~Tracey~
Well-Known Member
We cant see them but we can hear them and see the hay moving but mum has spent all day not in the sleeping part of the hutch, is this normal?
My rabbit has had babies
- Thread starter ~Tracey~
- Start date
Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:
Starlight Rabbitry
Well-Known Member
This is very normal. You need to check on the babies and see how many there are and remove any dead ones. The mom will only feed them once or twice a day and they don't stay with them after. Pics would be great as we can tell you if they are doing well.
Sharon
Also, I am moving this to the rabbitry where you will get more advice.
Sharon
Also, I am moving this to the rabbitry where you will get more advice.
~Tracey~
Well-Known Member
They are burried under loads of hay, will she go funny if she see's us in there?
TinysMom
Well-Known Member
If she has a favorite kind of treat, I would give that to her to distract her while you check the babies.
You need to make sure that they've all been fed (they will look like they swallowed a tennis ball if she fed them just a bit ago - they will look shrunken and wrinkly if she hasn't fed them at all). If there are any dead babies in there - you will need to remove them.
Good luck with checking them.....it isn't that hard and if mama is used to you at all she will probably be ok with it.
Peg
~Tracey~ wrote:
You need to make sure that they've all been fed (they will look like they swallowed a tennis ball if she fed them just a bit ago - they will look shrunken and wrinkly if she hasn't fed them at all). If there are any dead babies in there - you will need to remove them.
Good luck with checking them.....it isn't that hard and if mama is used to you at all she will probably be ok with it.
Peg
~Tracey~ wrote:
aurora369
Well-Known Member
Check out this thread: http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=20534&forum_id=8
Someone in a similar situation, surprise babies. Some good advice there.
I normally check on babies at least once a day. Move the fur and hay aside, reach in and feel around. For an intitial check you can take them out and have a good look in the nest to make sure there are no placentas or dead babies in there. Just make sure the babies stay warm, they lose their body temperature very quickly.
Mom will move aside the fur/hay and hover over them to feed.She will then re-cover them and go away. It's a survival instinct, as babies don't have a strong scent so the less time mom spends with them the less likely a predator is to find the babies. Once the babies are older she will start to spend more time with them.
--Dawn
Someone in a similar situation, surprise babies. Some good advice there.
I normally check on babies at least once a day. Move the fur and hay aside, reach in and feel around. For an intitial check you can take them out and have a good look in the nest to make sure there are no placentas or dead babies in there. Just make sure the babies stay warm, they lose their body temperature very quickly.
Mom will move aside the fur/hay and hover over them to feed.She will then re-cover them and go away. It's a survival instinct, as babies don't have a strong scent so the less time mom spends with them the less likely a predator is to find the babies. Once the babies are older she will start to spend more time with them.
--Dawn
~Tracey~
Well-Known Member
I can't find anything without vandalising the nest but this morning not in the sleeping part of the hutch where the nest is was a dead baby in the corner. Will try again tomorrow, now what if i find one and it is not being fed?
aurora369
Well-Known Member
If mom is feeding them, she'll feed them all. She just hovers over the nest and the babies will feed from underneath her. Normally they all get fed the same, but sometimes one or two smaller ones won't be able to feed as well as the bigger babies.
In that case, you can take the big ones out of the nest, just leaving the smaller ones. Then put mom in the nest and give her some treats/pets to keep her calm. Try to get her to stay for about 5 minutes then let her leave. Then put the big ones back in the nest.
Don't be scared of moving the fur and hay aside to look at the babies or reaching in and moving things around a bit. It's more important to be 100% sure nothing is in the nest that shouldn't be than to keep the nest exactly as mom made it.
Under the layer of fur/hay there should be a fist sized deppression where the babies will all be nestled together.
The dead baby could be one that was born after the other ones or a baby that was latched on to mom's teat when she jumped out of the nest and died of exposure. Is there a lip on the nest box? A lip will help keep babies in the nest, it will pull them off a nipple as mom jumps out of the box so they don't end up on the outside of the nest box.
Mom WILL NOT move the babies, so it's important to check for babies out of the nest a couple times a day.
--Dawn
In that case, you can take the big ones out of the nest, just leaving the smaller ones. Then put mom in the nest and give her some treats/pets to keep her calm. Try to get her to stay for about 5 minutes then let her leave. Then put the big ones back in the nest.
Don't be scared of moving the fur and hay aside to look at the babies or reaching in and moving things around a bit. It's more important to be 100% sure nothing is in the nest that shouldn't be than to keep the nest exactly as mom made it.
Under the layer of fur/hay there should be a fist sized deppression where the babies will all be nestled together.
The dead baby could be one that was born after the other ones or a baby that was latched on to mom's teat when she jumped out of the nest and died of exposure. Is there a lip on the nest box? A lip will help keep babies in the nest, it will pull them off a nipple as mom jumps out of the box so they don't end up on the outside of the nest box.
Mom WILL NOT move the babies, so it's important to check for babies out of the nest a couple times a day.
--Dawn
~Tracey~
Well-Known Member
It must have been attached to her them or she delivered it in the other part. We checked the nest this morning and there are definately 3 live babies, very warm and snug, too scared to look deeper lol but i will
frenchy
Well-Known Member
Take a good look in there, I have done with mine and all has been fine.
I gave mum some treats to eat whilst I removed the nest box away from mum to check everything was ok in there. When I put the box back she had a little sniff inside (to check I suppose) and then carried on as normal.
Dont be scared have a good luck, also you want to start giving the kits human contact to get them used to it from an early age.
Let us know how you get on and post some pics if possible.
Kelly
I gave mum some treats to eat whilst I removed the nest box away from mum to check everything was ok in there. When I put the box back she had a little sniff inside (to check I suppose) and then carried on as normal.
Dont be scared have a good luck, also you want to start giving the kits human contact to get them used to it from an early age.
Let us know how you get on and post some pics if possible.
Kelly
~Tracey~
Well-Known Member
We have to be careful as the nest is right by the door but as far as i can see, just been to look again and it looks like there are just the 3 of them
grumpybabies
Well-Known Member
Have you looked well enough to see the colours you have? all they all doing well? i bet you are really pleased aren't you?!
BlueCamasRabbitry
Well-Known Member
It's okay to look into the nest. The mom might get freaky, but she'll only come out and grunt at you or do a little nip. Just pet her and let her know it's ok. What breed are they?
~Tracey~
Well-Known Member
Don't know the breed lol, i think the parents were suppose to be dwarf lops
