2 part question (diarrhea) & kit weight

[mystang89]

I really hate making new threads and with 2 questions about care I figured I would combine them.
I guess first would be the more important issue of the diarrhea. I bought a cali doe a couple months ago and she has always seemed to have poor eating and drinking habbits and runny stool. I looked for reason why a rabbit would have runny stools and found this website. http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/GI_diseases/Generalities/Enteritis_en.htm. Seems like it was saying that diarrhea was caused by either enteritis or Cocci. The rabbit is 14 months old. I know in chickens that cocci can kill in just a week if you are lucky to have been given that long and figure it to be the same way with rabbits. Upon reading more about enteritis is seemed to work the same way. Seeing as how I have had this doe for the better part of 3 months and it has been doing this all along, even after having a litter I figure I can safely rule out both diseases. If not, let me know.
That brings me to the next thing which I read can cause diarrhea, stress. The rabbit stresses me out more than I stress her out, of that I guarantee you. This rabbit is a spaz. She hate me. She hates my wife. She hates my children. She hates my house, my mom, dad, car...you get the point. I would LOVE to put her in the FC but since I want to have two does breed at the same time and I only have 2 does now, thanks to a sudden doe death, that option is out.
So, what would you say she had? How do I stop it? She eats about 3/4ths cup of pellets every day. If there is any other info you need, let me know.
Now on to the kit weight question. Maizy is raising 6kits and Snow was raising 6 kits. The kits are 4 weeks 2 days today as they were both born on the same day. They average out to be 1.03lbs and Snows at .934lbs. Since these are my first kits I was wondering if that is about normal for them at this age. Most of Maizy's were over a pound and almost all of Snows were under a pound. Both are pure NZW litters.
Thanks for the input.

 

[MaggieJ]

Do you feed grass hay as well as pellets? Grass hay is the single best thing you can give them to prevent or correct diarrhea. If you can, put the doe on grass hay and a handful of kitchen oatmeal for a few days and see if it helps.

Since you have not added your location to your profile, I have no idea whether you still have green weeds or not. There are several plants that can be fed to combat diarrhea. The leaves of raspberry, blackberry or strawberry are good, also the lawn weeds plantain and shepherd's purse.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plantago_major
http://www.kingdomplantae.net/shepherdsPurse.php

Personally, I would cull the doe as soon as her kits are well weaned. I would save the best female from her litter and grow it out as a replacement. She does not sound worth the bother. I know you prefer to have two does, but it will only be a few months until some of the youngsters are ready to breed. In the meantime, your other doe seems to know what she is doing.

 

[mystang89]

Thanks Maggie,
I live in Kentucky. Theres really not much left right now, fall has come in nicely. I don't feed them hay, just pellets and I don't have any way to get hay atm. I saw some on CL which I posted in a previous post of mine but can't get it right now.
EDIT: Just saw the part about strawberry leaves. I have strawberries so I might give her some leaves. I honestly don't think she will eat them. For some reason she will not eat anything I put in there leaf wise, like the other rabbits do. I put some radishes in the cage for all the rabbits, they loved them. I put some parsley in, love; put some carrots, love; but she won't eat any of it.

 

[ladysown]

i would NOT use that cali doe in your breeding program. really really wouldn't. you DO NOT want to add poor digestive issues into your bloodlines... it will cause you grief down the line.

coccidia doesn't kill immediately in rabbits. It can, but generally it just causes run down animals.

if you need two does, either find another doe, OR simply keep the biggest of all the does from your current litters (provided they make it through weaning and all that) and then breed them and go on from there.

 

[3mina]

Health issues are a culling point for me since I want easy keepers (along with the other long list of things I want in my rabbits)

 

[mystang89]

Really doesn't take much to convince me to send her to FC and since the majority consensus is to cull her..... :twisted: I've got me something to do tomorrow
Any ideas on if those kits sounds about the right size in weight to you all?

 

[3mina]

Both litters are approximately a pound at four weeks, sounds about right to me

 

[mystang89]

Thanks

 

[AnnClaire]

Yes, and you don't want the kits picking up her bad habits, so getting her out of there, and giving the kits plenty of face time to keep them docile and oriented on you/your family will be much more rewarding in the long run. Also, watch her kits and don't run the litters together during growout until you are sure that none of the kits has inherited her weaker immune system, or were infected with whatever was causing her diarrhea ... and if any of her kits show signs, cull the whole litter and choose a replacement from the other litter.

A snarky doe is one thing, a hateful one is another :tongue:

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

. I don't feed them hay, just pellets and I don't have any way to get hay atm

If you cant get hay... Then give them some straw instead .. also old fashion oats from the kitchen does amazing on rabbit.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I don't have any way to get hay atm.

When I think of Kentucky, I picture verdant fields full of Kentucky Bluegrass and high-dollar horses. Grass, grass, everywhere... I may be an unwitting victim of horse fancier's advertising, but if not, and there is abundant grass, you could harvest your own "hay" from vacant lots.

In any case, I would put hay at the top of your priority list for your rabbits. It is probably the most important factor in their diet to maintain good gut motility.

I really hate making new threads and with 2 questions about care I figured I would combine them.

Why the aversion to making new threads? You get 10 Bunnybucks every time you start a new thread, y'know. Add a picture or two and you get 11, count 'em, ELEVEN, Bunnybucks! :money:

 

[mystang89]

:hijacked: I guess since I made the thread I can sorta hijack it. How do I make my own hay with my grass clippings. The horse fields you are talking about are mainly in Lexington. There are tons of beautiful fields out there. In Louisville, if you don't take care of your yard you get burmuda grass. Anyway, I try to take care of my yard but not sure how to go about saving the grass clippings for the rabbits. Do you have to let them dry or let them eat them fresh? I'm pretty sure in the wild rabbits don't pluck their own grass and let it dry in their den.

 

[3mina]

For drying your cliping just leave them for a day or so after making sure the clumps are spread out to prevent mold, if you want to feed fresh clippings start with small amounts and work your way up to the amount you want them to have. Get them used to it slowly and they'll be fine.

As far as making hay in vacant lots is concerned, all you have to do is cut long grass and dry it in the sun. Storage is the "fun" part, thats why balers were invented, loose hay is a pain to store in large amounts.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

if you want to feed fresh clippings

If you are feeding fresh clippings, cut them with a scythe or shears- powered mowers or weed whackers crush the cut end and cause the grass to start to ferment, so make sure to dry it first.

 

[Miss M]

I leave mine in the sun for three days, but of course it is humid here. If the clippings are thick, it is good to toss them with a rake after a day or two, to make sure the clippings on the bottom get dried as well.

Mine are cut by the lawnmower. I have fed fresh clippings from the lawnmower, but it has been immediate. If I can't feed them immediately, I let them dry.

Shay just cut the grass yesterday, then this morning it rained. I don't know if I'll be able to salvage much... then, of course, there's the fact that I have no idea what the weeds are that are in it.

 

[mystang89]

Thanks everyone. I think the only things left for me to do is 1.) wait till the grass starts growing again, (winter time here) and 2 find a spot to let the grass dry out at.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Thanks everyone. I think the only things left for me to do is 1.) wait till the grass starts growing again, (winter time here) and 2 find a spot to let the grass dry out at.

Do you have a Tractor Supply in your area? They sell hay, Hay cubes, and hay pellets...

 

[AnnClaire]

Actually, mystang, any grass you can get in your hand to pull would probably be just fine as a hay