Advice Needed - Second Litter coming only four weeks after first one!

[Aliena]

Hi,

I am fostering a rabbit at the moment who was found in somebody's barn with babies approximately three days old. They were four weeks on Monday and today mother bunny has started building a new nest. I had noticed her stomach getting rather large and suspected she was pregnant. Obviously the few days running free after she had her babies was long enough for her to get pregnant again. She started nest building this morning so I took her original four babies out and tonight she has started pulling fur. What do I do with her original babies? Normally I would keep them with her until eight weeks but I don't want them to interfere with her new babies. Can I put them back in with her once she gives birth? Will she feed two litters? Or will the original babies possibly hurt the new ones? They are eating solids so I'm sure they will do ok if I do separate them but I always hate weaning them early.

If anyone can advise me on what's best to do that would be great!

 

[KittyKatMe]

I don't think the older babies would try to hurt the younger ones, but they might take their milk and may accidentally trample them. I would put them in a separate cage next to mom and just keep them there until 8 weeks. They are probably almost weaned ow, so it shouldn't be a prolem.

 

[Blaze_Amita]

I've never had this problem but if the babies are doing fine without her, I wouldn't worry about them. Keep them in a cage next to her to make sure they're fine but you don't want the 4 week olds trying to nurse off momma when she starts to drop milk for the new babies and the new babies not get the needed colustrum. Good luck!

 

[Aliena]

Thanks! She gave birth this morning, looks like 5+ babies in the nest! Older babies seemed happy enough this morning so will keep them separate. Really didn't bargain on this when I took them on!

 

[woahlookitsme]

Sorry you had to go through that. I agree with the other replies. You can give supplements to the 4week olds to help their GI systems such as critical care, benebac, or other probiotics. Give them plenty of hay also!

 

[ldoerr]

My first 2 litters were born exactly 1 month apart to the same mother and same father. All of the babies turned out fine and were healthy and lived long lives as far as I know. I think that it is a bigger problem on the mother than on either litter of babies. Good luck raising them. It sounds like you know what to expect already. What you might be able to do is every day put the mom in with the older babies for a little while. This might ease the stress on all parties involved. The older babies might get to nurse a little bit. I have not tried this but it might work. (I do not remember hardley anything from my first two litters).

 

[Aliena]

It seems I made a slight miscount this morning... turns out she had ELEVEN!!!! Yikes! She is only a lop! How is she going to care for 11 babies? They are squeaking a lot and I don't think she's got that many nipples!

Not sure what to do next, can she handle that many? Should I cull some (hate that word)? Or just let nature take it's course?

I briefly bred rabbits about five years ago but this sort of thing never happened. I have got critical care so will give the babies some, should I offer mum some as well in case she needs a boost?

Am fostering them for SPCA (where I work) so will ask the vets for advice too but I don't think we have ever had a rabbit come in with that many babies.

 

[Aliena]

Oops, posted that twice.

 

[woahlookitsme]

I thought someone would have helped you with this one as I have never had that many babies to one mom before.

Of course the best situation would be to foster the babies to another mom but I think that will be hard for you.

Some people split up the litter and let mom feed the litter separately and then some people just leave them and the mom takes care of them all.
Make sure momma is getting enough nutrition as this is her 2nd litter in such a short span of time and also its a very large litter. Dont be surprised if not all of them make it. It is very common to see runts and faders in that big of a litter without fostering. Some moms can do an awesome job and raise all of them healthy and fat but it depends

 

[Aliena]

Thanks for that advice. The SPCA hardly ever gets in mums with newborns so it is unlikely I will be able to find a foster mum. I checked on them this morning and they were all quiet and sleepy, it looked like she managed to feed them all but they are piled three deep so it is hard to check each baby without handling them too much.

I will start giving mum Critical Care, she has loads of pellets, and I have been picking her mountains of grass which she plows through. She was quite thin when I got her but has managed to gain some weight even with all the babies so that's a good sign. Fingers crossed everything works out all right! Meanwhile I'm going to have to buy her a bigger hutch!

 

[ldoerr]

The largest litter I ever had was 8 to a first time mom. From what I know of that is close to record for a mini rex in litter size. (I think that the record is 9). I had a friend who had a litter of babies similar in age. I was able to foster some to her doe. If you can try to find a breeder that has a litter of newborns. Explain your situation and ask if you can foster some babies onto one of their rabbits. Some breeders will allow you to do this and some will not.

Good luck raising all the babies. You might want to keep her on a mostely pelit diet. That has more energy which she needs lots of. So I would keep pelits and hay in front of her at all times. To me the greens are just treats when it comes to raising litters. We expect pictures

 

[Aliena]

She is getting loads of pellets but also demands greens (and I mean demands! She keeps pounding on the door of her cage until I pile her with grass or veg), she is getting through about 3-4 cups a day of pellets. Have lost one baby so far, think it must have held on to her when she finished feeding and jumped out as it was in the cage far from the nest box and had gone cold. There is one runt which I'm pretty sure won't make it, I tried holding it on to her but it would even suckle. The other nine are thriving! All have really round bellies and seem have doubled in size already. Mum is one of the lovliest bunnies I have ever fostered, doesn't mind me handling the babies at all and she ADORES head rubs, more than any rabbit I've known. Wish I could keep her after all this! But I told myself no more bunnies!

 

[ldoerr]

I think that you might end up keeping her We all know how you fall in love with something. If you get attached to her you will not be able to let her go. You might take her back to the rescue and then a day later realize how much you miss her and take her back. That OR you might end up keeping one of her babies. If you have 3 already 1 more will not have much more of an impact. What is this rabbits name? You should probably add it to your list of bunnies in your avitar.

 

[woahlookitsme]

LOL^

Im glad to hear they are all doing very well! Yea once they loose the urge to suckle there isnt much you can do but let nature take its course.

 

[Aliena]

So current count is 9 and all looking good. Mum bunny (now named Florence) was being kept in an indoor bunny cage in my rabbit shed but have now moved her into a crate & playpen in my room because she is going stir crazy. She jumped out of the play pen twice within ten minutes so while I'm at home she's free in my room and I made a cover for it when I'm not there.

Unfortunately I can't have any more buns I used to have lots and slowly got down to two which I prefer because I don't have to divide my attention. The third bunny is the neighbours rabbit, they let it go. I've had him desexed and am trying to rehome him. Plus the more bunnies I keep the less I can foster for SPCA so I try to be firm with myself!

At least because I work at the SPCA I can see my fosters when they go back up for adoption and am usually there to meet the new parents so that's cool. Florence is definitely the coolest foster I've ever had though!