rejected kits

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Liddellsbunbuns

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Hey everyone I need some help. I have a doe that rejected her kits after having to bring them in for a while b/c of this crazy storm we've been having in Southern California blew off part of the roof in my rabbitry and was getting all the nest boxes wet. I covered the mamas up with plastic to keepthem dry until my husband fixed the roof but I had to bring the babies inside to warm them up and dry the nest boxes. They were away from their mamas for quite some timebut I made sure to keep them in mamas fur so they would still smell like her. The other 2 does took their babies back wonderfully but not this one doe. When I checked on them this morning the nest box was torn up, luckily the babies managed to huddle together and get under some hay to keep warm. So what do I do now? I dont thinkI can foster them to the other 2 does since their kits are almost 2 weeks older and are now venturing out of the nestboxes. So then, do I bring mama in during feeding time and have them feed from her?
 
Thanks everyone, thats what I will try. :) I hate that I had to take them away yesterday but the poor nestbox was soaked (wood) so much that it was dripping all over my kitchen floor from it sitting on the kitchen table. I am lucky that they were able to stay warm enough for me to find them still alive.

So should I just bring her in once at night and feed them or should I just watch and feed as they act like they are hungry? They are 9 days old.
 
Bring her in in the mornings. ;) Does nurse more often in the mornings than they do in the evenings. ;)

If she will nurse them, and they get enough feed to have ping pong bellies, then there won't be reason to supplement with a formula. ;)

Emily
 
ok so it seems that mama's milk is drying up. Her teets appeared normal and when I tried to stimulate them no milk was coming out. I even tried putting the babies on her and they seem to not be getting anything. So I am using my other 2 does to help feed them. One has a litter of 4 and the other has a litter of 3, both litters are almost 3 weeks old. The babies seem to do much better on these two does. Although they are not all getting ping pong bellied. I do let them eat until they stop and appear to be full by just laying on the mama's belly and not trying to drink anymore.

I am also having some trouble potting them. I havent been able to get 2 of them to do it yet. I tried the warm wash cloth but that doesnt seem to be working. :( Anyone have any ideas?
 
Why not try moving all the older babies to one mom and try fostering this younger litter to the other mom? The doe's temperament determines how that will go, but it's worth a shot.
 
I didnt think of that, it could work they both are very easy-going does. I will try that, thank you! Should I put vicks or something like that on the doe's nose until the others smell like her?
 
You can do something like that if you want, but in my experience, it doesn't do too much. If the doe is an accepting mother, she'll take on pretty much any babies. If she's not, nothing will really change her mind. lol

It definitely helps that you are in this situation before weaning age. Usually around 6 weeks is when does will start becoming territorial about "strange" rabbits again. But with kits younger than that, many more laid back does don't really know or care. :)
 

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