Help! Doe dumped box of kits over. Now what do I do?

[Shayhara]

First of all I want to say how lucky I am that this is the first time I have had this issue in my adult rabbit rasing life. My mini lop doe Eva had her litter of seven kits on the 21st. All went well the first two days. She has had babies before. Today I went out to do chores to find she had dumped her box. The kits where flipped over, and spread out in the box. They where cold, and I lost my siamese sable one. I brought the rest inside, four blacks, one broken black and one broken siamese sable. They where cold, and I wasn't sure they would make it. Now four hours later they are warm and snuggly in there nest by the heater. But... Who will feed them? If I take them back out to her will she feed them? It is a pain to get the box through the door to the cage (its a covered cat litter box, you have to take the cover off and turn the bottom sideways to get it in, which is easy when its empty, much harder with kits to keep from falling out. I don't trust to leave them in there. The boxes are not light she had to do some major work to tip it over filled with hay and babies.
My other option is my mini rex doe who lives inside. She had a litter of four last night. It looks like she has three peanuts and one regular kit. It could be runts, but she had a peanut last litter and these look just like it. A quarter of the size of the one regular kit. She can easily raise a litter of 4, her babies are usually fat and sassy, I wonder though if she could raise a litter of 7? That of course is assuming the little ones are peanuts and that they fade fast enough I can get her use to the other kits. For the time being I may just add my broken siamese sable to my mini rex kits and see what happens.

What do you think would be the best bet?? If I was to put them into a different nest box would their mom still be willing to nurse them? A nest box that fit through the door easier so I could take them in when I am not out there to supervise? Or should I just leave them out there with her and assume it was a one time thing??

Thanks in advance for any suggestions
Melissa

 

[LindseyG]

She will still accept the kits, it was probably a one time thing. You can try to put them in a new nest and put them back out there. She should be willing to nurse them. Some people do keep kits in the house due to cold and only take them out to the mom 1-2 times a day so that they don't get cold. If she doesn't accept them than your other doe is probably your best option.

 

[ZRabbits]

Shayhara wrote:

First of all I want to say how lucky I am that this is the first time I have had this issue in my adult rabbit rasing life. My mini lop doe Eva had her litter of seven kits on the 21st. All went well the first two days. She has had babies before. Today I went out to do chores to find she had dumped her box. The kits where flipped over, and spread out in the box. They where cold, and I lost my siamese sable one. I brought the rest inside, four blacks, one broken black and one broken siamese sable. They where cold, and I wasn't sure they would make it. Now four hours later they are warm and snuggly in there nest by the heater. But... Who will feed them? If I take them back out to her will she feed them? It is a pain to get the box through the door to the cage (its a covered cat litter box, you have to take the cover off and turn the bottom sideways to get it in, which is easy when its empty, much harder with kits to keep from falling out. I don't trust to leave them in there. The boxes are not light she had to do some major work to tip it over filled with hay and babies.
My other option is my mini rex doe who lives inside. She had a litter of four last night. It looks like she has three peanuts and one regular kit. It could be runts, but she had a peanut last litter and these look just like it. A quarter of the size of the one regular kit. She can easily raise a litter of 4, her babies are usually fat and sassy, I wonder though if she could raise a litter of 7? That of course is assuming the little ones are peanuts and that they fade fast enough I can get her use to the other kits. For the time being I may just add my broken siamese sable to my mini rex kits and see what happens.

What do you think would be the best bet?? If I was to put them into a different nest box would their mom still be willing to nurse them? A nest box that fit through the door easier so I could take them in when I am not out there to supervise? Or should I just leave them out there with her and assume it was a one time thing??

Thanks in advance for any suggestions
Melissa

I haven't started breeding rabbits, but I intend to. So take my advise as someone who's just reading and doesn't have experience. I know there are others here who probably could give you much better suggestions than me.

But my heart goes out to you. It's tough losing babies and odd things happen.

First off, I would be afraid to leave the babies out with Mom. With the cold weather, it could be a one time thing that happened, but I just couldn't rest knowing that it might. Not even in warmer weather. But that's me.

Putting them in the smaller box and bringing the kits to Mom would be what I would do. I've read that you can place Mom over the kits, hold her while the babies nurse. Since kits, I believe, only nurse twice a day, for only a few minutes, I would think it would be easier to control the situation and definitely get the babies the nurishment they need.

I think also it wise to place on with the Mini Rex to see if she takes it. Peanuts can hang on for a bit. But do peanuts really eat? Their digestive system is underdeveloped so could they eat?

That's what I would do. Hoping my babble gives you some inspiration on what to do.

HOPING someone with experience answers your call for help.

Wishing you all the luck with the babies. Please keep us posted.

K

 

[Shayhara]

I took them out to her. Which was a pain as the top of the cat box doesn't hook to the bottom ( I don't think they came together, but they set together really nice, and I can get then to hook, but its really hard and hard to get back apart too) so everytime I had to one hand it to open or close a door (three regular doors and one garage door that pulls sideways to open) I would almost drop the bottom. Once out there I had to take the top off to fit it in the door, and had to hold the kits with one hand while I turned it sideways to fit it through the door with the other. She jumped in and out in and out in and out. I tried holding her in there and she kept freaking out and kicking with her back feet, I was worried she would hurt them so I took them out. I put my satin doe on top of them she let them nurse a few seconds but kept smelling and looked like she would bite them if she had the chance ( I held her head) I thought about just adding one or two to each of my other litters, but the other two outside (mini lop and satin) feel like big litters already ( I don't want to move the fur anymore then usual) one of my satin babies was dead, it was pushed to the front of the nest away from the rest and was cold and stiff. People made it seem like winter was a good time for babies, to avoid the heat etc. but I am having a lot of problems so far.
I ended up putting the top on the box, setting it on the desk in the garage, taking eva out and showing her the entry she jumped in, settled down and nursed and cleaned the babies for about 20-25 minutes. Is that normal time? seemed like forever. I did get some cleaning done while I waited for her. Eventually she jumped out, I put her back in her cage and carried the babies back in. I think I will bring in the small solid bottom cage I have and put Eva in it. I will bring her in, then just let her out of her cage to nurse the babies twice a day. I think that will work the best for her, the babies and me! I will keep you all updated, and will get some pictures later. I plan to take lots of pictures of these babies.

 

[CCWelch]

Sounds like your problem solved itself!! Are you positive your Siamese Sable was already dead? It is too late now but sometimes they will show n life but still come back, especially when the others are still alive.

I will trade you problems, Pinky refuses to continue to nurse the older babies so I am having to syringe feed, and their eyes are open so they know it isn't fur mom.

 

[CCWelch]

FYI if it happens again just flip it back up, put the nest back together and take the kits in to rewarm, then return them to mom if they have been staying warm.
I thought you had my phone number?

 

[Shayhara]

I didn't even think to call you! lol. Right now I have Eva in here in the old guinea pig cage, the kits are in the cat box next to her. I just knew I would be running out there all night to check on them if I had put them back out there. If I can convince scott of it I might move Sage and Ninja to the basement tomorrow. It just scares me how quickly the kits can die if they move away from their litter mates. I hate to say it, but why is always the ones you want that die? I mean five black kits and its the one siamese sable that's dead. I tried keeping it warm. I put it in a small basket near the heater with a towel over it, but even though it got warm it never came back.
I put a heat lamp over the top of Ninjas cage. I saw her babies after she was done nursing today (they hadn't gotten back under the bedding yet) it looks like blacks/agoutis and broken blacks/agoutis as well as at least one that looks white but I am sure will end up being a martini zed pointed white.

 

[CCWelch]

The rabbits are accustom to your scent it is perfectly ok for you to handle the kits and check them over to make sure they are eating and not deformed in any way.
The mom's will not reject them in that short time.

 

[Shayhara]

I am not worried about them rejecting them, I am worried about the kits getting to cold in the time it takes me to count them. Its chilly out there. Warmer today seems like so today might be the day to count them.

 

[Blaze_Amita]

I woudl still take them and check on them. I've taken babies out of the box when it's around 32F. I just take my jacket off while it's warm and snuggle them into that and then go through the kits, putting them back in the box after I check them, then yanking my jacket back on. I've not had a problem with mine getting cold like that.

 

[Shayhara]

I know I should take care of the peanuts now, but its not something I am comfortable with. they are alive, warm and don't seem in distress so I will let time take its course. I would rather they pass on sooner rather then later, and if they do I will add a couple kits from one of my mini lops. I checked my others nest (born same day as these) to see if I need to foster one of these if there is room in her nest. NOPE She has TEN! TEN! babies in there, a nice variety of colors too, solids and brokens in chestnut agouti, and black as well as a couple white ones that will probably end up as martinized pointed whites.
I can't count my satins because her nest is at the back of the box and I can't see in there very well, but more then five, feels like 8 or so!

We are gonna be having fun with baby buns in a few weeks here!

Heres a picture of the kits hanging out in my living room. I brought their mom inside, and have her in a smallish cage under my table, the kits are next to her, and so far I just take her out of her cage and set her next to their box, she jumps in feeds them cleans them and jumps out between 10 and 25 minutes later. I then return her to her cage and give her a tiny slice of an apple as a reward (for not hurting her babies lol)

 

[Nancy McClelland]

ray:

 

[ZRabbits]

Shayhara wrote:

I know I should take care of the peanuts now, but its not something I am comfortable with. they are alive, warm and don't seem in distress so I will let time take its course. I would rather they pass on sooner rather then later, and if they do I will add a couple kits from one of my mini lops. I checked my others nest (born same day as these) to see if I need to foster one of these if there is room in her nest. NOPE She has TEN! TEN! babies in there, a nice variety of colors too, solids and brokens in chestnut agouti, and black as well as a couple white ones that will probably end up as martinized pointed whites.
I can't count my satins because her nest is at the back of the box and I can't see in there very well, but more then five, feels like 8 or so!

We are gonna be having fun with baby buns in a few weeks here!

Heres a picture of the kits hanging out in my living room. I brought their mom inside, and have her in a smallish cage under my table, the kits are next to her, and so far I just take her out of her cage and set her next to their box, she jumps in feeds them cleans them and jumps out between 10 and 25 minutes later. I then return her to her cage and give her a tiny slice of an apple as a reward (for not hurting her babies lol)

:inlove:

Absolutely can't get enough of baby bunny pics. Thanks so much for sharing. So thrilled that you figured out a way to bring them in. And it's working out perfectly for you and Bunny Mom. What a trooper she's being.

I truly feel your agony about the peanuts. It's just a sad fact in raising dwarfs. Knowing they are suffering and wishing they go quick But it's just what it is. You, as the breeder, need to find a way to deal with it. And you have.

Please post more pics as they grow. You are definitely going to be surrounded by baby bunnies. lol

K