Dead kits, is she done?

Hi everyone, Jenny here. Pet rabbit mom, but after browsing a few forums this felt the most welcoming and non judgemental. I have Leah a doe given to me by the humane society and then when I was at an exotic pet store picking up supplies for my sugar gliders I got given a rex buck that they had been trying to sell but no one would buy and I was petting him so they said take him. They live inside, in a double x pen with floor stall mats and have litter boxes and hides. So i didn't spay leah because it was gonna be close to $500. I did neuter rusty, didn't know they are still fertile (gliders are sterile upon neuter). Put him with Leah right after neuter. Friday Leah started making a nest in the litter box so I ran to tractor supply and got a nesting box. she made a nest with hay and scraps of fleece I gave her. Didn't pull fur yet. Last night I went to bed at midnight no fur in nest, woke up to fur filled nest box (lots of fur) 3 dead kits about 5 feet from the nest box on the floor, 2 overgroomed (feet and tail gone). I read thats common with first time moms. she's building the nest and pulling more fur and there was just a spot of blood on the floor, could there be more coming???

How long should I leave the nest box in her pen? Should I take it now or give her time to grieve (do they grieve?) She keeps pulling more and more fur and building it up. I'm sad, I was excited about the babies even though it was an oops. I know if I went to a pet rabbit forum I would catch a lot of backlash for not spaying her etc.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice.

If she's still pulling fur there could be more on the way, or she could just be nesting. I would leave the box in for the day and if she still hasn't had more babies by tomorrow night then you can take it out.
I'm sorry about the loss of the kits, it's always a hard experience. it is common for first time moms to have a rough litter.
She might be a bit confused for a day or so but they usually seem fine after that.
I would give her a couple of mint leaves every day if possible, this will dry up the milk and prevent mastitis.

Does it matter if it is spearmint or peppermint leaves? And thank you.

Wait to give the mint until your sure there are no more kits on the way but either of those will work.

Oh and welcome to the forum it is a great place for ALL rabbit owners so long as they are respectful of others. I'm sorry she lost the kits. It's fairly common for first time rabbit mom's to make mess of things. Sounds like you did everything right though.

It won't do any harm to leave the nest box for a few days. It sounds as though her instincts kicked in a bit late, which is often the case with first timers.

I agree with Alforddm - hold off on the mint until you are certain that there are no more kits to come. Imagine if you dried up her milk and then she had a couple more kits.

Either spearmint or peppermint are fine for reducing milk production. Garden sage also works.

Welcome to RabbitTalk! :welcome: I think you'll like it here.

Honestly, what it sounds like to me is she had a difficult birth, which is why the kits died, and some were born outside of the nestbox. In my opinion, those were probably already dead before she ate the feet, rabbits will start to eat dead kits to clean it up. If she's eating and moving around, she's probably done, but if you want to check, you can feel her belly; at this stage if there were living kits you should be able to feel movement from them, even without putting pressure on her. Mother rabbits don't really grieve, and you can take out the nestbox, unless you're holding out hope that she might have another baby, in which you can leave it in there. You don't have to do anything to reduce milk production, it goes away on its own, and, esp. in first time does, doesn't really get going until the kits are older. I've never used any mint or whatever, and none of my does have had problems after losing a litter or weaning.

So sorry you lost the kits It's such a bummer when that happens. You did great, though! Anything happening this morning?

I have had a doe struggle with birth and have scattered dead babies and then one or two live ones 24 hours later. I would leave the box just to make sure.

Thank you for the advice and encouragement everyone. I'm pretty sure she is done. She's eating and hopping around. I feel so bad looking at her because she has a bald spot on her shoulder from where she pulled fur. This may be a stupid question but it will grow back just fine right?

Don't worry! Her fur will certainly grow back. And I agree, if there is no sign of more kits by now, she must be finished. Disappointing for you, but at least your doe is none the worse for it.