Mother Rabbit Not Feeding Kits

[LucyLou]

Hello,

I posted about my rabbit's pregnancy in another thread. Right now, she has one kit that is four days old.

When I checked the first morning after the kit's birth, the kit's belly was so full, but now the mother is letting the kit slowly starve and it's killing me. She isn't producing ANY milk anymore, and when the kit suckles, it doesn't get anything.

I've ordered some KMR with probiotics online, but it won't get here until Monday. Right now, I've been hand feeding the baby (I have also sent out emails for any lactating rabbits in my local area). The hand feeding formula I've sort of put together is half egg yolk and half evaporated milk. I'm not sure if this will hold out the kit until Monday, which is what I was wondering.

Should I go out and buy some KMR right now? I know the chances of this kit making it is very slim, but I'd like to do everything I can for it.

Also, if anyone has any nursing rabbits in Dallas, TX, please let me know! My friend has a litter due on Wednesday and this is the closest I can get to fostering the baby over.

Thanks for any help.

 

[Watermelons]

I would go get some proper formula today. Any petsmart should have something.

 

[LucyLou]

I am going to bring her to a breeder tomorrow who has a lactating rabbit that kindled earlier today. If that does not work, I am bringing her to an expert in raising baby bunnies (they rescue orphaned cottontails frequently).

I'm not sure if I'm making the right choice here, but I know that in my hands, this baby doesn't have as good of a chance of living as if in the others' hands.

Right now, the kit will not feed from a syringe— she only accepts the mother's nipple. Quick question: is there any way to stimulate a mother's nipple to producing more milk? There is only one nipple on the mother that is lactating a TINY bit, but I think it is drying up. I'm trying to do anything to save this bunny's life — Any other tips?

 

[majorv]

How is the kit? I'm a bit late in replying, but hand feeding until you can get it to the breeder is your best option. We had to do something similar, and we were able to save ours by fostering to another breeder's doe. If they get too weak they won't have the strength to suckle.

 

[LucyLou]

Well, Saturday night I got the baby to suckle from the mother a little bit (with whatever milk she had) and fed the mom some oats. Woke up Sunday with a fed kit! As well as this morning.

No idea why she let the kit starve for a couple of days. It had me worried because like you said— once the kit grows weak, it becomes urgent. (The kit was very skinny and weak Sat. night, but she was able to suckle, not taking the syringe)

I think it has something to do with my schedule in the morning. The mama seems to feed her at dawn (whereas I leave the house shortly after dawn). And as you know, she won't feed when things are going on around her. I tried something new Sat. night and didn't bother the buns until an hour after dawn, and it seemed she fed the kit! I have to work around her now haha (especially since she lives in the garage), but that may've been the problem, along with the fact that she wasn't eating too well. She LOVES oats, though, so maybe eating a bit of those helped. Either way, she has started taking care of the kit again! I was sure she wasn't producing milk, but I suppose miracles happen.

Thanks for your help! I ended up not taking her to the breeder, but I now have KMR and probiotics on hand in case the mama slips up again. And I thought hand rearing was no problem!

 

[majorv]

Hand rearing is a last resort, just because so many things can go wrong. Maybe the doe was just slow to get her milk. As soon as a doe kindles I give her a little calf manna each day for the first week. It's supposed to help with milk production and even if it doesn't it won't hurt, and it gives her the extra protein she needs.

 

[LucyLou]

Yes, I think it was a bit of a protein problem as well. She didn't touch her food for a couple days after kindling. Hand rearing is definitely easier said than done. It was on Saturday I realized the hand feeding wouldn't work, so I was going to go to the breeder. Right now, I received the KMR and some Bene-Bac, along with a little nursing kit for the baby. The baby is finally growing in size haha, and the mama is taking good care of her. From this mama, I haven't gotten ANY peanuts, which is super awesome!

Also, I always read about single kits dying because of warmth issues, but surprisingly, this little kit keeps warm quite well. (probably cause of the mass amount of fur the mama pulled) But she is one week today! Thanks for your help.