Hello. My Polish kindled on Wednesday night. Of the 6 kits born, only two survived the first nigh, a black and a gray kit. The gray one has a lot of hair and is about half the size of the black one. I checked the two today and they were both doing fine. Their bellies looked full and everything, though the gray kit was still much smaller than the black. A couple hours later I came back to check on them and the gray kit was breathing strangely: he'll stop breathing, then take a deep breath and start breathing quickly. This is the doe's first litter and she is about one and a half years old. Please help I have grown fond of the little guy.
5 day old rabbit not breathing correctly
- Thread starter Mar.K
- Start date
Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 14,520
- Reaction score
- 32
Hi, Mar.K, and welcome to RabbitTalk! :hi:
Okay, so they're five days old now. Was the grey one that much smaller when they were born? If not, he may have something wrong internally that is keeping him from growing properly. I have had a few kits like that. They grow fur enthusiastically, but never grow themselves. Eventually, they die.
How does he breathe when you pick him up and make sure he's awake? If he still breathes that way, then he probably is not going to make it, and I'm so sorry to tell you that. I've never noticed a breathing pattern with the few I've had... just never paid attention to that, I guess.
If he was breathing like that when he was sleeping, and then started breathing normally when you woke him up, then maybe you just caught him dreaming.
Okay, so they're five days old now. Was the grey one that much smaller when they were born? If not, he may have something wrong internally that is keeping him from growing properly. I have had a few kits like that. They grow fur enthusiastically, but never grow themselves. Eventually, they die.
How does he breathe when you pick him up and make sure he's awake? If he still breathes that way, then he probably is not going to make it, and I'm so sorry to tell you that. I've never noticed a breathing pattern with the few I've had... just never paid attention to that, I guess.
If he was breathing like that when he was sleeping, and then started breathing normally when you woke him up, then maybe you just caught him dreaming.
Bandits Bunny Farm
Well-known member
I'm really sorry... but I don't think there's anything you can do to help him. I had 2 mini Rex kits do that too. I'm really sorry :sorry: :wr_crying:
Make sure the bedding you are using in the box is low dust and low odor. Shavings with a strong odor have a lot of volatile oils that can cause respiratory problems. Sawdust and some hay can have too small of particles. There's also a chance of molds with straw and hay that you should look out for. Hold the kit up to your ear and if you hear a click noise when it breathes it may have developped a respiratory infection. Often the nest box bedding problems I mentioned are the cause of that. It is hard to treat such a young kit but it can be attempted. If the breathing sounds normal and you didn't just catch it at an odd moment the outcome is probably worse than if you did hear a problem. Heart issues cause respiratory issues and are common with animals having development difficulties either from direct heart defects or from other malfunctioning organs stressing the heart.
Bandits Bunny Farm
Well-known member
That must have been what my 2kits had... the respiratory infection... I was hearing clicking when they tried to breathe.there was nothing wrong with the hay or anything they just died... Both litters died but from different causes. One got too hot and 1 is a really long story
There are other things like urine buildup or high humidity in the bedding that can also cause respiratory problems. Sometimes tracking down the exact problem is hard because small animals are just so sensitive to respiratory infections. You can get bird antibiotic tablets or bags of tetracycline powder at the feed store. Most pet stores no longer carry any medication of any kind and just tell you to go to the vet. I had to order ornacycline online last time. They are useful little tablets that dissolve quickly in water. I've always used it in gerbil pups who got respiratory infections from the parents chewing things that left too much dust or dragging sand out of the rolling area. If you can get it down a tiny gerbil pup it should be possible for a rabbit kit. I'm not entirely sure how effective tetracyclines are for kits though. Haven't tried antibiotics on anything that wasn't fully mature and usually suffering from an injury. I don't like treating things in rabbits that I can cull for or change my methods a little instead.
Okay I have an update on the kit. It seemed to be breathing normally and when I picked it up and its belly still felt full and it was pretty strong. But sometimes it would breathe weird, particularly when it stopped moving around. It was acting a little weird, though. It kept trying to dig in my hand with its little claws. I figured it was trying to burrow to get warm. Could he have just had a cough? Or is he on his last breaths? I couldn't hear any clicking. I use Timothy hay and a small pet bedding that advertises to be dust free and odor free, as well as the mother's fur and a towel for bedding.
OneAcreFarm
Well-known member
Mar.K":39eh56p8 said:
That sounds like normal kit behavior. Is this your first litter? If so, I know it can be stressful. Take a deep breath and relax. Either he will make it or he won't at this age. Keep us updated on how he does. I am rooting for the little guy!
Probably all you can do is wait and see. It might be nothing. Just an odd behavior when the kit is stimulated. Sometimes they get rather wild when disturbed at a young age. They can't see anything so any disturbance to the nest might mean milk. When breeding animals you do always have to be prepared to lose some. Small animals like rabbits that's even more common.
OneAcreFarm- Yes this is my first litter as well as the doe's. I've taken care of other babies (piglets, squirrels), but the bunnies are proving to be tricky :/ Another question. If the little gray one doesn't make it, will the remaining kit be okay? He won't have any siblings to snuggle up to to keep warm. The doe also decided to move the nest into the nest box today (she had something against it before, then this morning she moved all of the nesting materials into the box. Maybe she decided it would be more private because I put the cage up on a table to keep it off of the cement floor.
Depending on your weather, you may need to provide supplementary heat for a single kit. If you use something electric, please be sure the doe cannot chew the cord. I use a screw-cap wine bottle full of hot water with a sock pulled over it. It is important that the kit can move away from the heat source if it gets too warm, so I lay it inside the nest box along one side of it. The kit can gravitate toward or away from it as needed.
(Please add your state or province to your profile; many rabbit questions are influenced by climate.)
(Please add your state or province to your profile; many rabbit questions are influenced by climate.)
Sorry about that! I'm in Minnesota. It's pretty warm here right now, staying around 70°F. The little gray guy seems to be breathing more normally, so we'll see how he does in the next couple of weeks. I'll keep an eye on his size and keep you all updated. Thanks for all of the advice! <br /><br /> -- Wed Jun 25, 2014 10:46 pm -- <br /><br /> Yesterday the doe's water bottle leaked and the nest got wet. I changed out all the wet bedding for dry yesterday morning (it couldn't have been in there long as I check them frequently). The gray bunny seems to be coughing/clicking now, though could I be mistaking the noises for talking? The two kits were pretty antsy when I just checked them, so could he have just been talking? I plan on calling a vet in the morning because I think it sounds like snuffles. Tips? Thank you all so much for all of your help. The other kit seemed to be breathing normally, but I will keep an eye on him as well.
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 14,520
- Reaction score
- 32
One week old now. Just trying to keep the timeline together.
It sounds like you are already doing everything you can. The bedding wasn't wet for long. Could it have been possible for the kit to have gotten water up its nose or something?
The noises wouldn't be talking (at least, not as far as I know), but they could be smacking (dreaming of the next meal). Or maybe you're hearing the little squeaks and grunts they make when they're thinking maybe Mom is nearby and considering feeding them.
As to the vet, most vets are not rabbit-savvy. They don't know rabbit ailments that well, nor do they know how to medicate them that well. Those that do know rabbits... well, vets are expensive. How important is this kit to you? If there's actually something wrong with him, you really don't want to include him in a breeding program. Believe me, I know how endearing the little struggling kits are!
Personally, I'm with OneAcreFarm. He'll either make it or he won't. I seriously doubt at his age that a vet will make a difference. But it's all in how important this kit is to you, and whether the expense of the vet is worth it to try to save him, if there's indeed something wrong.
It sounds like you are already doing everything you can. The bedding wasn't wet for long. Could it have been possible for the kit to have gotten water up its nose or something?
The noises wouldn't be talking (at least, not as far as I know), but they could be smacking (dreaming of the next meal). Or maybe you're hearing the little squeaks and grunts they make when they're thinking maybe Mom is nearby and considering feeding them.
As to the vet, most vets are not rabbit-savvy. They don't know rabbit ailments that well, nor do they know how to medicate them that well. Those that do know rabbits... well, vets are expensive. How important is this kit to you? If there's actually something wrong with him, you really don't want to include him in a breeding program. Believe me, I know how endearing the little struggling kits are!
Personally, I'm with OneAcreFarm. He'll either make it or he won't. I seriously doubt at his age that a vet will make a difference. But it's all in how important this kit is to you, and whether the expense of the vet is worth it to try to save him, if there's indeed something wrong.
"Snuffles" is a term for any sort of respiratory illness. It is most commonly applied to pasteurella which is the most serious. Problem is most of snuffles causes are viral. Your vet can't do much about a virus. You don't treat pasteurella. Even if you put it in to remission the rabbit will still carry it and can still give it to other rabbits. Now if you have a basic upper respiratory infection that is bacterial you can attempt broad spectrum antibiotics. Usually a bacteria infection has less snot and clear snot but there are no solid rules that can tell if something is a virus, a bad virus, bacterial, or environmental like an allergy or dusty bedding or food. Most just take the wait and see approach and only keep what comes out alive on it's own. Some just go ahead and put down anything with respiratory symptoms without waiting to see what it turns in to. I'm not against limited use of antibiotics for occasions when there was a management problem that led to a bacterial infection but if you treat every little thing and never risk losing any then you will only encourage the weak rabbits to survive for breeding. You will also go broke from the high vet bills that a trained exotics vet require. It's $50 to walk in the door of my exotics vet.
TwoAcreDream
Well-known member
Hi.
Wondering why you have a towel in with the babes ?
Maybe the towel has a smell from detergent or fabric softener
and the kits are reacting to that. I would remove the towel.
Wondering why you have a towel in with the babes ?
Maybe the towel has a smell from detergent or fabric softener
and the kits are reacting to that. I would remove the towel.
Thanks again for all the advice. I think the kit might have just been smacking. I'll just keep listening to the little guy and watching his growth. That wet towel sure scared me!
-- Thu Jun 26, 2014 11:59 pm --
Normally they're fine with the towel. It helps to keep them off of the bottom of the nest box and holds in more heat. It just got wet when I wasn't around. I removed it and gave them a fresh, dry one and they're doing well. The little one even seems to be growing! <br /><br /> -- Thu Jun 26, 2014 11:59 pm -- <br /><br /> Normally they're fine with the towel. It helps to keep them off of the bottom of the nest box and holds in more heat. It just got wet when I wasn't around. I removed it and gave them a fresh, dry one and they're doing well. The little one even seems to be growing!
-- Thu Jun 26, 2014 11:59 pm --
Normally they're fine with the towel. It helps to keep them off of the bottom of the nest box and holds in more heat. It just got wet when I wasn't around. I removed it and gave them a fresh, dry one and they're doing well. The little one even seems to be growing! <br /><br /> -- Thu Jun 26, 2014 11:59 pm -- <br /><br /> Normally they're fine with the towel. It helps to keep them off of the bottom of the nest box and holds in more heat. It just got wet when I wasn't around. I removed it and gave them a fresh, dry one and they're doing well. The little one even seems to be growing!
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 14,520
- Reaction score
- 32
I hadn't caught that... it's true, if the towel doesn't need to be in there, it's probably better for it not to be. Kits will usually move up and down in the nest to help regulate their heat. Newborns you don't want all the way at the bottom, but week-olds will normally be fine because they are furred. They will be urinating more and more, and the towel will hold moisture and urine fumes.
Sounds like you're doing great. Keep an eye on them... if they're dry, warm, and fed, all is well. It won't be long now before they start escaping from the nest box.
Sounds like you're doing great. Keep an eye on them... if they're dry, warm, and fed, all is well.
It won't be long now before they start escaping from the nest box.
