murph72
Well-Known Member
I purchased a lionhead doe to keep my mini lop doe company since her original bonded mate had developed EC and they had to be separated. I had a great surprise five weeks ago when I found a litter of six little bunnies in a nest that my mini lop made. They are all doing well and are thriving and I immediately removed the "doe" who obviously was mis-sexed by the breeder.
Well, today I went up there and found a SECOND litter of bunnies hidden in a hay bale in the pen (It's a building, not a small cage, just so I don't confuse anyone). There are five of them in there! Obviously she became pregnant before I found the first litter and separated the two bunnies.
My questions:
1. Will she be able to raise two litters?
2. Are the five week old bunnies a threat to the newborns?
3. Should I be scooping up the nest in the hay bale and putting them in a nest box?
4. Is there anything I can give her that will get her to produce more milk for these two litters?
Added info that might be helpful:
She is an EXCELLENT mother. Her nests are filled with a lot of hair, her babies are well taken care of, and she had three false pregnancies in the previous two years prior to her having her first real litter.
She will be two in March.
Her older babies are eating pellets and hay and are drinking from her water dish. I do not see them nurse, but she never nursed them when I was in the building with her.
If there is anything else that I can tell you, please let me know. I'm totally new to this and I was really appreciating my first litter...I just worry about her and don't want anything to happen to her or the other little ones.
Thanks
Dyan
Well, today I went up there and found a SECOND litter of bunnies hidden in a hay bale in the pen (It's a building, not a small cage, just so I don't confuse anyone). There are five of them in there! Obviously she became pregnant before I found the first litter and separated the two bunnies.
My questions:
1. Will she be able to raise two litters?
2. Are the five week old bunnies a threat to the newborns?
3. Should I be scooping up the nest in the hay bale and putting them in a nest box?
4. Is there anything I can give her that will get her to produce more milk for these two litters?
Added info that might be helpful:
She is an EXCELLENT mother. Her nests are filled with a lot of hair, her babies are well taken care of, and she had three false pregnancies in the previous two years prior to her having her first real litter.
She will be two in March.
Her older babies are eating pellets and hay and are drinking from her water dish. I do not see them nurse, but she never nursed them when I was in the building with her.
If there is anything else that I can tell you, please let me know. I'm totally new to this and I was really appreciating my first litter...I just worry about her and don't want anything to happen to her or the other little ones.
Thanks
Dyan