5 new babies from nice boy bunny HELP!!!!!

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Mommies Mom

Mommies Mom

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SOS
Dd just brought home bunny from camp that delivered 5 babies over night. We do not know what to do with frightened mom and babies. Mom bunny will not go near babies.
We do not know if mom is dehydrated or if babies nursed yet. They are in my daughters cool apartment and we are on the phone looking for help. HELP please!
Hello other bunnies
 
Oh my!
Um, I don't know how to help..Iv never bred bunnies or been in this situation.

Um, Someone will be in here soon to help though.

I hope for the best!!!
 
thank you for your reply. The mommy is attacking the babies when they are put near her and she is not eating. And dd is giving the babies water on a cloth now what??


Thank you thank you and you look just like the mommy of these babies what kind of rabbit are you?
 
Breed: Fuzzy Lop x Holland Lop mix
Color: Sable Point

Can you post pics of the mommy?
We can try and tell you the breed, most of us are good at identifying breeds
 
Dd went to sleep while waiting for the owner to get back to her on how to care for the family of bunnies. I think it is a lion something and a small type of that bread.
I am ready to go out to her which will be about an hour or more drive. But you don't leave your adult daughter alone with 5 babies who have not yet opened the eyes and a mommy bunny that everyone thought was a boy and freaks madly at the sight of the babies. Oh Boy!
Thank you for your company while we wait. You're so nice to keep on with us. :halo
 
First of all - mama will NOT go near the babies most of the time if strangers are around. So you will want to put the babies in a shoebox with some hay to make a bit of a nest. Breeders usually use nestboxes but this will work ok.

Most mamas will feed the babies once or twice a day - and then stay away from them. This is because if they were in the wild...they wouldn't want to draw predators near their babies by being near them.

You can tell if mama has fed the babies by their tummies. They will frequently have what is called a "ping pong tummy"...that is - it will look a bit swollen...as if they ate a ping pong ball. As the day goes by and they process the milk - the belly will shrink in size. I will try to find a ping pong belly pictures to share with you in a bit.

It may take mama up to 24 hours or so before she nurses the babies...so that's fine if she hasn't nursed them yet.

If she doesn't nurse them by tonight - here is a link to a thread on feeding orphaned babies or those who need supplements:

http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=57630&forum_id=8

The website that it links to give you how much to give per baby based on their age, etc. Its a great article.

Hope this helps. Mama may be attacking them because she sees them as "intruders" in her cage and she's territorial. Put them in a nestbox and if you have to - bring them to her every few hours to see if she's ready to nurse. But only take them out if you think she's going to hurt them. Otherwise....leave the box with her.
 
Thank you all of you.
I will send thank you gifts later, lol. For now we will get this information to the nurse on duty there now. She will so much a[appreciate the guidance.
Daughter goes back to camp tomorrow to work. Should she leave them in her apartment or take them back to the camp to watch them or will she need a baby sitter for her new bunnie charges?
Thank you.

 
She should leave them at the aparment. They will be fine during the day - and it's no use stressng out Momma bunny even more with back & forth moves, or a new stranger. ;)

Did your daughter find this rabbit at the camp?

Emily
 
Copy the instructions for tomorrow. And good I don't need go out as I have so much here.
The Rabbit, Leo, is the pet of a family my dd babysits for and they are away for the summer. With permission from the family dd took Leo the (boy ) rabbit to camp for the children to enjoy. They put in AC and made Leo and another visitor rabbit comfy and let them play together being they were both boys and all :shock:.
This morning dd went to check on the animals which are her charge at the camp and she was shocked to see "mice" lol in the cage with Leo. Then she realized what was going on she brought them home and called me from the car rabbit family in transport.

I happen to be a nurse and was worried the rabbits might be dehydrated and that was why we tried what we had done. All are now resting. She will call me when she wakes and I will share this information.
The father (owner) is a medical doctor and he is trying to help from a distance too.
Thanks again all.
I think my Betta Fish want the water changed as they just tossed a plastice plant at me.
I'm here watching this line with grandpa and waiting to do or not do what needs to be done for the new bunny family.
Nice to meet you all.
Suzanne
 
I asked her that right away. She said that Leo and the other rabbit stay in separate cages. How they got together? :wiggle "play time" I guess. Does someone have some explaining to do?
All I know is that grandma and Grandpa might get a bunny. :p
 
Dd tried to feel for nipples but did not know what she felt. If they were born even last night, would the milk be down now?
She knows it happen sometime between Friday late afternoon and this morning, Sunday.
She did not go yesterday.
 
I don't know, Never had to deal with ANYTHING like this...
I am a worry wart anyways..Don't listen to me lol

Um, I'm sure things will be ok, I just hope the babies are getting milk, that's all.

Just keep us updated.
 
Dd is on the line with me now and has all her instructions. She understands them well and is happy to follow everything exactly as the bunnies need. She will look later to see if they have ping pong bellies and if not we will go to plan B and provide supplements. Dd is not working at the camp tomorrow so she can keep a distant watch on them. She says thank you Wiskersz for all your loving concern and we WILL keep you updated as we are sure we will have more questions too.
 
Some mother's dont feed their babies with in 24 hrs after delivery. They only feed them once a day I believe.
 
Thank you MI Bunny family.

When dd found the bunnies this morning we did not have a clue what we were dealing with.
Now thanks to so many people willing to share, we at least are beginning to understand what kind of baseline we are looking at.
LOL,
When she first got them in the apartment and we talked about her initial assessment, I said they have to drink OMG! they have to get fluids.
"The Calm Mom":panic:
Now she is making sure that Leo is not hurting the babies. Everything is good for now.
Thank you all again.
Suzanne
 
You need to put the babies in a box with some Straw. Because they get cold so easier and they can die. So they need to keep warm in a box with Straw. And leave them with momma. And should leave her alone for a while. But you also want to check the babies once a day to make sure there arent any dead babies and do a head count and make sure that they are feed. I dont want to scare you but it needs to be done also. I hope the best for the babies! You need anything else. We are hear to help you! :)
 
She was using wood chips for Leo. That is what I think she brought home. is there something else she can use for tonight instead of straw. I will get this information to her right away. Thank you.
 
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