Newbie Fostering Mom and 2 Babies - Need Advice/Help

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Djakarta

Djakarta

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Joined
Aug 21, 2006
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Location
, California, USA
Hello- I'm new to the forum and to bunnies as well.

I just started volunteering at the local Humane Society. There was anew arrival on 8/30/06. I helped set up her cage on 8/31/06.(Thursday) Sometime between Thursday and Saturday (9/2/06) night she had 2 babies.

The poor thing didn't even have a name card, as she was designated for transfer to another shelter.

There really aren't accomodations for a mom and babies at any of the shelters. (It's been a bad year and the nurseries are full).

I asked what would be needed to provide proper accomodations, and the HRS offered to provide me with the supplies if I would foster.

So here are the newest members of the household.

The babies

9/7/06


9/10/06




9/12/06









The Momma Bunny (Miranda):






I'm housing the group in a cage provided by the HRS ( 36" by 24" by22") which connects to an X pen. Miranda has free access between them. I have carpeting in the cage. The X pen has a 12" high"baby bumper". Miranda ate the cardboard, so I've substituted flexible cutting board material.









I've been trying to read up on the care of the babies. Their eyes just startedopening today. Yesterday morning I was horrified to find both babies not only out of the nesting box, but out of the cage and in the X pen. ( They had managed to stay together, and from the look of their bellies, the mother had fed them)

I switched out their nesting box ( a medium sized litterbox) for as weater box, which has higher sides. So far the babies have stayed inside this.

Now that their eyes are opening, should I remove the nesting box?Should I construct a threshold at the cage door to confine them to the cage? Or should they be free to roam the X pen? Do I try to provide them with a litterbox?

I've read that Terramycincan be added to the water to help prevent GI problems, but I don't know what amount or how to provide the water- bowl, bottle?

Should I start offering pellets? Hay? Veggies? What kind?

The faster the babies develop, the more I realize how unprepared I am for the next stage.

Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated.

 
Hi there and welcome! :bunnydance:

Please feel free to introduce yourselfin the New Members Thread here:http://rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=11671&forum_id=1&page=35

I dont know enough about babies, so hopefully someone more knowledgeable will see this. I just wanted to say you are so great for taking these bunnies in. I think you will find they arevery enjoyable to have in your home, if even for a short time.

Here's a link on feeding guidelinesfor babies:http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/diet.html#babies

And another on general mom/baby care: http://www.rabbit.org/care/babies.html

Best wishes :)

-Haley


 
Hi,

I've got some fosters about the same age as you!

Once babies eyes start to open, they will start hoping out of the nest box and chasing mom for some milk. Just plop them back in when ever you find them out of the box. I would leave the box in as long as possible, as it provides a safe haven for the babes even when they don't need it. You'll often find them snuggled into it as old as 5-6 weeks. I also find some litters willd is card the nest box, and find a much better hiding spot behind the litter boxes, or any other small spot they can squeeze into.So if the babies don't use the box any more, you can remove it, otherwise leave it there for them to use.

Provide mom with pellets ,unlimited hay, and her normal selection of veggies. Also, if there is no hay in the box with the babies,add some. They will start to nibble on it, and in a week or so, start eating it with gusto. I provide mine with a selection of alfafa and timothy, but just one or the other is fine as well. They will also start to sample whatever mom is eating.

Some people reccomend not feeding veggies to youngsters till about 4-6months of age, but I've found that allowing them to sample what mom is eating works well. Just watch for signs of runny poos (which I have yet to see), and don't feed that veggie to the babes again till older. Most of the time I'll give some veggies, wait a day or two to see if tummies are upset, and then give more. I've yet to run into a problem with this technique.

I have never added anything to my water, and I believe the Terramycinis added to water in large rabbitries, with lots of buns and lots of exposure to many germs and viruses. Just wash your hands, and keep other buns away from the babies, and you should be fine.Momma's milk should have enough anti-bodies in it to help babies fight off any nasties.

I hope I answered all of your questions, if not please feel free to ask away! We are here to help and support you. Please ask whatever questions you have, no matter how small or silly they feel, I'll do my best to answer them.

And don't forget to start a blog for these little cutties!!We all want to see more pictures as they grow!http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_forum.php?id=6


--Dawn


 
LOL, yes you can come and see them on Saturday, and play with them all you want.

Whenever I have babies I hold them everyday. They normally sit on my lap while I watch TV in my fleecie blanket. I find the babies to be very friendly this way, and not scared of being held.

--Dawn
 
Hi. I breed lionhead rabbits and we handle our babies even before they have their eyes open. We find it helps them become more socialized.

I like to add a bit of uncooked oats (long cooking oatmeal) to the cage for them the first few days their eyes are open....along with the hay and feed. Mamas love the oats too.

I don't add much - maybe a tablespoon at most?

Peg
 
The babies have left the nest box and are busily exploring the cage and pen. I've removed some toys which I thought might be a hazard (baby links/rings). Is it ok if the babies chew on cardboard?

Miranda had a new behavior for me this morning. I've created a little vestibule/extension at the end of the pen. This is where I sit when I interact with Miranda. Since it's usually closed off from the pen, she is not protective of this space. Usually, she will come over to me and explore around me. She has allowed me to scratch her nose and will sometimes hop into my lap. She has sometimes nibbbled at my clothing. Today she ran circles around me. She positively tugged at my clothing and she nibbled at my fingers. She didn't bite or break skin, but I could feel her teeth pinching just a little. This was the first time the babies had been in the pen. Was she trying to chase me out? Should I avoid interacting with the bunnies in the pen area?

Should I be actively trying to socialize the babies? With adults, I understand that you let them come to you. Do you use the same approach with babies, or do you pick them up an let them get used to being handled?

Here are the latest pictures:


















 
The babies look very healthy! Good job!

YES, hold them everyday, as much as you can. Play with them,and get them used to being held and examined. This is acrucial time for babies, if they aren't handled much at this age, they become harder to handle later.

I was told by a vet that nibbling on the cardboard is okay, that it provides fiber... Not sure if I 100% believe it, but I have noticed that the bunnies would rather shred the cardboard than eat it anyways.

Mom may be acting protective, but I would just try to work her through that. Continue to visit and interact with her. Make sharp "Ow" noises when she nips. Hopefully she will learn not to bite.

--Dawn
 
Dawn gave great advice......definitely handle those babies now because it will make it easier for them to be socialized at a later age.

I wouldn't be overly concerned about mama's behavior - it sounds like she was being protective. If she had been deliberately trying to hurt you, I'd maybe be more concerned but she's being a good mama.

You might want to interact with the babies outside of the pen area(take them out and play with them without mama) so that they become used to you and maybe when mama sees them getting along so well with you - she'll be less protective.

I am always pleased though when I have a protective mama 'cause it is good for the babies to have a mama that cares about them and will take care of them.

Just my .02

Peg
 
Oh, that little brown one is tugging at my heart! Those little white marks on his nose and head need kissing!

They're both adorable and mama is pretty, too.

I wouldn't be able to give up any of them!


 
I must admit - I keep looking at that chocolate one and its markings...I'm a sucker for mismarks and sport markings and stuff like that.

Peg

Snuggys Mom wrote:
Oh, that little brown one is tugging at my heart! Those little white marks on his nose and head need kissing!

They're both adorable and mama is pretty, too.

I wouldn't be able to give up any of them!
Click to expand...
 

I find that I'm failing as a foster once again, because I am falling in love with this little family. The thought of returning them to the Humane Society breaks my heart. Seeing how much they enjoy the x pen, I can't imagine confining them to a tiny cage. The only problem is - there is another bunny at the Humane Society who also tugs at my heart.

This is Shirley:

Shirley.jpg



She is 2 years old and has been at the Humane Society fora year and a half. She came in with her sister who died there. She is a bigger girl and suffers from the red eyed white bunny prejudice. As you can see, the photo of her from the Humane Society's website is grossly unflattering. What it doesn't show is that she has the most delicate, silvery shadings on her ears and nose, like she was kissed by moonlight. She comes alive in an X pen and is a exurberantly graceful dancer.

So here's the dilemma- much as I love my little family, I'm thinking that their attractiveness and youth will give them a pretty good chance at adoption. Shirley doesn't have any of those advantages. So how do I weigh my attachment to one group over the need of another?


 
I wish I could answer that for you, but I can't. One thing to consider is that the babies are very easy to find homes for. And maybe they'll let you foster them until they get homes? Could their "ownership" get transfered to the HRS perhaps? That way you'd also get to meet their potential new parents and voice your opinion of them.

After the babies are weaned, you could try introducing the mama and Shirley. It's possible they'll get on well and you could keep them both. That's another option.
 
That would be a very very hard choice.:?
 
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