Kits born on wire - need quick help

mousebandit · #1 04/29/11, 06:17 PM

Okay, apparently the doe that we thought was not pregnant had accepted service after all and had 5 babies on the wire today. They were very cold, but 4 revived from my body heat and warming in water. We brought the doe's cage in the house, have her in the bathroom where it's warmer than outside, and quickly put together her next box, pulled some fur from her (she hadn't pulled any these last few days, another reason we thought she wasn't pg) and after the babies were really warm, put them in there. Hubby put her in the next with them and last time I checked she was still there.

What next? What should I do, watch for? We had our other doe kindle last Sunday, but she had 8 and I'm not sure she can foster any. I'm also not sure that this doe won't take care of them, this wasn't really her fault. First litter for both of them (and us).

Our first thought was to warm the bathroom up quite a bit, but then we thought that it might stress the doe to have it to warm in there.

Suggestions welcome!! I will never trust that "test breeding" trick again, LOL!!

Mouse Bandit

qwertty57 · #2 04/29/11, 08:34 PM

I would make sure they have bubble bellies and make sure they are warm to the touch.

But before you touch them pet her and give her some kind of treat to keep her happy.

mousebandit · #3 04/30/11, 02:15 AM

Update - she was staying in the box with them steadily. We had to run to town, and when we got home, she was off the nest, but as soon as we walked in the room she jumped back on. We went ahead and moved her off and 2 more were dead, and the other 2 were cold and wet. I think she's peeing on them maybe. There just is hardly any fur compared to the other doe's nestbox. So, we took the 2 living ones out (took care of the deceased as well) and warmed them up with our body heat and put them back. Put more straw in, but don't know what else to use in lieu of her fur. As a last-chance effort, we went and got 2 of the babies from the other doe (they're 6 days old now), and when I got out there, I don't see any fur anymore in her nest box, and her babies were damp and not anywhere near as warm as they usually are.

What is happening? I went ahead and brought 2 of those back (leaving the first doe her other 6) and put them under this doe with the 2 new babies. Is this a bad idea, any chance of it helping?

How can you tell if they have bubble bellies? She seems to be being attentive and concerned, except for the peeing thing and no fur pulling.

I am very worried they won't make it through the night.

THANKS!
Mouse Bandit

mousebandit · #4 04/30/11, 02:17 AM

Oh, and she's showing no interest in her carrot from when we first brought her in the house this afternoon. Food hasn't gone down substantially, so I don't know if she's eating much either. But, it's only been 4 or 6 hours I guess.

THANKS!

HomesteadingSal · #5 04/30/11, 07:01 AM

My immediate thought was this: this doe is stressed out. Not only from the birth, but from being moved into the house with a strange box of babies. I think you would have been better off to have warmed up the babies, put them in the box, outside in her original cage.

I believe she stayed in the box due to stress, thus not even caring for the kits (not feeding and peeing on them). This is also why she's not eating. Put her and her box back in her original cage and see what happens.

MaggieJ · #6 04/30/11, 07:28 AM

The position of the nest box in the cage is important. If you put it in the doe's preferred potty corner, she will use it for a potty.

I agree with HomesteadingSal about the doe being stressed and doing better in her original spot. She is likely also confused, as many first time mother rabbits are, and her mothering instincts have not kicked in. Chances are that she will do better next time.

If your other doe is doing well and her kits are well-fed, I'd put the remaining two in with hers. It is probably their best chance.

Here's a link with pictures of well-fed and unfed kits. The picture quality is poor, but I think you will be able to see the difference.

mousebandit · #7 05/03/11, 02:20 AM

Thanks everyone for the advice. I think you're right - we should have just left the mamas alone and let them handle things. I think all the moving around and stuff going on just made things worse. Out of the first litter (who were all fine up to arrival of the 2nd litter a week later) we have 1 left, and the 2nd litter is all gone. Both of these were first time mamas, and this was our first experience with rabbit kindling as well, so we're chalking it up to experience. Still been a pretty sad last few days, though. Was scared to go out there this morning and see if the last little one was still alive, but he (or she) was, so that was good.

We will wait to re-breed the mama with no babies now until we can breed both the does at that same time, so that next time they kindle within a day or so of each other, although I sure don't imagine I'll be trying to swap babies again any time soon! But, those are our only 2 does right now, so we want them on the same schedule.

Again, thanks everyone for the advice! We'll keep at it, and hopefully both we and the does will get it right next litter!

Mouse Bandit

MaggieJ · #8 05/03/11, 07:38 AM

My apologies... somehow I did not post the link to the pictures of fed and unfed kits. Let's try that again.

http://rabbittalk.com/fed-vs-unfed-k...res-t3052.html

jessiesue · #9 05/04/11, 03:43 AM

I had read this thread, well yesterday morn. had a litter on the wire. The doe had kindeled once, done a good job. She hadn't pulled fur or anything, had a box...........with shavings,,,,,,,,thats th problem. I had always used hay for nest, was out, so instead bought shavings, had 2 two weeks ago to build their nest outside the box. One I caught in time and moved it to box, the other had hers on the wire, lost three. One first timer done fine with shavings. Well yesterday I put the babies in box and fur from another rabbit, along with the shavings. The doe is moving all fur and shavings from the box.
Expecting a litter tonight, will see how things go with her, being she is the best Momma I ever seen. Needles to say I,ll be buying me some hay.