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Ivory

Ivory

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You guys remember Zorro, that little Dwarf Hotot I fostered about a month ago?

(He's doing really well btw, all of his cuts have healed and his fur is growing and he's gaining weight well)

Anyway....

The day before I brought him home to be neutered, he got out of his pen and into the main bunny yard for...oh...a half an hour? An hour? Well, MHRR has a rabbit named Muffin who hadn't been spayed quite yet, but was scheduled to. She had free run of the yard with the three residents. Unfortunately she missed two of her appointments because we couldn't find her to catch her, because she was always in some tube or another, so they just would get another rabbit done instead of her, and figured we'd eventually catch her. Muffin is about six-seven pounds at least and really cute, actually I think she's adorable, despite being rather evil.

Back to Zorro...that little BOOGER got her PREGNANT.

So she had kits! Only three, and two died right afterwards, we're not entirely sure why...we think she kicked them out of the nestbox on accident during the night, we had a cold freeze, and she didn't gather them back (from what I understand, they don't move their babies around).

HE got HER pregnant literally the day before he was neutered, and SHE had her babies the day before she was getting spayed!

I'm just imaginging little two-pound Zorro trying to mount six-pound Muffin...

The surviving kitten has perfect Hotot markings, all white with just black eye rings. It's about a week old and doing really well, tummy is full and skin is nice and pink. But I just had some questions....

When we get to weaning time (I know I'm jumping the gun here) should we worry about putting some probiotic (such as Avipro) or some kind of antibiotic (Neomycin, or terramycin) in the water? Or an electrolyte solution for Muffin (such as Pfizer Ltd.)?

We just want to give the kitten the greatest chances of living. Muffin is a pretty good mom, although she does occasionally step on the little thing. But feeding and all that, she's good about.

Yes, I'm paranoid, but I'm not a breeder and I just want to make sure this little thing is okay.

Here's a pic from a few days ago, it's gotten some more hair since then.

kitbelly.jpg


kitten.jpg


Here's Muffin

LA158.9090633-3-x.jpg

 
If Muffin is raising her and nursing her, she won't need any probiotics. She'll get what she needs from Muffin. We start the babies on rolled oats (regular oatmeal) and pellets at 3-4 weeks (Don't let Muffin scoff them away from the baby! LOL!). Hay is always available. We wean the smaller rabbits at 6 weeks.

I also avoid all greens until they are over 12 weeks of age. Just personal preference. Then we introduce one green at a time to make sure they have no reaction to it.


Zorro is a little randy!
 
I agree with Blue giants, that the mum provides everything through the food. I give the babies dried grass along with hay and they love it as its shorter and easier to eat i usually see them eating that before they get on to pellets.

Muffin is gorgeous:)
 
I wouldn't give the baby anything except oats, pellets and hay for the first 4 months. Then you can start introducing new things slowly. Remember, a baby bunnys' digestive system is still developing. I wouldn't even give antibotics or even probiotics without a vet overseeing it. Just not worth losing the baby.

Sharon
 
I thought that it wouldn't be necessary to add any probiotics, I was just a little worried. I don't want their gut flora messing up, although that's more with cottontails than with domestics/European rabbits.

She's nursing well and the kit is always toasty and warm, with a fully belly and pink skin, whenever we check on her. I was just curious if there would be anything else I could do.

Muffin is also doing well, but she is very full of milk. We're watching her for any discolorations or other signs of mastitis. Again, yes, I am paranoid. I see too much of when it goes wrong, I don't think I see enough of when it goes right, because I always expect it to go wrong.

We obviously want to get Muffin spayed after the kitten is weaned. My book says different things- that they can be weaned at different ages, and that there are advantages to each one. I was thinking weaning at about six, seven weeks? That seems to be a good time for them. I know some wean them sooner but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

But everyone is doing well, I was just worried.
 
A breeder around here weans some of his at five, they do well, but five seemed too young to me. I think six sounds good.

Heh, I'm so enthralled and scared by this experience, I've never had a litter (even just with one kit) and it's a bit scary. We did have babies this time last year, but I wasn't nearly as involved in the rescue back then.
 
Some moms wean the kits at 5 weeks, but I always leave them with her for the full 6 weeks. It's comforting to the baby to still have mom around, and I think it gives their immune system a little more time to develop before they are exposed to the rest of the world (and all the stresses that come along with it.)

The law in our State (NY) says you can't sell a baby rabbit until it is 8 weeks old. That way, we wean (seperate) at 6 weeks and the baby has 2 additional weeks before it is subjected to the stresses of a new environment. Gives the baby a better chance of survival.
 
The only time I've weaned at younger than 6 weeks is if mama starts chasing the baby and trying to mount it or attack it (because she wants to breed). That usually happens in late spring/early summer. I'm sure it is probably late enough in the year that the baby can stay with mama the full six weeks.

I've also had some litters that I let stay with their mama for longer - like 7 weeks. Miss Bea loves being a mother. I once was weaning another litter the same age as hers and their mama wanted them gone at 6 weeks and when I would take her kits away from her for a couple of hours she really missed them and looked around for them.

Of course, at the time, she was raising them in our closet and she was a freeroaming bunny in our bedroom. In fact, she and Tiny were sorta raising them together (I know it sounds crazy but it is true...they were living together in our bedroom although the kits weren't his and they would crawl all over him and stuff - it was hilarious).

I finally weaned her kits a little bit after 7 weeks of age and she still was upset...but she let them go.

I think I'd wait to see how mama feels around 6 weeks of age...I'm sure she'll let you know.

Oh - and congrats on the healthy baby....

Peg
 
Just as another side to it... I wean my Flemish between 8 and 10 weeks. Most of my Flemish Does produce milk right up through the 8 weeks. I think it makes for healthier, hardierbabies. (But keep in mind that the Flemish mature slower than smaller breeds. Some of my Mini Rex are almost ready to breed by then!)
 
I wean mine at 6 weeks. I have Dutch and Jersey Woolies. Sometimes, like Peg said, the moms try to "ride" the baby and then I have to wean early. I sell my babies at 8 weeks and up. In my state (CT), the law says 6 weeks but I feel that is too early to sell. I like to make sure that the babies make the switch well.

Sharon
 
awww the baby is beautiful, its a shame the other two died (rip little ones) would love to see pictures of this one growing up looks like their going to be a stunner!
 
I think that six weeks will be good. I don't think that Muffin is particularly enjoying being a mother. Maybe, after she is spayed and the bun is a little older, they can be rebonded as a pair. We had this happen with one.

I admit I'm really really really really really excited about having a Hotot-marked bun! I LOVE HOTOTS! If I could breed any breed.....Dwarf Hotots and Blanc de Hotots would be it.

Some people say that they're kind of evil, but I love them!
 
Aw, what a gorgeous baby! Even if he wasn't planned.

I love dwarf hotots. Fey isn't evil at all, she's very sweet. Sprite was spunky but could be very sweet too. What I don't like is their genetic intestinal problems. RIP Spritely.:(
 
Awwww I think Zorro is one smart cookie! He needed to continue the generations... Lol. Poor thing, only one last chance and he took it. Lol :p

The baby is sooo cute. I am sorry the others didn't make it.
 
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