Baby bunnies

[HeatherMarie]

When Patchy had her babies I took them out and counted 7 of them. The very next day (not even, just like 7 hours later) two are missing. Completely gone, looked in the nest box, in the cage, around the cage, but nothing. I know that moms sometimes eat their young, but do they completely vanish? I don't mean to be grotesque, but there are no bones or blood or anything: just gone.




On the brighter side here's some new pictures of the 5 remaining very healthy babies and a video of them squirming

 

[juliew19673]

How odd/sad that 2 are missing without any type of trace? I'm not familiar enough w/does and their offsprings to make a suggestion and am sure someone will help shed some light on this..

On the other hand your babies are very adorable.. Perhaps 7 was just too many for your bun to take care of..

Hope the "litter" turns out ok.. Please update as the days go on.. Good luck!

 

[Michaela]

I'll move this to the Rabbitry, breeders may have some experience of this.

Are you sure they aren't hidden somewhere? I remember when Berri had her litter, we went in one day and there were no babies, we were so confused and shocked. But they were all behind her sleeping box in a teeny space. :?

 

[BlueGiants]

Very handsomely marked babies!

Did you check the ground around the cage? I've had babies cling to the moms nipples as she exits the nestbox. And they crawl right out of the cage.

Are you sure you really checked the nestbox? Did you totally empty it? I've had to do that sometimes. They can hide in the smallest places! Another option is you could have counted 2 of them twice, again, easy to do when they are all squirming around.

It is possible for the mom to get rid of a baby, but usually only if they are dead or dieing.Never 2 at the same time.

 

[HeatherMarie]

i've completely cleaned out the cage, they are no where to be found and i just looked at the first pics i took and i'm not going crazy (a viable option for a minute) there were 7 at first

 

[RAL Rabbitry]

I really doubt if she ate them. You would find evidence of it and they usually only will that when they first have them. I have never had a doe eat a baby after they cleaned it up. That usually happens with first time mothers that get carried away or have a stuck kit.

Those babies are somewhere. I have had them get out of the nestbox and crawl amazing distances looking for warmth. Look under furniture if they are in the house.

Roger

 

[HeatherMarie]

Thanks. I'm actually packing things up about to move, so I will keep an eye out under furniture...tho now i'm a little scared to look under the couch and such....

 

[mouse_chalk]

Oh gosh... I just want to say that I hope you can find the babies somewhere and that they're ok! :?

 

[BSAR]

Have you found the missing babies yet? I hope you find them safe and sound.

 

[HeatherMarie]

Sadly, I found one. The little black baby, not even a day old yet, had crawled out of the nest box, out of the cage, all the way down the hallway to the back of our closet. Even more, we have completely cleared out the apartment and we still can't find the little white baby. :in tears::rainbow:

 

[RexyRex]

I'm sorry poor babies :rainbow:

 

[BlueGiants]

I'm sorry you lost the babies, sometimes they get seperated and go searching.We have "baby wire" (1/2" x 1" openings) around the bottom 6" of our cages to keep them from going too far if they get out of the nestbox...

I hope the rest of the litter is doing well!

 

[BSAR]

That is sad. Poor babies.

 

[HeatherMarie]

the rest are doing great, their eyes are open, they get so excited over hay and walk around the cage just like big bunnies. they try to binky and it's hilarious they are so uncoordinated tho they are already very good at bunny 500's....and they aren't even a month old yet!!! so big...so fast...