3 week old baby bunnies dying):

Madison Harrison

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We have a litter of 7 American Chinchilla rabbits that were born on Mother’s Day. When they were a week old their mother died of a heart attack so we have been bottle feeding them since then. They have all seemed healthy and have been growing so well ever since!

Until this weekend. One of our buns started acting so strange, laying on her side (and not in the sweet happy bunny way), walking really strangely and most concerning when picked up she would arch her head back with her mouth gaping and lie limp for a few minutes before moving around again. She died that night.

Now we have another one acting the same way. I’ve included some photos of how she’s sitting strangely. She has an appetite so I’m taking that as a good sign but I just wonder if anyone has experienced this before or have any idea as to what might be wrong?
 

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Madison Harrison

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could it be possible that the bunnies gut bacteria hasn't developed like it needs to since the doe died, I thought I read somewhere that the kits will eat her poop?

That could be possible! We couldn’t very well leave them to die after their mom died and we didn’t have another doe to foster or we definitely would’ve gone that route instead.
 

Bunnylady

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Have you been giving them probiotics (Benebac, etc)? Some people will take a few cecal poops from a healthy rabbit and mix them in with the formula when they feed it. The idea is to get the proper bacteria well established in the digestive tract, partly because of their assistance in the digestive process, but also because they help to protect against infection by disease-causing bacteria.

I'm sorry to hear that you are losing bunnies. This is actually a very common problem with hand-raised bunnies; just when you think you are getting out of the woods, they collapse and die on you. This article may help explain the issue a bit better:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Food/Newb/Newborn.htm
 

AmberLops

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I agree with everyone on here...I think it is a gut-bacteria problem.
I've personally never had real success hand-raising kits but I do know people who have done it with no problems.
Giving a probiotic like bunnylady mentioned is a good idea. Benebac, Synacore or something similar might be helpful.
It's always sad when you lose babies :(
 

Madison Harrison

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Have you been giving them probiotics (Benebac, etc)? Some people will take a few cecal poops from a healthy rabbit and mix them in with the formula when they feed it. The idea is to get the proper bacteria well established in the digestive tract, partly because of their assistance in the digestive process, but also because they help to protect against infection by disease-causing bacteria.

I'm sorry to hear that you are losing bunnies. This is actually a very common problem with hand-raised bunnies; just when you think you are getting out of the woods, they collapse and die on you. This article may help explain the issue a bit better:

http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Food/Newb/Newborn.htm

I have not been giving any probiotics! I had no idea this was an issue! We just moved them from their nest to our bunny tractor. We have another rabbit in there right now (my girl Rusti, one of our other bottle babies) she’s about 14 weeks old and when we put those babies in there with her they went crazy eating her poops and all the hay and feed in there! Rusti is very sweet with them (I think she was lonely). Do you think that might help? This morning that baby bunny that was acting funky last night seemed to have way more energy and was running around with her brothers and sisters.
 

AmberLops

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I think it would help! If that was the problem and now they're eating cecal poops, that should fix it! It might take a while for them to be out of the woods but I think they have a better chance now :)
 
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