Newborn Bunny HELP needed !

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kat70

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Hi,

we had a litter of kits 2 days ago im checking in on them once a day.There are two really wrinkly scrawny ones that look as though they havnt been fed the rest are like little fat hippos !

I have 10 little ones in all but these two are so skinny .What should i do ???

I have heard you can give them a top up with goats milk ??
 
What I would do is take out the not so well fed babies, and let them have a go at mom with out the other compitition.

The best possible thing for them is to get mom's milk.

So either take the fat babies out of the nest box for and put them in a temperary nest box, or put the little ones in a temperary nest box.

Then take mom and stuff her in the nest box, hold her gently on the nest for at least 5 minutes, to allow the babies to get a good feed.

The small babies should look full after this. If not you may need to try holding mom on her back and holding a baby up to a nipple. This is more of a two person job, one to hold mom and one to hold the baby and protect it in case mom kicks.

Try the first method first, it should work.

After the small ones have fed, stick all the babies back together.

You may need to do this for a few days untill the small ones catch up in size or no longer seem under fed.

Good luck,

--Dawn
 
Hi,

Ive thought about doing this but ive read so many times not to touch newborns or spook the mum as she may reject them??

I will have a go at bringing mum into the house and getting my daughter to hold her whilst i try toget the two little ones to suckle.

In the meantime if this does not work what can i do??or can i give them a top up.It is such a shame to see them.
 
If you are worried about mom rejecting the baby then you can try these steps:

Wash your hands with non-perfumed soap, and then before touching babies rub your hands all over mom to get her smell on your hands. Then the babies shouldn't smell too much like you.

Or once you are done with the babies, put a tiny dab of vanilla on the babies and some on mom's nose, that way they all smell the same to her.

But I've never had a problem with mom rejecting babies after I've handled them. I always take the babies out and check them over and give them cuddles every day, right from day one. As long as momma bunny trusts you, it's okay. I didn't even have problems with my foster mom, who had never met me before. She let me take the babies out of the cage and touch them, then put them back. I also had to force her on top of the nest, as she was not a very good milk producer, so the extra stimulation helped her to produce more.

Definitly try holding mom on the nest first, less stressful for everyone, then the flipping of mom if that doesn't work. And if all that doesn't work, then you can try Kitten milk, but if the babies are not nursing on there own, there's a good chance they won't make it.

--Dawn
 
Hi,

Thanks im thinking maybe because there are 10 kits?? thats why they are not nursing ?

Im going to rush to the supermarket and buy some kitten milk quick before it shuts just in case.


 
The smaller ones may just be having a hard time fighting for a nipple. So giving them the chance to nurse with out the bigger babies will give them a head start and the chance to get some milk with out having to fight.

I'm sure they'll be okay with an extra nursing.

And I would do that once a day untill the little ones get big enough to fight for a nipple.

--Dawn
 
Be sure mom is getting enough pellets and some veggies for added moisture in her diet. Ten is a big litter to feed!

I would give the smaller babies an extra nursing. As Dawn pointed out - mother's milk is best :) Take the doe and set her on your lap on a towel and give her a little treat. Place the babies under her to nurse for ashort time.

I wouldn't give goat's milk due to the chances of the babies aspirating the milk and dying due to pneumonia.

Pam
 
hi,

im giving her plenty of food etc & water .

I dont really want to give them goats milk , its just to give them something.Im going to try tonight to feed them on her .I just dont want them to die.

I picked the little ones up today and it was sucking my hand i felt so sorry as the others are really fat with swollen tums.
 
hi,

just had a go the two little pink ones had a suckle but mum was really stressed out biting and everything.

The other ones are fine.im worried that she may eat the litter as she was really stressed out.
 
She should be okay.

Was she trying to bit you or the babies? As long as she wasn't biting the babies, then she'll be okay.

And did the babies suckle enough to get full bellies?

Also, what type of rabbits are these? Do they carry a dwarfing gene? Because they may be peanuts if they do. And peanust very rarely make it past a week of age. They are just to genetically weak due to having a double dwarf gene.

--Dawn
 
Hmmm...

Well try again tomorrow.

Maybe try giving her some of her favourite treats to keep her mind off it.

You don't want to stress mom out, but the babies need to feed for about 5 minutes...

Where you holding her on the nest or where you holding her on her back and holding the babies to the nipples?

Maybe one of the other breeders can jump in with some other advice? I've given about all I know.

I hope it works out.

--Dawn
 
i held the babies to her nipples. i didnt put her on her back though .I could here the baby sucking so it got a few mouthfuls the same with the other.
 
hi the little ones have had a feed .im going to check on them soon.there is a big difference in their size.i posted a photo of two of the litter on the forum under "3 day old kits".
 
kat70 wrote:
i held the babies to her nipples. i didnt put her on her back though .I could here the baby sucking so it got a few mouthfuls the same with the other.
Click to expand...


Don't ever put the doe on her back to nurse the kits. She can kick out and seriously injure herself or her kits. This position may also stress her, preventing the milk from letting down.

The best way to let kits get an extra nursing is to set the doe on a towel on your lap, give her a little treat so she relaxes and her milk "lets down", and place the kits under her.

Pam
 
I've never done the flip technique, just read it online in a lot of places. But I will know now to not suggest it any more...

I've always been able to just set mom on top of the nest and give her lots of pets or treats to keep her there long enough for the babies to feed.

--Dawn
 
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