Hand raising litter of 11 from day 10

[Preitler]

'sigh'

My lovely Lotte, my youngest doe aged just 1 died last sunday due to blockage, I noticed something was off Saturday noon when she refused her oats. Symptoms were quite different to stasis episodes I've had with other rabbits.
Since nothing I tried showed any improvement I got her to a vet clinic on sunday (no own car, not cheap) , but there wasn't anything to be done to safe her, we tried surgery but the intestines were broken and, well, that was it.

Anyway. she left me a litter of 11 ten days old kits. They had just opened their eyes.

Good thing is, I had several cans of condensed goat milk on stock, thanks to my sister who brought that over from the US, Walmart, can't find it localy.

After almost a week, all 11 kits are thriving, I'm tired, and my respect for any mother of whatever species grew immensly.

I can't even express how cute those kits are, if there is an official definition of Total Bliss it's those kits nursing, attacking the syringe like there is no tomorrow. You just can't imagine the level of cuteness, each has it's unique style .

Me, I'm so tired, I drink too much waiting for their next feeding (3 times a day), and that was when they pulled me on stage for my 10 year anniversary at the company, after me detoriating to neanderthal levels for several days..

Well, life goes on.

 

[Preitler]

All of them are fine.

 

[New2RabbitsDonna63]

All of them are fine.

Absolutely beautiful. Do you know what breed mix they are?

 

[Preitler]

Well, update. 8 left, went too smoothly for a week, then 3 got diarrhia, bloat and died, 2 more had that troubles but got over it with simethicone, extra water, a little salt, Fibreplex once I had it - and are as healthy as the others now.

By now I ran out of canned evaporated goat milk, I'm using fresh goat milk and goat milk powder for the formula now.

It doesn't get boring, 2 days ago one was covered in blood, didn't find the wound and it was it's normal self again a day later, gave some pain meds and kept it in my kitchen with 2 others for a night.

Today morning one was missing at feeding time, somehow it got out of the hutch, found it half an hour later grazing in the garden, had spent the night in a spare nestbox there.

About one more week of feeding, but they are already eating solid food now. Time to check genders and start looking for new homes.

As far as I can tell there where checkered giants (min 5 generations ago), definitly Red New zealands, grandfather has some Angora and whatnot in him, and Magda, the great great grandmother was a big gray rabbit, no idea what breed. And that's just their dams line, I have no info about the sires heritage.

 

[JBun]

Sorry about the loss of your doe and the kits that didn't make it. But I'm glad to see the rest are doing well and little 'Houdini' survived his/her nighttime escape and adventure. Looks pretty happy there munching on the grass. Nothing cuter than baby bunnies

 

[Jocee]

your doing an amazing job, they look like they are thriving, and I'm sorry for the ones that died, I know how frustrating that is when your hand rearing them. I've tried it with a couple of babies, and I didn't succeed, I felt terrible.

But I'm so glad yours are doing ok

 

[Mom to Minx]

Well all I can say is happy “mothers” day to you!
u are doing an amazing job nursing these precious babies
Hang in there….and they are sooooo cute!