HELP: English lop doe died of heat stroke with 10 day old babies :(

[redthunderrabbits]

I have English lops and the heat is rough, This morning when we were filling water bottles our Lucy was doing well with her six kits. We were expected to reach 100 today in NY so we turned on our fans and made sure our barn was cool. When we returned to our barn at 2pm we found our Lucy had passed away leaving six beautiful kits. I read on the fourm about formula for the babies. I have one english lop doe whose kits are 5 weeks and she still has milk and one doe who has kits that were born 6/27 I nursed Lucy's kits on both does and some did really well but others did not do so well. Does anyone have advice for me as to what I should be doing? How often and is the feeding better from other mothers or formula? Please PM me or post thanks so much

 

[ZRabbits]

So sorry to hear about your Lucy. No matter how much you try to give relief, the heat still takes.

I've never raised kits but I would think fostering them to get real rabbits milk would be better than powdered milk. Sounds like some are adapting to it. In a situation like this, you can only do your best.

Hoping the best for Lucy's kits. And hoping you get relief from this heat.

K

 

[wendymac]

Personally, I would foster them between the two does (depending on how many kits each are currently nursing). I've never hand fed orphan kits, but I have kittens. It's a long, tough road...and usually not very successful.

How old are Lucy's kits? And how many kits does the doe that kindled on the 27th have?

 

[redthunderrabbits]

Lucys are 10 days and the 6/27 litter has 1 kit

 

[MyBabyHasPaws]

Oh how sad

I would think fostering them would be best. Wishing you the best of luck!!!

 

[Nancy McClelland]

ray:

 

[wendymac]

I would definitely stick them with the doe that only has 1 kit. As the fostered ones start nursing, she'll produce more milk to feed them all. Best of luck!!!

 

[ZRabbits]

How are Lucy's kits doing?

Hope all is well.

K

 

[redthunderrabbits]

Thank you all so much!! We have successfully fostered all of Lucys kits and they are doing well

 

[ZRabbits]

redthunderrabbits wrote:

Thank you all so much!! We have successfully fostered all of Lucys kits and they are doing well

So thrilled to hear. Wishing you continued success on getting these sweet fosters big and strong.

K

 

[wendymac]

So happy to hear that Lucy's kits are doing well! While unfortunate that you lost the doe, at least you have her babies to keep her lines going. I can't wait to see pictures! I bet those big Elop ears are something else!!

 

[woahlookitsme]

So glad to hear every thing worked out! You got great advice. We also had a run in with this problem. My moms polish doe we bought from convention was bred at the same time my brit doe was just in case we had to foster. It turns out the brit never kindled and my moms polish doe had two very small babies and then passed away. We were devastated and I felt horrible and also responsible. I hurried to take them to our friends house an hour away in the nestbox to be fostered to a Jersey Wooly. Both babies grew up and we brought them home at 5weeks old. Luckily one was a doe so we are now going to breed her and get some babies to keep the line going.

Cant wait to see pictures!! Like Flops I love the big baby ears they have