UPDATE motherless babies... at my house

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Mr. Stee

Mr. Stee

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Jul 27, 2005
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Location
Stee's Stable, Wisconsin, USA
A man in town had a mother give birth to babies and then she died less than a week later. The she passed away today (tuesday in USA) and the man doesn't know how to take care of the babies. Babies are moving around, but eyes are still closed. Hair just coming in. Specific age not known beyond under a week. Gave birth while caretakers were out of town and friend was feeding them. Friend didn't notice the birth. Not much else is known currently. Advice please. Thank you.
 
James, I replied to your email but also just thought- call Dr. Bixler or Dr. Travis and see what they recommend. Also see if they know of good rabbit breeders in the area. Maybe we can find a foster mom for them who isn't currently being treated for syphilis?

Just in case, go pick Jazzy up and see if she feels like she has much milk left. I'm not sure if she's started weaning the babies yet or not but she felt like she had milk on Friday.

From what I know, KMR doesn't work well and baby buns tend to breathe in liquid when being bottle nursed.:?
 
Ok, vet (Dr. Travis,but actually told to me by avet tech that used to breed rabbits) recommends hand feeding as it's doubtful we'll find a breeder with a healthy doe and litter of the right age.

Apparently there are recipes for rabbit milk that are better than KMR, but she no longer has the websites so I'm searching for those now. Once Dr. Bixler gets out of surgery the vet tech will talk to her and is also calling the owner.

Any website recommendations or tips?
 
I believe Randy has a good recipe he uses for his coton tails and domestic rescues. You could try getting a hold of him to see what it is.

I have hand fed a couple of babies with KMR, but they where in bad shape before I got them, and none made it. But I do know of a baby that was hand raised on KMR from a very young age that is now a fully grown, healthyadult.

--Dawn
 
I've pm'd him and am waiting for a reply. For now I think we're going to have to go with one of the KMR/Esbilac recipes (they add some heavy cream). Even with Randy's recommendation of a milk replacement to buy, it won't get here soon enough to feed the kits today.

Poor little buggers.:tears2:
 
If you have to feed a kitten replacement formula, I've had better luck with Farnam's Just Born with Colostrum. No, it's not ideal, but I think better than the KMR. I raised a litter of Flemish on it last Christmas and they did pretty good. If they will suckle, a bottle is best, but if not, Syringe feeding is OK, but when you feed, make sure you hold the babies with their heads upright (noses pointing at the sky). Helps keep overflow from getting into the nose. If they asperate (inhale into the lungs) the formula, they risk pneumonia.

Their eye's should open in4-5 days. At 2 weeks, start them on crushed up pellets and cooking oat meal (Quaker oats). No greens or fruits.

So sad when this happens. But with good care, most of them should be fine.

(The formula Randy recommends has to be mail ordered and takes a day(on rush)to come. But it is really excellent.)

 
Thanks, BlueGiants! I'll see if we can find that in the area. The recipes I'm looking at (in the unfinished threads section visible to mods) are mainly KMR or Esbilac plus heavy whipping cream, some add vitamins or other stuff.

Hopefully James will update me (and us, lol) about what's going on. He's home again and should be in contact with the owner and our vets.
 
Update! The babies are older than the owners thought. I don't know what their cage setup is like but the babies have their eyes open already, so definitely more than one week. There are only two, there was a third that died. James says they are very malnourished. He fed them some milk mix (milk replacer + heavy cream) and will give them some Pedialyte later as they're probably dehydrated too.

And... we're taking them for now. The owners are uncomfortable caring for them, and they have a pretty full house with a kid, several dogs, and the daddy bun. Not to mention the guy has a broken leg and can't get around well. So they're coming home with us for a week or so until they're healthy and eating solids.

Apparently they're purebred "German Netherlands," whatever those are. The dad looks like a Nethie and the owners have pedigrees for both. Someone's fancy name for normal nethies perhaps?

Wish us luck! This'll be an adventure.
 
Actually, that is good news. Older is better. I DO wish you good luck. But if they have made it this far, they must be real fighters... :hug:
 
They are here and they are fed, sort of. I am having a hard time judging the amount to give them because of their health and size vs. age. So I am giving them food and drink in small, regular doses. They are definitely older than originally said.

I also took pictures real quick. Remember these are babies from a sick/dead mother and not-as-skilled owners. There is no intentional abuse here. Though the babies look like skin and bones, the owners had done all they could in their capabilities to get them healthy and were searching for answers and 100% trying all that vets, the humane society, and we were asking them to. Please pray for there better health and long life.

Without further ado, the twins.

The smaller one
fencd4.jpg


The bigger one.
ra93z6.jpg


In their new nest.
2e21du9.jpg

 
They are so very tiny...

I think it's wonderful of both of you take them in.

You're getting to be pro's with the babies :)
Ihope that they make it!!!:pray:
 
OMG, are they from wild caught rabbits??? Domestic baby rabbits do not have the white spot on their head as them do and they have the wild look. Why where they breeding(yet alone catching) wild rabbits? In wild baby rabbits once that white spot goes away they are pretty much ready to leave mom.
 
I don't know why they are like wild rabbits. I saw the dad. Though he had the color of a wild rabbit, he didn't have the fur nor the body/head of a wild. He had a fur that was a fuzzy, mid-length and the body/head of a larger dwarf breed. The owners said he was in breeder shows already, but wasn't able to win because of the body structure being a little off. They said the mom looked similar, but was more grey (which they said, caused her not to win also because they said she is suppose to be a lighter color for her breed) I don't know what right or not, just what they told me.
 
Morning update: They're still kicking! Although the smaller one doesn't kick much and takes longer to wake up for feedings.:?

According to my el-cheapo plastic kitchen scale, the small one (with the white spot) is 2 oz and the larger is about 2.5 oz.

I'm using a Snuggle Safe to keep them warm as they don't seem to be doing a good job of it with just the two of them. They like to turn on their sides and press their bellies up against it.

We're feeding them every few hours, and the milk is watered down with Pedialyte as I'm still worried they might be dehydrated. They look a little better than last night, probably because I gave them a good bit of straight Pedialyte.
 
Mr. Stee and naturestee, see what Randy has to think? I second the concern that bunnybunbunb has. With that thin blaze they remind me of cottontails...

BlueGiants, aurora or anyone else, have you experienced domestic agoutis that have the blaze on their forehead?

I tried to link a picture of cottontail babies but it didn't work. When our abandoned agouti domestic female delivered, none of the tykes had the stereotypical blaze.

From experiences I've had with cottontails, the blaze will disappear to some degree as the youngster matures.
 
Keepong fingers crossed for you :)

If they are german nethies have they maybe been imported certainly I have a german bred nethie and their fur is much thicker than ours and slightly different shape. I have seen a chestnut agouti nethie over here with white on it not desirable though for breeders.
Edit to add I am sure the guy commenting on it said something about REW being in teh history but not 100% sure I am sure Pam will know ;)
 
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