Unsuccessful birth

[Genipher]

Our doe, Sunny, was due on Saturday. This morning (Tuesday) she was acting funny and had loose fur all over her so hubby and I left her alone to do her "thing". About 20 minutes ago I went out to check on her and there was bloody material...and one baby. One dead baby. It was cold to the touch but buried in warm fur and bedding. I tried bringing it into the house to warm it but it was too late. sigh.

Our rabbits are Silver Foxes and the lady we bought them from said that both of the does have had successful births of 7 + kits. So while this is not our doe's first litter, it is a first for us. A sad first. I don't know if Sunny is done...I would think there would be more than one baby. Since she's back in her nest I thought I would give her a little more time and then check again for more kits.

I just can't help but wonder...is it too cold out there for kits? I live in Oregon on the coast and while the days are getting colder, it doesn't seem like babies burrowing in warm fur would get chilled to death.
Or was this a stillbirth?
Since Sunny was "overdue" could there have been complications in the pregnancy or birth?
Okay, so some of these questions sound rhetorical...but any advice you more knowledeable breeders can toss my way would be appreciated!!

This one baby stretches from my wrist to the tip of my middle finger...are the babies of this breed usually this big?

I hate not knowing the cause of death. If it was my fault and not a birthing issue, I want to know how to fix it!

On a slightly different note, my almost 5-yr-old son, when made aware that our first kit was dead, asked, "Can we eat it?"
We are SO ready for meat rabbits!

 

[daisychick]

Sorry I am not a rabbit person, so I am not much help. I am hoping someone who knows more finds this and can help you.

 

[oneacrefarm]

Well, it is possible that there are more and that one was maybe stuck? Otherwise, it is just one of those things....I have yet to get another litter since July. I have 8 does bred and due beginning this Friday thru the end of the month. Lots of folks reporting misses and 1-2 kit kindlings after that super hot summer.

Shannon

 

[DianeS]

I don't know about Silver Foxes, but the kits of Californian rabbits are much smaller than that- closer to palm size. So unless someone chimes in and says Silver Fox kits are usually that large, I would believe that it was just a pregnancy problem. A single, overly large kit, can happen from time to time. Usually born dead, certainly not healthy. There isn't anything you can do about that, and it does not seem to be something that is often repeated - just one of those things that happens sometimes. You can't really force them to have multiple kits, or to give birth on a certain day. Sometimes these things just happen.

It is possible that there would be more kits, but they'd come pretty soon - usually within an hour or so.

If there are no more kits by tomorrow, I'd re-breed her. It's nursing that takes a lot out of the does, not just having the pregnancy, so rebreeding after a lost litter is fine. The next litter has a normal chance of being healthy.

Hope that helps!

 

[Genipher]

Well it has been several hours and while I have checked several times, Sunny has not had any more kits.
Thanks DianeS for your insights. I will try rebreeding Sunny tomorrow.

We have another doe due sometime this weekend...I'm hoping she'll be more successful than Sunny.

 

[Stratmoore Farms]

Definitely re-breed her soon. Hopefully this breeding will be more successful than the last. Good luck.

 

[oneacrefarm]

I don't know about Silver Foxes, but the kits of Californian rabbits are much smaller than that- closer to palm size. So unless someone chimes in and says Silver Fox kits are usually that large, I would believe that it was just a pregnancy problem. A single, overly large kit, can happen from time to time. Usually born dead, certainly not healthy. There isn't anything you can do about that, and it does not seem to be something that is often repeated - just one of those things that happens sometimes. You can't really force them to have multiple kits, or to give birth on a certain day. Sometimes these things just happen.

It is possible that there would be more kits, but they'd come pretty soon - usually within an hour or so.

If there are no more kits by tomorrow, I'd re-breed her. It's nursing that takes a lot out of the does, not just having the pregnancy, so rebreeding after a lost litter is fine. The next litter has a normal chance of being healthy.

Hope that helps!

Yup, that is good advice!

Shannon

 

[Bunnylady]

Whatever the breed, my does average 32 days gestation. If a doe goes as far as 35 days, she usually has only one or two kits, and they are generally huge! Only rarely have such big kits survived the birthing process in my rabbitry.

I hope you have rebred this doe by now. The hormonal peak that a doe experiences right after kindling causes the release of a good number of eggs. IME, does conceive larger litters when bred right after a lost litter than if you wait and breed, say, a couple of weeks later. Good luck!

 

[Genipher]

I rebred our doe, Sunny, the day after her litter-failure. Now we just have to wait until next month to see what happens!

I'm still waiting on doe #2, Honey. She should be kindling any day now...if she's truly pregnant.