Baby bunny emergency...

[LadyIsabelle2011]

Hey guys,

The last bunny that I expected to have babies today had them last night. She had six and didn't even try to make a nest. They were all scattered and cold I only managed to save 3 of them. They are still a little cold but wriggling, I had to use my tummy as a hot water bottle.

Anyway, I'm not sure what to do from here. I have doe that is currently raising a litter (she is taking excellent care of her own three babies), I was wondering if it would be a good idea to put them in there and how I could do that without disturbing her? Will the kits advanced age be a problem, they are about 3 days older.

Should I try to get the real momma to nurse them at least once before putting them in the other nest box?

Thanx for your help!

 

[LadyIsabelle2011]

I'd really love a response here guys Please

Editted to add: I went ahead and put them in the nest box, they were warm and wiggling but still a little sluggish. The other does babies are HUGE now, big and fat and very very active. I did not expect them to have grown so much in just a few days I'm just not sure these little ones have a chance. :/

 

[Rabbit-boy]

First of all don't put them in a nest box what u need to do is Brest feed them on the mama......


step 1-get the mama and put her the floor or on a table....
step 2-slowy hold the mama down so she cant get away....
step 3-take a baby and lift the mama fount feet up just in tell all the baby's are under her....
step 4-check if all the baby's had eaten then put them in a nice warm box INSIDE.......with hey and pine shaves....


in worst case you can use a nest box but just put the nest box in the cage-hutch and then put the mama in the nest box slowy.....then take the nest box out and put it back INSIDE....


I really hope this helps i have had that happen to me before.....

 

[LadyIsabelle2011]

First of all don't put them in a nest box what u need to do is Brest feed them on the mama......


step 1-get the mama and put her the floor or on a table....
step 2-slowy hold the mama down so she cant get away....
step 3-take a baby and lift the mama fount feet up just in tell all the baby's are under her....
step 4-check if all the baby's had eaten then put them in a nice warm box INSIDE.......with hey and pine shaves....


in worst case you can use a nest box but just put the nest box in the cage-hutch and then put the mama in the nest box slowy.....then take the nest box out and put it back INSIDE....


I really hope this helps i have had that happen to me before.....

Thank you bunny boy, but I already tried this. The mamma starting kicking and thrashing around, she nearly killed one of her kits. I also tried holding her on her back and putting them on her belly but that didn't seem to help either. She wasn't having anything to do with them. I was afraid of doing anymore damage so I moved them out with some other kits. I just went in checked and they are nice and warm and moving around again. I gave them a little drop of sugar water for added energy which they ate greedily. (except for one which was very well hid, I'm a little worried about that one :/ ) The momma rabbit out there didn't seem bothered by them being their so that is a relief.

I will just have to wait to see how it goes. Thank you for the reply

 

[Bossroo]

Lady Isabelle ... you gave the best chance for survival for these newborn kits by giving them to the other doe with the older kits. Female rabbits will nurse all kits in her nest at night ... in the evening then early morning. The doe will enter her nest to nurse, then immediatly leave. She will ignore the nest as well as the kits at any other time. You can check if their bellies are full in the morning.

 

[LadyIsabelle2011]

Thank you bossroo,

I needed a little reassurance. I had to make the decision fast because I wasn't able to keep them warm, I felt like more I messed with them the less chance they had and I knew her nest was warm at the very least. Do you think the babies will have the energy to nurse and hold their ground with those bigger ones? They aren't that much bigger but they are much more active. :/

 

[CrazyCatNChickenLady]

No input here for you but good luck with your babies!!

 

[LadyIsabelle2011]

No input here for you but good luck with your babies!!

Thank you! I just did a quick check, I lost the one I was worried about but the other two are holding strong and look a lot better than they did this morning. I currently have six babies all together. 4 older kits(I got a good count) and my 2 little ones.

I'm not as upset about the lost kits as I thought I would be, I'm just glad the survivors are getting a chance. Praying that the momma will do better next time.

 

[Prairiechick]

This happens, and it is a good reason for breeding more than one doe at the very same time. I always try to have two bred at once in the case that one doesn't take care of theirs. If the kits aren't too far apart in age, it is the easiest way to put them in with the one good momma. I have one stupid doe that has yet to kindle in a box, but she produces good offspring, so she stays around. I keep a bag of fur that either has been molted out that I pick up when it is clumped around in the cages, or I save them from does who lost litters, or if the fur is still clean enough from a weaned litter, I will save that too. That way, if you have a doe who doesn't pull any or enough, you won't be left without for the kits to keep warm in.
Good luck with the survivors. It can be a sad thing to try breeding rabbits sometimes, but when it all goes smoothly, it is a pretty cool thing.

 

[Bunnylady]

Since there are only 3 other kits in the older litter, the new kits should be able to compete. As to the one that didn't make it - I've had some babies that seemed to have a death wish. They seemed energetic and normal at birth, but I kept finding them in corners away from the other kits. If they haven't the instinct to snuggle with their siblings, they are almost impossible to raise. Sorry about your losses, but congrats on the successes!