Doe's milk dried up - how long to supplement baby?

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TinysMom

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Athena had two babies born two weeks ago this Saturday. Normally she's a great mom - this litter - I'm not so sure.

The day before yesterday - one baby was found dead in her cage. It was maimed and she was grooming it. The only thing we can think of is that it jumped out and scared her and she hurt it - and then tried to groom it once she realized it was hers...but it died anyway. I didn't see the baby - Art found it and disposed of it and his comments were "it was quite dead by she was trying to groom it. It was also bigger than the one that is left..".

I got nervous and took out the remaining baby since she seemed skittish and have been taking it back to her several times per day. She will groom it and let it try to nurse but there never seems to be any milk - or not much milk. I can't find any signs of mastitis.

Yesterday I finally broke down and started giving it formula because it seemed like if it got any milk - it wasn't nearly enough.

Part of me wants to return the baby to her as she's pretty good with it - but she still seems skittish when it tries to nurse. I'm not sure what is happening with her.

So here are my questions:

  • What could make mama's milk dry up if not mastitis?
  • How long should I continue giving the baby formula? It is 11 days old.
  • Do I still need to try to make it pee or will it do so on its own? (I have been trying to stimulate it but it doesn't pee for me but I have seen it try to squat in the little box I have it in)
  • Would you return the baby to mama if mama was skittish? Or would you keep the baby separate?
Thanks so much. I've never really had this happen before.


 
=D! Something I actually know something about!

All right. I currently have two little flemish mixes I'm fostering (heha..)

I fed milk religiously until 4 weeks old. Twice a day, 15 mL or so each time. Now they're at 5 weeks, and I let them have a little bit of milk once a day. It's a little bit early to start weaning, but if I give them the choice between pellets and milk, they started to choose pellets. So I put them on free feed hay, free feed pfaus pellets, and a couple table spoons of calf manna.

They appear to be growing pretty well, and I can't see any signs of weaning enteritis yet. I do think it's better for them to get milk a little further than I gave it to them. (6 or 7 weeks, probably.)

My personal mix was 1 part goats milk, 1 part KMR, and about 6 capsules of colostrum.
They did fine on pure KMR. They seemed to get skinny on pure goats milk. I've always used colostrum, so idk how important it honestly is.

Momma's a flemish, right? I'd assume that even having just two babies wasn't enough for a rabbit that is used to, and probably wants at least 7 or 8 in a litter. I have a feeling that it'd feel to her milk glands that she doesn't have any babies at all.

They should be peeing on their own by now. It doesn't hurt to stimulate them, though. I generally got peed on if I fed them, and let them chill inside with me for 20~40 minutes after eating.

Personally I wouldn't give the single baby back to mom. Too easy for her to kill it, it to get smothered... Lots of things. Not to mention, if her milks gone, she's probably ready to have the litter weaned and taken away.


But that's just my opinion. =D
 
Thanks so much. I fed it 10 ml today and I put it back in the little basket its in to sleep. I uncovered it a few minutes later to show it to hubby - and it was laying flat on its back - all four feet up in the air.

FORTUNATELY - it was sleeping - I wish now I'd taken a photo before hubby disturbed it.

I guess I'm so scared cause I formula fed some this last Dec/Jan and the runt/fader died at about 6-7 weeks (I saw it coming) and then the second runt which was always a bit "off" died at about 6 months of age.

So now I'm scared to get attached....and it doesn't help that my last litter has a non-grower in it also. Or at least he's tiny....I need to start weighing him every couple of days.
 

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