Wrinkly kits

[Tuesday]

Hi,
I'm new to raising bunnies so any help would be appreciated. My doe kindled 6 kits about 24 hrs ago. She seems to be a good momma as she's made a nice nest and continues to pull her hair (it's all over her cage), but the babies don't look like they have eaten. At what point should I intervene? If I intervene is it best to put her on her back and put the kits on top of her? Last question she is in a rabbit tractor on the ground the nest is in a completely enclosed area and the kits have plenty of fur around/on them but we are having a cold snap. Is it ok to have them outside? Sorry for all the questions I just don't want to mess up anything this first crucial week. Thanks!

 

[DutchBunny03]

Forced feedings rarely, if ever, work. If you havent been watching the kits for the whole 24 hrs, you dont know if they have eaten or not. Rabbits only feed their kits a few times a day. You may have checked up on them just before feeding time. But, just in case, check the dam. Turn her over and check her teats for swelling and inflamation, signs of mastitis.
How cold is a "cold snap"? If it is below freezing, than yes, bring them in for the night. In a few weeks, be careful with their consumption of greens. Before they turn 5 months old, consumption of greens should be severely limited.

 

[Tuesday]

@Dutch Bunny Thanks for the tips. I checked on them again and I got a chance to look at a couple of them but she jumped into the nest box. The couple I saw looked like they had eaten so I should probably just let them be since I seem to be making the mom nervous. The temp tonight is going to be around 32 they are predicting but it's warming up after that.
So keeping them in the tractor once they can get out of the nest is a bad idea since they could eat too much grass?
Thanks again for your help!

 

[Marie28]

From most of what I have read/seen in other posts if the mother is already wary of you then its best to leave her alone and not try to force feed. I agree with dutch bunny that you should check her teats though.

From my research its oky for the kits to eat anything (including greens) mom has been eating. Most mammals stomachs and immune systems start with moms milk which is partly produced by what she has been eating. I'm by no means an expert so I might be wrong.

 

[promiseacres]

Give them some time. Especially if you saw her in there.
My mom's and kits get greens, never any issues. I do use caution and limit it but feel the extra vitamins from fresh greens outweigh possible gi problems. But would think if Mom is used to it they should be too.

 

[Alibo]

Mine are all tractored and pasture raised too and never had any issues. I think they slowly acclimate to eating what mom does. We also have seen that our rabbits are healthier and fatter. We rarely have any problem with sniffles ECT.

I have one doe that kindles in the morning and then does not do her first feeding until the next morning. Her kits also look wrinkly that whole day and she usually loses two. I am thinking of culling her for this reason as she only successful at raising 4 kits and I believe her late feeding is due to her losing the weaker ones

 

[DutchBunny03]

If the kits are introduced to it gradually, in small amounts, it isn't as bad. But be sure they also eat plenty of hay and other dry food. Too much greens can cause diarrea, which is often fatal in kits. I'm a bit more wary of greens than most, because my first couple rabbits got sick because of too many too early.