My doe just had 12 babies!! And a question.

[Shell]

My chinchilla (Large) doe had a litter of 12 yesterday. So far they are all ok, but I am thinking I should take 4 or 5 and hand raise them. Her last littler was 11 (Her first litter too) and 5 died. She kicked them out of the nest box over and over. I don't know if it was the same ones or not, but I did not really intervine and lost 5 of them. So, this is her second litter now and there are 12 of the little boogers. Should I take in some or let them be?

 

[Bunnylady]

Unless your doe was digging in her nestbox, I don't really think she was "kicking them out." Baby bunnies are very mobile, they often get dragged out when hanging onto the doe's nipples (ouch!) or just climb out themselves (particularly if the weather is hot - they seem to want to spread out to cool off, rather than huddle together to stay warm).

Whether you want to try to hand raise part of the litter is up to you, but be warned, it isn't easy! I have had Harlie mothers raise litters as large as 12, but it is normal to lose a few when litter numbers are this high. The doe doesn't have a lot of milk during the first couple of days, and the strongest kits seem to get it all. By the time the milk supply increases at day 2-3, the smaller, weaker kits can no longer compete (amazing how fast they grow, isn't it?). A doe usually produces more milk with her second and later litters than she did with her first, so she is often more successful than with her first litter. Most does manage to mess up somehow with their first litters, if your doe raised 6 her first time out, she did really well!

 

[Shell]

Thankyou!
I have a new nest box in there now. It has much higher sides and I do not think they kits can get out this time.
I did bring 4 in the house and gave them kitten milk replacer. They ate it up. It was not that hard to get them to drink it. Only one kit seems small so far, and I brought it in. All the others seem to be a good weight. I might put the 4 back in the nest tonight after I feed them just to be sure they are getting enough to eat. I will just keep an eye on them. She had 12 and I would LOVE all 12 to live to adulthood.

 

[Bunnylady]

The tricky part of feeding baby bunnies is making sure that they don't aspirate (inhale) any of the formula. Doing so can cause pneumonia or upper respiratory infections - nasty! If you are trying to supplement what the doe is doing, I'd suggest waiting until after the doe has fed them, then "topping up" any that don't look full. Completely hand raising bunnies involves feedings every few hours 'round the clock, because the kitten formula is nowhere near as concentrated as does' milk is. It never ceases to amaze me how fast kits can grow on only one or two feedings a day!

 

[Shell]

OK, I put the 4 kits back in with mom. I will just keep a close eye on the babies. She is a really nice doe and does not mind me messing with her kits. I think I am lucky with her that way. The 6 that lived from her last littler were sooo tame. I hope this litter will be also.

 

[Shell]

I am happy to report that all 12 kits are doing well. I hand fet 4 of them a few times the first 2 days but then put them back in with Ruby after. All 12 are little squeeking, hopping popcorn bunnies. I will post pictures when they get a little cuter.

 

[missy_cbell21]

I am happy to report that all 12 kits are doing well. I hand fet 4 of them a few times the first 2 days but then put them back in with Ruby after. All 12 are little squeeking, hopping popcorn bunnies. I will post pictures when they get a little cuter.

When do they get cuter?! The are so cute when they are little bald blobs! I'm happy mom and kits are doing well.

 

[Shell]

I love the sounds they make when they are this small.
To me they get cuter when they have their eyes open.