[OakHollowBoers]

I don't know if anyone has tried something similar, but I am attempting to foster a NZ kit to a Holland Lop doe. First-time NZ doe had 9, one of them wasn't getting much to eat (they were just born Tuesday), and I didn't feel like having to make sure it ate decently a couple times a day. One of my HL had kindled at the same time, with 4, so I have put him in with hers.

Not something I would necessarily suggest, considering the difference in growth, but I think it might work in this instance. This HL is a false dwarf and weighs in at over 5# and has raised a litter of 7 very successfully.

I'll let you know how it works (or doesn't). Don't think I will have too much trouble telling them apart!

 

[KSALguy]

If the litters are the same age there is no reason it shouldnt work. But honestly a litter of 9 is normal. Unless this one kit was a runt to begin with it should have been fine. Moving it to the other litter won't hurt anything.

 

[LFRJ]

We tossed an orphaned wild kit in the nest box with our NZ doe - same age roughly as hers, and she raised it, know problem. It didn't grow too fond of his foster siblings though. When it was old enough, it flew the coop pretty quickly first chance it could - but we declared victory just the same. Big difference in behavior, those wild ones in contrast to the domestic ones.

 

[KSALguy]

Wild cottontail rabbits are completely different species from domestic. They naturally dispurse away from their own kind as soon as they are able. Once eyes are open and they are moving good they are gone. Domestic/European rabbits don't dispurse until later and not as far.

 

[OakHollowBoers]

So far, so good, although I think he is freezer material, not breeding. Yesterday was the first time he had a nice frog belly. He had been eating better than when he was with his own, but not nearly as good as the rest of either litter. Today he is almost as big as the HL kits.

One of the other NZ kits died. I guess it just had something wrong with it because it has been hot, but it cooled off a little so not as bad out. He was very well fed so he didn't starve.

Otherwise, all are doing well.