Djakarta
Well-Known Member
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.
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.