A little worried(foster mom took the babies.. pics)

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I had a lot going on in the past few days..

I have a doe that I took her almost 4 week babies on her .. because I have 8 new borns that was born this morning .. and the doe has nothing to do with them... So I gave them to this other doe that I knew she was still feeding her 4 week old babies.. No I just checked her to see how her milk was coming and I notice that she is getting lots of milk come in... now I don't know is she will feed the new new borns or not.. I will know by tomorrow for sure.. I am worried that her milk will be to much as the older babies are not there to drain her.. she will have to much milk for the other babies if she will feed them.. I don't want her getting mastitis ... so should I put her in with her litter for a bit jurying the day .. so they would release some milk.. or just leave it and she will be ok and not produce as much. I never taken babies away and gave news ones at this age. I need some advice on might happen .. I am concerned on mom getting mastitis

 

[Prisma]

Personally, would leave the new babies alone with her and not do the other. If you put the older litter back in and they nurse, she may not want to have any thing to do with the new box of babies. Should help her be more apt to feed the new kits with more milk than not. I've never had an issue with that.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Ok. thanks rebelrose.. I hope she feeds them ..

 

[skysthelimit]

I would not give up on the dam. It took 3 days for Hippa to get her milk in.

And then I culled her, so that tells you what I think.

 

[Dood]

I would put the kits in with their mother.

Rabbits milk is very fatty at first and then gets watered down as the kits approach weaning so the foster does milk may not be rich enough to produce stong kits.

If you are worried about the mother harming them then put them in once a day for feeding with the mother and aside or with the foster doe the rest of the time.

 

[Miss M]

I would put the kits in with their mother.

Rabbits milk is very fatty at first and then gets watered down as the kits approach weaning so the foster does milk may not be rich enough to produce stong kits.

Even so, the foster doe's milk may be enough to keep the kits from fading before their own mother's milk comes in.

If their mother's milk does come in, I would put them back with her. I would take them to the foster doe once a day, kind-of in the middle of the day, to nurse off of her and take the pressure off. After a few days or so, you can try going to every other day, and continue to space their feedings out until the foster doe really is not producing any more. I did this with a doe who lost her litter, in hopes it would prevent mastitis. No mastitis, so maybe it helped.

Putting them in with their mother a couple of times a day may help her milk to come in, not sure but it might.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

you guys are forgetting.. The birth mother is not feeding or doing anything with the babies.. she will not even go in the nesting box... This is the worst mother that I ever seen. The only thing I can do is flip the doe and she struggles big time on her back. I will check to see if the other doe is fostering the babies this morning... and I will check to see how much milk she has at this time. . if there is to much.. I am going to put her in with the older babies , to help drain her so she dosnt get mastitis. I am not to sure on how everything is going to go.. But I am trying to keep this litter alive .

 

[skysthelimit]

I don't flip, that's never worked for me. Does don't relax enough no matter what I try, or they just don't have milk. I just hold her in the box over them.<br /><br />__________ Mon Sep 02, 2013 6:47 am __________<br /><br />Trying to feed with stimulate her to let milk down, which will stimulate the hormones necessary for her to want to take care of the litter. Sometimes giving a doe an older litter that will nurse will do the same.

 

[Miss M]

I had forgotten that.

Flipping didn't work for me, either, when I tried it. I just ended up with flying popples.

I didn't know at the time about putting the doe in the box and holding her in there. I haven't had occasion to try it, but it's my understanding it has turned on the light bulb for a number of clueless does.

But yeah, if she won't feed her babies, and the other doe will... it's true that her milk won't be formulated for newborns any more, but it still might be better than formula.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

thanks guys.. this turned out to be a nightmare.. neither of the doe wants the babies.. I put the mother in and hold down.. you are right the milk is not rich enough for newborns.. they are getting weaker... the new mom.. has no milk.. none what so ever.. I still put her in the box and hold her.. but it isn't working.. All I can do is try.. :|

 

[skysthelimit]

Keep going till there's no chance. I lost 8 of 12 of Hippa's kits, four long days, until her milk came in, just enough milk to keep them, but not enough milk for them to thrive.

 

[Miss M]

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Finally... with me putting in the box and holding her every three hours.. It worked.. I did it again and she tried jumping out of the box right away..I held her down again and this time I lifted her back up so the babies can get under.. After 5 minutes.. she stopped wanted to jump out .. so I left go and she started to clean the babies.. She feed them for another good 10 minutes.. when she was done I looked at the babies.. They have full bellies.. Now I hope see keeps doing it.. it is in the right direction.. This is the foster mom.. I lost two of the litter. one was a runt.. here is some pics.. I just had to share..
HERE SHE IS CLEANING THE BABIES.

THIS ONE IS A BROKEN BLACK.. THE MOTHER IS A REW, SO SHE HAD IT HIDDEN IN THERE

HERE IS FOSTER MOM GETTING HER TREATS..

 

[skysthelimit]

:cheer2: YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!!!!!!! For foster mom.

 

[AmysMacdog]

Fantastic!!!

 

[dayna]

I had to show my foster mom what to do as well. I've also supplemented her diet a lot with pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, also pigeon pea weed, and other high fat/protein foods.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

babies are still alive and tummies are full.. colors are coming in...Foster Mom still has Milk,.. I hope her milk last a long time...