I need some help as fast as possible!

[CanucksStar#17]

So my other Doe is due today and I noticed this morning that she wasn't even building a nest. I checked 10 minutes ago and she has had one baby, she gave birth to it on the wire cage floor and it was almost dead when I found it. I brought it inside and I am warming it up, I think it might have drank because it was sitting under her and it's belly is fat.

How many minutes apart do they usually have them? How old do you think this one was? He was very cold and was almost dead, how fast does it take for them to die if they are on a cold wire floor?
She isn't interested in making a nest, what do I do? I made a tunnel in the hay and tried to pull fur but I don't like pulling fur out of my rabbits it kinda scares me. Should I try to pull more fur out and then put this little guy in the nest and hope she will get the hint? Or should I wait until she has another one and then put them together to keep warm? What do I do???
I really need this batch to live!

 

[Bad Habit]

I don't really have too much to tell you, I'm afraid. I had one doe deliver 8 kits in the 15 minutes it took me to walk the dog one night, but have heard others say that does can pause their labours and continue later when they're less nervous.

All you can do is either put the one kit in the nest, and hopefully pull some hair to give her an idea of what to do, or stay up all night and watch her and save them as they come out, if she keeps having them on the wire.

Good luck!

 

[Cottie]

I empathize. We just went through some great lengths to keep the rest of our litter alive. I'm probably going to find them all dead tomorrow.

All you can do is place the kits in the nest box and hope for the best, I think. A few people have told me that sometimes does don't pull fur until after the kits are born.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Gather the kits up and keep them together in a separate "nest" until she finishes kindling. I would keep them inside until morning. My does sometime try to "dig a burrow" in their nestbox, and they have no regard for the babies when the nesting urge hits after the birth.

It wont hurt them to miss a feeding.

You can line the cage with an old towel or pieces of cardboard topped with hay or shavings so the kits have a chance if you can't stay up and watch her birth them. If you find any cold "dead" kits, make sure to warm them. The saying here at RT is that "They're not dead until they are WARM and dead."

 

[ottersatin]

So my other Doe is due today and I noticed this morning that she wasn't even building a nest. I checked 10 minutes ago and she has had one baby, she gave birth to it on the wire cage floor and it was almost dead when I found it. I brought it inside and I am warming it up, I think it might have drank because it was sitting under her and it's belly is fat.

How many minutes apart do they usually have them? How old do you think this one was? He was very cold and was almost dead, how fast does it take for them to die if they are on a cold wire floor?
She isn't interested in making a nest, what do I do? I made a tunnel in the hay and tried to pull fur but I don't like pulling fur out of my rabbits it kinda scares me. Should I try to pull more fur out and then put this little guy in the nest and hope she will get the hint? Or should I wait until she has another one and then put them together to keep warm? What do I do???
I really need this batch to live!

Pull more fur from the Dams Rump and sides,
this will not hurt her and it will pull out in clumps quite easily.
Line the nestbox with plenty of Hay, punch a hole/dip in the rear of the nest.
Line it with fur, then place the kit/kits on top and cover them with more pulled fur.
Pulling the fur will stimulate her and she may just complete the nesting on her own.
Many Does wait until the kits are born before properly building their nest.
Especially a first timer. If she should lose the kits I suggest that
you breed her back ASAP after you know for sure.
It is not kindling that stresses the Doe as much as it is
raising the offspring to weaning.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[MaggieJ]

There are substitutes for fur to keep kits warm and it is always a good idea to have some of them on hand. Dryer lint, teased cotton balls or batting, feathers from an old pillow, even shredded newspaper all help. When a doe pulls too much fur, store some of the extra to have on hand for emergencies.

One or two kits have trouble staying warm enough, unless the weather is really warm. A screw cap bottle filled with hot water with a sock pulled over it makes a good hot water bottle. Lay it along one side of the nest so the kits can gravitate toward or away from it as needed.

 

[Dood]

:yeahthat:

Rabbits can have kits up to 2 days apart.

 

[CanucksStar#17]

I have good news Last night I put the one baby that was born in the nest and pull a lot of fur, when I left the mother was in the nest. This morning I checked the nest and there were two dead because they got to cold (but not the one that was born first) There are still 5 babies alive and all look healthy with big fat bellies and are nice and cozy!

Thank You everyone for your suggestions! I really don't know what I would have done without you guys

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I have good news Last night I put the one baby that was born in the nest and pull a lot of fur, when I left the mother was in the nest. This morning I checked the nest and there were two dead because they got to cold (but not the one that was born first) There are still 5 babies alive and all look healthy with big fat bellies and are nice and cozy!

Thank You everyone for your suggestions! I really don't know what I would have done without you guys

Glad to hear it worked out!

 

[Miss M]

:bouncy:

Congratulations, and I'm glad most of them made it!

 

[MaggieJ]

That IS good news, CanucksStar! :bouncy:

Sounds to me as though the doe's mothering instincts were just a little slow kicking in... but chances are good that they will be fine now. The doe will likely do even better next time.