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MindAteMum

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Dec 13, 2006
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Location
, Minnesota, USA
Okay.. I don't have much time to explain. Weadopted a bunny from these girls in a dorm who had her living in atupperware box. She's been with us for 5 days.

We looked in her cage today and she has a baby in there. But she's like. Stomping all over it and everything..

PLEASE HELP. We were not expecting this. o_o

Suggestions?!
 
What size is the baby? Does it have any fur, or is it just newborn?

This would probably be better in the rabbitry, hopefully a mod will come along soon and move it for you.

Are you sure there is just one, it's possible she'll have more.
 
The mom only needs to be with the baby(s) a couple of times during the day to nurse them.
She can even be separated from them and then just put in for feeding time.

You should probably get a box to use as a nesting box. Something thatthe mom can get in and out of, but deep enough so the baby(s) can'tclimb out of.

~Jim

 
Sort of? We just got her five days ago. Got hera nice little cage and I have been trying to litter box train her soshe can be in and out of her cage.

I got this "Kaytee Total Comfort critter friendly bedding" to put inthere. But it seemed to get stuck on her nose? (Could be over paranoiaof my little kiddo) so I stopped putting that in there and have beenputting newspaper in there every day after cleaning. She usually ripsit up and just refuses to let go of the many chucks of paper in hermouth.

She had the baby on her litter box. (I have a grate-covered box so itwasn't directly in the litter) but we got tissues and such and movedthe baby from there into a little box and under a lamp for now to keepit warm.

Should I put bedding in there?

Sorry, once again. This was just very very very unexpected. x.x
 
Oh yes newborn. Don't worry about putting it inthe wrong place, I just want the people who have most experience to seethis and be able to help you the best:)

My rabbit has only had one litter, so I'm not the most experienced, but |I'll help best I can.

She'll need a nest box, or somewhere that has hay and fur (did the mamapull fur from her chest?) so she won't get too cold and die.

Don't panic if the mama doesn't stay with the kit, that's normal,rabbits only feed their young once or twice a day for a few minutes,you'll probably not see her feed it, (that's because they are preyanimals)

You'll know if it's been fed because it'll have a fat little belly, if they haven't been fed the skin will be wrinkled.

It's uncommon for rabbits to just have one baby, although it ispossible, she could still have more on the way, or, there may be one ormore stuck in her.

Right, that's all I can think of now, ask anymore questions you need answered!
 
MindAteMum wrote:
Should I put bedding in there?

Sorry, once again. This was just very very very unexpected. x.x
Right I posted at the same time as you,

Yes definitely, give her hay (rabbits sshould have a constant supply ofhay for eating) she might make a nest with it, or you can do it for her.

Don't worry, we're here to help!


 
samixXx wrote:
looks like it was just born, did the mom make a nest?
:yeahthat

You'll need to keep it warm, too!

We need some expert rabbitry advice here. I think TinysMom is logged on....hopefully she'll pick up on this thread.

~Jim


 
Please check over the cage thoroughly to see ifthere is another baby....just to be sure. You've probablyalready done that - but babies can also crawl out of the cage....

Also - was the baby still somewhat warm when you found it - or cool? Just curious here..

If the baby was cool, I'd hold it close to my body or snuggled in myhands to help it get warm again. I have also thrown wash clothes in thedryer for a few minutes for a bit to get them warm and then put baby inthe warm washcloth to help it get its body temp back up.

I'm probably not going to say this right....but I'll try. The nestboxyou make will have to be very small (if you're going to take baby tomama a couple of times per day to get fed instead of leaving thenestbox in with mama). I say this because the baby can lose its bodyheat very fast. You want it to stay in one area and stay warm. So forexample - if you use a shoebox.....stuff it really full of hay and putmama's fur (you can pull some out of her belly area) in a small sectionof it and then put the baby in that. You need the baby to stay where itwill keep warm.

If it were me...I would take the baby to mama a few times per day toget mama to nurse it until it gets fur and can stay warmer....then I'dput a nestbox in with mama all the time and see if she'll feed it onher own. But if she gets in a nestbox to feed it and it moves off awayfrom the fur...it can get cold and die.

Peg

P.S. The baby looks like it is a decent size and the bellylooks good...so I would guess it might have a good chance if you canget mama to feed it.
 
I am moving this to the rabbitry area so more breeders might see this and help out!

Thanks to all those who have responded already - please come on over to the rabbitry area and keep on helping!

Peg
 
Okay. Okay. I am settling down a little.*laughs* I want to thank you guys for helping me. Even without knowingme! Very very kind of you. I could hug all of you.

So far there is no more babies. This was very unexpected. But I muchrather her be having babies when I took her home. Than still in atupperware container at a college dorm.

I was just calling around the other day and asking how much it would be to get her fixed. I am glad I had to wait.. ^^;

I know for sure I will stick around these forums for quite a while. Notonly do you seem like a very friendly bunch of people. But alas, I havea lot to learn.. I usually read up on everything possible before I geta new pet. I studied and read up on Iguanas for over a month before Idecided it would be aright to get one. But seeing Potato in atupperware box..? I couldn't wait. I took her home and have been doingmy best. First thing I did was slowly change her diet. They had beenfeeding her crap for food.

Thank you again!

By the way, My name is Angel. My roommate Sam was the one who noticedthe baby. Our bunnies name is Potato. And so far we have been callingthe baby Baby Foo Foo or Sam Jr. *laughs*
 
TinysMom wrote:
I am moving this to the rabbitry area so more breeders mightsee this and help out!

Thanks to all those who have responded already - please come on over to the rabbitry area and keep on helping!

Peg


Thanks Peg!!!! I feel better now that you're on this!!!

~Jim
 
As Peg already mentioned, the kit can be takento the doe a couple times a day for nursing. Place the doe onyour lap with a little snack to help her relax so the milk "letsdown". Simply place the kit under her and it will root for anipple (kits nurse on their backs).

The doe won't appear to be producing much milk over the first few daysbecause she'll be producing colostrum until about day 3 when the milkactually comes in.



Pam
 
ok...first a bit about me today. Since 1:30 pm,Amidala and Sundae have both given birth....at the same time.Butterscotch is nesting. Pearl has pulled fur and is nesting. My sealdoe was nesting and is now in labor. Miss Bea is looking at me as if tosay, "Me? Make a nest? Maybe later.."

On top of that, my baby bunnies have reached the fun stage and they'rebinkying in the cages. Romance and her babies were trying to steal hayfrom Pearl's cage - which Pearl wanted for nesting. I should have takena picture - instead I grabbed more hay so Pearl would settle back down.(their cages are side by side).

Plus I'm trying to do housework and clean the rabbitry so it won't bother Eric's asthma when he gets home tomorrow.

I say all this to say....if my posts seem disjointed or I didn't makesense - PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PM me....or leave a note on the thread andI'll see how I screwed up.

Because it is hard to type when you want to watch ad oe give birth...or watch babies...

~~~~

Ok - what I'm about to share is opinion only. Other breedersmay disagree with me and that's fine - you'll need to go with what youthink is best.

Since the baby is so small, I would put a piece of fabric (that doesn'thave hanging threads) underneath it to help it stay warm and keep it ina small box...preferably smaller than a shoe box. I like to use felt orsome soft cloth like that. You could use an old washcloth.

I sort of try to make a nest with the fabric and put hay all around itand under it. I want to use the hay to keep the fabric almost closed upso the baby can't crawl out of it.

The reason I would not put the baby in a nestbox yet and leave it inwith mama is that the baby really needs to get some fur to stay warm.If you leave it with mama she may nurse it and then jump out of thenestbox and baby will crawl off and die from getting too cold.

I would take the baby to the doe every 2-4 hours starting tonight (ifshe doesn't nurse it tonight, you can wait until the morning). Whyevery 2-4 hours? Because you want to catch her at a goodtime. Once she's fed the baby...then wait about 8 hours and try again.

In other words, I like to get my does on a schedule (they can choosethe schedule sort of) and every few hours I will offer them babies IFthe babies aren't with them for some reason. (Normally my babies arewith my does). So for example - let's say she feeds them at 6 pmtonight - try again right before bedtime and then again in the morning.Keep trying every few hours till she's ready to nurse.

Here is how I have my mamas nurse them. I put the baby in a largerbox...I tend to use a pink plastic crate thingy we have. I then putfruit loops, some hay, some raisins and any other favorite treats inone corner of the box. I put the box on the couch and then I bring thedoe to the box. The baby will lay under or beside the doe while the doecalms down. I pet it and talk to it softly and then start offering ittreats. I want the doe to associate nursing the baby with something"fun". I try to not offer treats (although they are in the box) tillthe mama appears to be nursing....or if she's calm. I don't want toreward her for fighting me.

You can tell when the baby has nursed because its tummy will look likeit swallowed a ping pong ball. If mama doesn't clean it - you will needto take a warm damp paper towel or cotton ball and wipe its privates tostimulate it to pee and poop. As it gets closer to 10 days or so - youmay need to take a warm clean cloth and wipe its eyes...or mama may dothat.

If it were me, depending upon the mama and baby - I would either putthe baby in with the mama all the time once the baby has some fur (in anestbox) OR if mama dumps the nestbox...I'd wait until the baby has itseyes open and is getting around a bit and then put it in with mama allthe time.

It is hard keeping a singleton alive...but it is possible.

Peg
 
Okay. So when would I want to bring baby to mamaagain? I read something about feeding time being best between midnightand 5 am? (Resource: http://www.rabbit.org/care/newborn.html )

Potato is currently laying on her side. She's no longer panting orripping up news paper. Is this good? *grins* I gave her a little of herfavorite snack (Celery) and she seemed to calm down.
 
If she is eating, she is probably donedelivering babies. I say probably...I've had one or two does havebabies and then deliver another baby up to 24 hours later. Talk about ashock...going to check the nestbox knowing you have X babies....and youfind X+1 babies!

Peg
 
Welcome to the forum Angel! Good foryou for rescuing poor Potato (cute name). good luck w/ BabyFoo Foo, keep us posted!

And yes, there are a bunch of really nice peeps on here that will help as much as they can!:bunnydance:
 
Potato is at it again. Tearing up paper and digging and acting completely insane. Is there a reason for this?

We have the baby in a little plastic box with a washcloth and some mamafur and newspaper for now (Until we can get hay later this evening)with a desklamp keeping warmth incomming. I was just curious on if thebaby can get too hot? How do I know? He/she doesn't feel cold to thetouch at all..
 
I wouldn't put the box too close to the desk lamp.

If it wasn't cool to the touch when you found it....then what you've done should keep it warm enough I would think.

Peg
 

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