Help-abandoned litter - update / video page 3

[manybirds]

I've found a few dead litters from new moms...but this morning I found 8 kits - 2 dead - 1 half-eaten, 1 cold / chewed up a bit, and 6 live.

She barely pulled any fur, they were scattered around the nest box, and half weren't cleaned off well. All were getting cold.

I thawed some goat colostrum and gave ea. about 1/2 cc. They are warming up now in the chick room.

Now what?

Can I try putting them back in w/ Mom and see what she does? Should I hold mom down and let them nurse from her when DH gets home / can help me?

If I keep trying to feed them myself, how much / how often?

Thanks.....

if you have another doe with a litter that would be best. if not then hold mom down and let them nurse off of her. handraising day old rabbits with syringe and milk replacer is virtually impossible.

 

[Roll farms]

I'm now using a bottle, and goat milk, not replacer. They've all got fat, swollen bellies and are quite active when hungry and content when full.

Our "plan" (ha ha) is to put them in w/ our Silver Fox doe when we wean her kits next week.

Here's a short video of one of them taking the bottle tonight.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150843442715100&notif_t=video_processed

 

[that's*satyrical]

Omg, that is adorable. The sound of the bunny drinking the bottle is almost as cute as the bunny itself lol.

 

[Roll farms]

Forgot to add, thanks for the info on cecal pellets. Wonder if, if the SF doe won't take them....probiotics would be any help at all.....

What's ridiculous? I'm saving these guys so dh can eat them later.

 

[Waterfall]

I'm now using a bottle, and goat milk, not replacer. They've all got fat, swollen bellies and are quite active when hungry and content when full.

Our "plan" (ha ha) is to put them in w/ our Silver Fox doe when we wean her kits next week.

Here's a short video of one of them taking the bottle tonight.

http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150843442715100&notif_t=video_processed

Lol, I thought it was a tiny puppy at first.

 

[DianeS]

Forgot to add, thanks for the info on cecal pellets. Wonder if, if the SF doe won't take them....probiotics would be any help at all.....

What's ridiculous? I'm saving these guys so dh can eat them later.

The cecal pellets are important because that is how the kits' guts develop the bacteria they need to digest anything other than milk. Whatever the adult ate, the kits can eat, if they eat the cecal pellets during the exploration and put-everything-in-my-mouth phase. You can mimic it by taking soft poop from a rabbit's litterbox and putting it in the nest with the kits. Sounds yucky, but necessary. The kits will find it and nibble as they explore.
It doesn't need to be mom's - any rabbit's will do. Start doing that when the kits' eyes first open.

Hope that helps!

 

[SuburbanFarmChic]

Forgot to add, thanks for the info on cecal pellets. Wonder if, if the SF doe won't take them....probiotics would be any help at all.....

What's ridiculous? I'm saving these guys so dh can eat them later.

You are also saving them because they are pathetic baby creatures. Lol.


One of he main reasons "I found this wild baby bunny and it was ok and then it died" happens so much is that the babies aren't getting mom's cecal pellets and they get gut stasis and just shut down. Another being that cottontails are flighty as heck but that's another story. We've had adults before that were in transition from vet back to the wild and they go in a tote, in a closet and I only bother them to make sure they are eating and they they don't need another flea dip and they stay here about a max of 3-4 days. Then it's off to the farm and good luck bunny!


Probiotics wouldn't hurt but they are designed to eat the cecal pellets and make use of them. Since you have a source I'd use those instead of a make do. A rehabber near us comes to get them sometimes and she just melts them in with a bottle around about the 6-10 day mark to get them started. Then she leaves a bunch in the nest box as well for the everything in the mouth stage.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

Wow, they're big! Cute video!!

 

[Roll farms]

I think I'm losing one of them.

She seems colder than the others, less active, and will barely eat.

I'm telling myself even mama rabbits lose kits sometimes....but it still bothers me.

Melted some cecal pellets into their bottles tonight.....

 

[ThreeBoysChicks]

I am sure you have done your absolute best. Like you said, even rabbit moms lose a baby.