I don’t know what to do

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My rabbit mochi gave birth early and when I came downstairs I saw four kits on the cage floor I quickly grabbed blankets and cotton balls to keep them warm as when I got to them they were cold, I warmed them up and put them in the nesting box but since she is a first time mother no fur was pulled.
The babies are squeaking and clicking at the moment but will they make it?

does she feed them right after?
And how do I stop her from stepping on them.
 
They're likely squeeking because they are not bundled up and warm in a nest. You can check to see if the fur on your does belly and dewlap is still loose enough to pull some fur out. It loosens up around the time they give birth. Then you need a nest box with soft grass hay in it to make a hollow for the kits. Then line the hollow with the fur you pluck. Then put the babies in the hollow and cover with fur.

The mom shouldn't be messing with them in the nest box unless she is hopping in to feed them. They should be nicely snuggled in the back of the nest box in the hollow and out of the way of the mom until she is ready to nurse. If she is constantly hopping in the nest or messing with them, you can try providing a separate box with hay and see if the helps. If not and as a last resort to prevent her from injuring the babies, the nest box can be removed from the mom's cage/pen, and only returned in the early morning and late evening to give her a chance to nurse them, then removed again after with the nest box kept in a safe place until the next feeding time.

It can be up to 24 hours before the does will hop in the nest box to nurse them. You'll want to carefully check them a few times a day to see if they have a full milk belly yet. If they don't by 36 hours, you will likely need to step in and try and help them nurse if at all possible. A last resort is hand feeding, but this is only if nothing else works to get them nursing off mom due to the high risk of aspiration occurring from hand feeding.

https://flashsplace.webs.com/accidentallitters.htm
https://wabbitwiki.com/wiki/Baby_rabbits_(domestic)
 
I did make a hollow nest but will she know they’re in there? It’s covered with cotton since her fur isn’t really pulling of her dewlap or belly it’s coming off her back legs but not by much.

the babies are moving but not as much as I thoughtthey would and they’re bellies aren’t full which concerns me.

the mother just keeps digging in the back of the box
 
I've had to check Does from time to time to check for blocked milk ducts. Rub her belly to make sure she doesn't have any lumps that shouldn't be there. You can also put her in the nest box and adjust the kits so they can latch. First thing in the morning or very late at night is generally best. Try with one hand placed on the Doe's head gently petting her face, ears and neck/Shoulder area while your other hand adjusts the kits individually. Also as a side note remember to be patient with both her and the kits when doing this it takes time to get the Doe used to this depending on how quickly she accepts her duty by her kiddos lol. Additionally if you're having to go about this method then you'll probably need to train her on stimulating them to potty directly after they're done eating as well. It's sometimes easier to sit with her nesting box on your lap to prevent her from jumping out and focus on the petting & treats/nursing instead of an escape route. If you are needing to do this make sure the kits are nice and warm. You can supplement heat with a heating blanket or warm water bottle if they are not being fed to keep their body heat up. Once warm they will cuddle together and share that. Also I supplement my Does diets when they're nursing with some rolled oats and black oil sunflower seed. Raspberries are very good directly after birth as well as dandelion greens. If you have to hand feed make sure to go very very slowly and hold them firmly, since they squirm instinctively while attempting to latch and also during feeding, and hold them in an upright position to prevent aspiration (milk going into their airways- sinuses and lungs). Differences between fed and not fed is visible. The second picture the black otter kits here are wrinkled and showing dehydration. They will squeak also if they are starving while they still have the energy to do so.They will also move sluggishly. The first picture is of a sleeping well-fed kit. She how round and pink her belly is. Same for the last picture all nice fat bellies. Side view of a kit that is in between feedings in the third picture.
 

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Either goats milk or kitten milk replacer can be found at most local grocery stores as well as a tiny syringe without the needle tip (sometimes you can ask a pharmacy technician if they have one you can get for free to administer liquid medications) or able to be fitted with an extremely small nipple attachment (generally found in pet stores). Add heavy whipping cream to the milk after heating it to enrich the fat content.
 
Either goats milk or kitten milk replacer can be found at most local grocery stores as well as a tiny syringe without the needle tip (sometimes you can ask a pharmacy technician if they have one you can get for free to administer liquid medications) or able to be fitted with an extremely small nipple attachment (generally found in pet stores). Add heavy whipping cream to the milk after heating it to enrich the fat content.


just brought some home. But the baby refuses to latch on to it.
 
I've had to check Does from time to time to check for blocked milk ducts. Rub her belly to make sure she doesn't have any lumps that shouldn't be there. You can also put her in the nest box and adjust the kits so they can latch. First thing in the morning or very late at night is generally best. Try with one hand placed on the Doe's head gently petting her face, ears and neck/Shoulder area while your other hand adjusts the kits individually. Also as a side note remember to be patient with both her and the kits when doing this it takes time to get the Doe used to this depending on how quickly she accepts her duty by her kiddos lol. Additionally if you're having to go about this method then you'll probably need to train her on stimulating them to potty directly after they're done eating as well. It's sometimes easier to sit with her nesting box on your lap to prevent her from jumping out and focus on the petting & treats/nursing instead of an escape route. If you are needing to do this make sure the kits are nice and warm. You can supplement heat with a heating blanket or warm water bottle if they are not being fed to keep their body heat up. Once warm they will cuddle together and share that. Also I supplement my Does diets when they're nursing with some rolled oats and black oil sunflower seed. Raspberries are very good directly after birth as well as dandelion greens. If you have to hand feed make sure to go very very slowly and hold them firmly, since they squirm instinctively while attempting to latch and also during feeding, and hold them in an upright position to prevent aspiration (milk going into their airways- sinuses and lungs). Differences between fed and not fed is visible. The second picture the black otter kits here are wrinkled and showing dehydration. They will squeak also if they are starving while they still have the energy to do so.They will also move sluggishly. The first picture is of a sleeping well-fed kit. She how round and pink her belly is. Same for the last picture all nice fat bellies. Side view of a kit that is in between feedings in the third picture.
Ok I’ve been hand feeding him is he well fed To you?
image.jpg
 
He doesn't look wrinkly and dehydrated, so that's good. After feeding, you should be able to see a whitish splotch in the belly area, where the stomach is now full of milk. If the baby is wrinkly and restless, that usually means it's getting dehydrated and needs to eat.

It sounds like it won't be safe around the mom, so if you haven't already, I would no longer try and keep it with the mom or she could injure it. It will need to be kept warm now that it's alone. If you use a heating pad of some sort, make sure it's only under part of the nest box, so the baby has a cool spot to go to if it gets too warm.
 
Yes Jbun is spot on. Also don't be afraid to cradle the kit in your hand and turn the kit over to look at its belly. Belly wrinkles equal not full. If hand feeding you will want to check on the kit a couple of times throughout the day. Sometimes it's it's struggle to get them to latch initially bc they're weak from lack of nutrition. Once you get them started it should go easier over the next few days. If you're able to find some you can purchase some colostrum online to mix into the milk as well. Also very important to stimulate potty time directly after feedings. A cotton swab, cotton ball, soft cloth, or clean fingertip (whichever you choose) plus warm water, over a sink. Gentle swiping until you get the lil one to go; clean the area then pop them back into their nest box for sleepytime.
 
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Also make sure you're stimulating potting time directly after feedings. A cotton swab, cotton ball, soft cloth, clean fingertip, (whichever you choose), + warm water, over the sink...Gentle front to back swiping motions over and around the kits genitals - like if your bun was giving you kisses. Do this until you have a release and clean up after then tuck the lil one back into the nesting box for sleepytime.
 
4-5cc's for newborns of milk so try and aim for that. Your feeding syringe should have amounts marked on the side. I go in 1 cc increments when I have a weakened kit to be able to keep the rest of the milk warm during the feeding process. So just count your refills.
 
4-5cc is too much to be feeding a brand new kit, unless it's a very large kit. Typically it will be less than 2cc for a kit under one week old, depending on the size of the kit.

Only continue feeding as long as the kit is greedily suckling. Once they become less enthusiatic about it, it's time to stop. When it doubt it's better to feed less per feeding and just feed more frequently. It's not good to overfeed.

http://www.bio.miami.edu/hare/orphan.html
(for cottontail babies, but some info applies to all baby rabbits)
https://vetspace.2ndchance.info/eve...to-care-for-orphaned-wild-cottontail-bunnies/
 
Yes Jbun is spot on. Also don't be afraid to cradle the kit in your hand and turn the kit over to look at its belly. Belly wrinkles equal not full. If hand feeding you will want to check on the kit a couple of times throughout the day. Sometimes it's it's struggle to get them to latch initially bc they're weak from lack of nutrition. Once you get them started it should go easier over the next few days. If you're able to find some you can purchase some colostrum online to mix into the milk as well. Also very important to stimulate potty time directly after feedings. A cotton swab, cotton ball, soft cloth, or clean fingertip (whichever you choose) plus warm water, over a sink. Gentle swiping until you get the lil one to go; clean the area then pop them back into their nest box for sleepytime.
Yes thank you both he’s doing great!!
He’s gotten bigger
 
That's fantastic to hear. Love to see some updated pics along the way when you get a chance. 😁
 
They grow so fast! What a perfect lil chonker!!! 🤣🤣🤣 How are he and mama doing now?
 

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