Supplement with hand feeding?

[aurora369]

Well last night I picked up a little foster bun and her 5 babies, born May 24th.  They were staying at a local humane society.  Mom is a tiny little Netherland mix (well,that's my best guess), but she's smaller than Wildfire.

Mom is producing milk, but not quite enough to give babies the round ping pong ball bellies.  The lady at the shelter started hand feeding them on Wednesday, and I picked them up yesterday.

I held mom over the nest last night for a few minutes, as well as this morning.  I'm hoping that extra stimulation will encourage mom to produce more milk.

The babies are sleeping soundly, and energetic when you put your hand in the nest.

I'm afraid hand feeding will make the babies not hungry enough when mom feeds them, causing mom to produce even less milk.

What do you guys advise?  They are 9 days old today, so it's not long before they will start eating normal food.

Thanks,
--Dawn

 

[SunnieBunnie Rabbitry]

I would continue to "force" the doe to nurse the kits twice a day (Morning & Evening - 12 hr intervals) for AT LEAST 5 minutes each feeding.

These forced nursings will ensure the babies get enough to eat AND will cause the doe to produce more due to the higher demand *hopefully*.

Once the babies eyes open - should be in 1-5 days - then wait 3 days and then you can stop the forced feedings and let her go back to her own normal schedule of feeding.  You don't want her to be engorged with milk when it comes time for the kits to transition over to solids.

~Sunshine

 

[aurora369]

Thanks for the advice Sunshine!

I'll just continue to do the feedings then.

I figured that would be the best way to go.  Mom will actually sit for a good bit if I rub her ears while she's nursing.

Put mom on the nest at 7 this morning, so I'll put on again tonight.<

Ugh, that means I'll be getting up at 7 on the week end.  Oh well, babies cuteness makes up for it...

--Dawn