Please Help! Birthing Questions

[TammyP]

My bunny (lionhead) just gave birth to 6 babies, 1 stillborn and 5 living and seemingly in good health. I don't know what to expect right now. She seems to have bloody discharge (she gave birth at 3pm EST) and maybe some very wet stool pellets that appear to have blood on them...just not sure if this is from discharge or if her stools are a bit loose. Mom is very attentive to babies...when shes not gathering supplies to expand on the nest box she is lying right outside the nest box. She has pulled more hair to cover the kits. She hasn't nursed yet, and I'm wondering when this usually happens. The babies are squirmy, pink, and in a pile with her fur covering them and appear to be doing well. I'm just very nervous as this is my first litter and I don't know what to expect...especially with her stools and bleeding...please help. Thx

 

[MayBae]

Hello TammyP!! Congrats on a healthy litter!! Don't stress too much. A little blood is expected and she won't nurse for probably 24 hours. When she does it'll only take about 15 minutes. For now I'd just leave them be. Make sure mama has access to never-ending fresh water, hay, and pellets. Maybe others have more advice. Again congrats to mama and you!

 

[Preitler]

There isn't much to do now, check the nest and remove soiled and wet material, make sure the kits are warm and covered with fur, give the doe rest and privacy. After the initial check I don't disturb them for some days. It can take up to 24h for the milk to drop, usually earlier. Some does do not nurse as long as someone is around. It takes just a few minutes, sometimes I never witness a doe nursing a litter unless I stumble in during the 3 minutes she's in the nestbox.

Can't tell about the bleeding, depends on how long ago she gave birth, there were instances that I only noticed that there was a litter because there were spots of blood in the hutch. Never was a problem. Some off stools, well, giving birth isn't a piece of cake, appetite gets less 1-2 days before, and so on. Offer her lots of food, and as I already said, privacy and quite.
That little voice in their heads, their instincts, can be droned out by too much meddling.

 

[TammyP]

Thank you all for your advice. Mama seems to be doing well and is a very attentive mama. There was a tiny bit of spotting today, but her stools appear to be normal. She is taking very good care of the kits...all are apparently being feed, because they have fat little tummies and the nest is like a little oven. I know I should leave them alone, but I just couldn't help myself and snuck some pics of the babies when mama left the room to lay on the cool stone hearth of our fireplace. I can't wait to see what they will look like in a few weeks...so precious!