# Questions on New Mother and Lost Litter



## Edge of the Wilderness (May 14, 2019)

I have a first time mother who prior to kindling was very antsy with her nesting box.  She would build her nest and then proceed to dig and fling the whole thing out and start over again.  She kindled Saturday Night/Sunday Morning.  Everything seemed to be going ok.  She had 7 kits; one was a loss.  I saw her nurse them Sunday Night.  The 6 remaining kits were huddled and healthy looking.  

Yesterday morning I was a little under the weather and didn't get out to check on things until around lunch.  When I checked her cage, I noticed that the nesting materials in her box were pushed to the edges so that there was a depression in the center and could not see the kits.  I immediately pulled the box to check for kits.  I found them spread out against the sides at the very bottom of the box.  No two were together and they were all dead.  My assumption was that she started messing with the nest again and shoved them all over the place at the bottom of the nesting box.  Does it seem possible that is what happened?  Is there another explanation for what I found?

Should I chalk this experience up to a first time mom thing?  Or should I expect her to continue to have failures?  Is there something I could have done to help prevent this?


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## AmberLops (May 14, 2019)

I'm sorry for your loss!
It definitely sounds like a first-time mom thing. They usually do mess things up the first time.
Rabbits will always make an indentation in the nest to keep the babies in one place...It's unusual for the babies to all be spread out and it sounds like she probably was digging in her nest.
Re-breed her today and give her 2 more strikes


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## Edge of the Wilderness (May 14, 2019)

The babies had been in the center of the nest last I saw them on Sunday night.  Silly mom fidgeting with her nest.  Thanks for the feedback!


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## AmberLops (May 14, 2019)

You're welcome!
I hope it goes better next time


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