt


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## B&B Happy goats (Jun 10, 2019)

Wow, that is some size difference  for sure


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## Stina (Jun 10, 2019)

B&B Happy goats said:


> Wow, that is some size difference  for sure




I’m wondering if it’s the genetics. 

Doe is Californian X New Zealand 
Buck is Californian X New Zealand X Flemish


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## B&B Happy goats (Jun 10, 2019)

I can't  answer that one for sure as I haven't  crossed my NZ and FG ...yet, but it makes sense to me....@Bunnylady or @AmberLops  may know ????


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## AmberLops (Jun 10, 2019)

Having a runt in a litter is normal. Sometimes my does will have a runt in one litter and not in the next.
I don't think it's genetic...I honestly think it's because, in larger litters, one kit will have the smallest placenta and that's always the runt. It works that way in other animals like dogs...so I think it's the same in rabbits!
Most times, the runt does not survive. But I've had a few that did and are still alive now!
Fingers crossed for the little guy


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## Stina (Jun 13, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Having a runt in a litter is normal. Sometimes my does will have a runt in one litter and not in the next.
> I don't think it's genetic...I honestly think it's because, in larger litters, one kit will have the smallest placenta and that's always the runt. It works that way in other animals like dogs...so I think it's the same in rabbits!
> Most times, the runt does not survive. But I've had a few that did and are still alive now!
> Fingers crossed for the little guy




So the runt was actually doing pretty well until she disappeared. The other night I heard a cry that I have never heard before & it was the fatty of the bunch in the middle of the backyard. Somehow she managed to get out of the nest box & fall out the side of the cage. I assumed it was just her because I didn’t hear any other noises. Next morning went to check & switch their cages (cage with smaller wire) & realized my runt was missing as well. So they both must’ve gotten out & either a cat or a rat got my little runt. I searched everywhere, hoping that she would still be hanging on, but nothing.


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## Stina (Jun 13, 2019)

Here’s a picture of them 06/13/19 @ 12 days old


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## B&B Happy goats (Jun 13, 2019)

Sorry that happened


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## AmberLops (Jun 13, 2019)

I'm sorry about your little ones!
They are beautiful babies though! 
I would recommend 'baby-savers' but it looks like your cage siding is "1/2 x "1/2 wire so you wouldn't need any! Not sure how your babes got out


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## Stina (Jun 13, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> I'm sorry about your little ones!
> They are beautiful babies though!
> I would recommend 'baby-savers' but it looks like your cage siding is "1/2 x "1/2 wire so you wouldn't need any! Not sure how your babes got out



I switched them into this cage. Holes are smaller. I just didn’t think they would be hopping out of the nest box, her other litters started coming out at 2 1-2 weeks old.


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## AmberLops (Jun 13, 2019)

Some litters mature faster...especially if it's a smaller litter. Larger litters seem to take longer to develop and grow up ha ha


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## Stina (Jun 27, 2019)

They’ll be 4 weeks this Saturday


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## AmberLops (Jun 27, 2019)

They're beautiful!!
I keep wanting to ask...which island are you on? I grew up on Kauai and it's nice to see someone else who lives there


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## Stina (Jun 27, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> They're beautiful!!
> I keep wanting to ask...which island are you on? I grew up on Kauai and it's nice to see someone else who lives there



I’m on the big island!! There are very few people in Hawaii that raise meat rabbits & it’s shocking to me, but I’m glad we can relate. You know the weather here lol


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## AmberLops (Jun 27, 2019)

I've never been to the Big Island but I've always wanted to go! I thought there was more farming there than the other islands...I guess not!
My family moved us to Kauai when I was really young and I just recently moved to Tennessee. I've been other places of course, but this is home now  I do miss Hawaii though!


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## Stina (Jun 28, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> I've never been to the Big Island but I've always wanted to go! I thought there was more farming there than the other islands...I guess not!
> My family moved us to Kauai when I was really young and I just recently moved to Tennessee. I've been other places of course, but this is home now  I do miss Hawaii though!




People mainly have pigs, cows, goats & chickens. I’m a hairstylist, so while talking with customers about politics & importing food comes up, I mention “living off of the land” & “doing more for ourselves” instead of buying from the stores etc. & when I mention raising rabbits for meat they are SHOCKED! After I tell them the benefits of their meat & using them for their poop to fertilize my garden, they ease up a little. But over all it’s not common.


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## AmberLops (Jun 28, 2019)

That's too bad! I think it would be the perfect place to live off the land.
I grew up on a huge farm and we grew all of out own food and raised sheep, rabbits, chickens and ducks for meat.
It was a ton of fun! I think we went to the grocery store every 3 weeks or so to stock up on things like milk, sugar and flour. We also grew tons of avocados, papaya, lilikoi, bananas and lots of veggies that we sold at farmers markets.
Kauai is a small island and there are quite a few farms there, especially right now.
People are always shocked when I tell them about the farm in Hawaii. Even my neighbor says to me 'you can't call yourself a farmer when you were living in Hawaii'...he just doesn't get it


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## Stina (Jul 2, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> That's too bad! I think it would be the perfect place to live off the land.
> I grew up on a huge farm and we grew all of out own food and raised sheep, rabbits, chickens and ducks for meat.
> It was a ton of fun! I think we went to the grocery store every 3 weeks or so to stock up on things like milk, sugar and flour. We also grew tons of avocados, papaya, lilikoi, bananas and lots of veggies that we sold at farmers markets.
> Kauai is a small island and there are quite a few farms there, especially right now.
> People are always shocked when I tell them about the farm in Hawaii. Even my neighbor says to me 'you can't call yourself a farmer when you were living in Hawaii'...he just doesn't get it



Yes I agree. Hawaii is the best place for farms. But yeah, food, especially organic food is very expensive for a family of 5. My boys are getting bigger & eating a lot more than they used too. So here I am, raising rabbits & chickens & started a garden


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## AmberLops (Jul 2, 2019)

Good for you!! That's the best way to do it


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## Stina (Jul 3, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Good for you!! That's the best way to do it




What’s your thoughts on baby bunnies going to their homes at 6 or 7 weeks old? Instead of 8...


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 3, 2019)

You might want to check your state and local laws, it's illegal to sell rabbits under 8 weeks in many states. They also might not be fully weaned and could have digestive issues due to transitioning to solid foods that the new owners might not know how to deal with.


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## AmberLops (Jul 3, 2019)

I would wait until they're 8 weeks  It's the law in most states as @Larsen Poultry Ranch  said.


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## Stina (Jul 3, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> I would wait until they're 8 weeks  It's the law in most states as @Larsen Poultry Ranch  said.




Thank you. I see some bunnies at the pets stores “6 weeks old” so I wanted other opinions


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## Larsen Poultry Ranch (Jul 3, 2019)

I think the reasoning is that they are cuter at 6 weeks than 8 weeks, so more likely to be sold quickly. At 8 weeks they look more adult and closer to actual size, so people will actually think about the animal they are buying as an animal instead of as a toy or stuffed animal that moves.

Your bunnies are very cute


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## Stina (Jul 3, 2019)

Larsen Poultry Ranch said:


> I think the reasoning is that they are cuter at 6 weeks than 8 weeks, so more likely to be sold quickly. At 8 weeks they look more adult and closer to actual size, so people will actually think about the animal they are buying as an animal instead of as a toy or stuffed animal that moves.
> 
> Your bunnies are very cute




That makes sense. Okay thank you. Yeah they eat solids & veggies. Also drink from the water bottle. Barely ever see them try to sneak under mom & when they do, she jumps away as if she’s not wanting to feed them


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## AmberLops (Jul 3, 2019)

Be careful with those veggies...watery veggies can give babies enteritis which can be deadly!


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## Stina (Jul 3, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Be careful with those veggies...watery veggies can give babies enteritis which can be deadly!




Thanks yes I limit the amount that they get.


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