Advice on Hand-Raising Kits

[MaggieJ]

I have a "lonely only" 18 days old. It's only littermate was trampled this morning, and we do not want to leave it in the colony. We tried taking it to momma for feeding but she kept moving away... I get the feeling she was in the process of weaning. Colony kits do seem to get weaned very early when momma is expecting a new litter.

So... brought the little one up to the house and put it in a covered cage. It seems to be settling in well. It has both alfalfa and grass hay, oatmeal and water, but we do not know if it was eating those things.

I put some oatmeal through the blender and mixed it with a bit of milk and a pinch of sugar. It ate a couple teaspoons of that... finished the serving. How do I tell if it is getting enough? Need I worry about it eating too much? How often should I offer this concoction and how much?

I'm totally new to hand-feeding. If this kit was newborn, I doubt I'd even try, but I figure at going on three weeks it has a chance. Advice is welcome!

 

[pfaubush]

I've never tried this, but going off some of what I've heard over time, I think what you're doing is great. The only thing I would change (and that is pending availability) would be using goats milk. I've heard many times that it is much easier to digest than cows milk. I would go ahead and leave the mixture in there until the top starts to get dry looking...maybe an hour or so? I would give it enough to make sure it's getting its fill, but not so much that it won't eat the alfalfa and grass hay. If it was out running around in the colony, chances are it was nibbling on some of what everyone else was. One of the first things mine do after leaving the nestbox is start sampling the food and water.

I hope it works for you and I'm interested to hear how it works out!

 

[MaggieJ]

Thanks, Paula. I will post updates. I wish I had some goat's milk. Can't even get to town to try and find some because the van is out of commission. I would imagine the kit is eating hay since there was plenty in the nest tunnel for nibbling, but this kit was still a few days short of emerging so would not be familiar with other forms of solid food.

Alice seems to keep her kits sealed in with a stack of hay until they are about three weeks old. She did leave the tunnel open this morning though... and that's how Sage got in. I think the one kit was trampled when Alice attempted to evict the intruder, but that's just a guess.

I'll take out any leftovers before I go to bed and give it some fresh in the morning. It looked very cute and relaxed, lounging on its bed of goose down.

 

[akane]

I run pellets and alfalfa leaves through the magic bullet with water and mix with powdered goat kid or foal milk replacer. For adults and our over 3 week old kits we are coaxing to eat solid food right now I also mix in some banana puree. Banana actually helps prevent diarrhea and it's irresistible to most herbivores. They will also lap up milk/formula from shallow dishes. I have been using a tupperware lid and putting the pellet mush in the middle then pouring milk in the rim so they can't wander through the milk and get it everywhere.

I don't think you need to worry about over feeding solid foods aside from the usual risk of too much of a new food that could cause digestive upset. You do have to be careful if giving straight milk because they'll sometimes suck it down so fast they don't realize they are getting full. We lost a kit or 2 in that first group we handfed from day 1 because of that. As far as I can tell anything they have to chew they can't eat fast enough to cause that problem.

 

[MaggieJ]

Thanks, Akane, that is very helpful! Maybe I will add some alfalfa leaves to the mix tomorrow. I'm hoping that very shortly it will be eating hay and oatmeal from the bowl and drinking water, but did want to give it a bit of a transition, if possible.

 

[Jack]

I was told goats milk, or puppy formula can be used, but there is issues with the composition and digestibility, also that the baby has to have nursed a rabbit, or the gut flora is all messed up and you end up losing it anyways. Don't ask me to cite that, but it sounds like it makes sense.

I have a friend who feed purnia, and it seem that Purnia makes the smallest pellets in rabbit food, also I leave a bit of greens, grass when I can, wilted vegetable and fruit peels, (have have 3 - 3 and under, so I have a bit of those)

Mainly I expect a young one to eat hay.

 

[Pongo]

use water not milk if all you have is cows milk - alfalfa and the oatmeal will be plenty rich enough for the wee one.

 

[MaggieJ]

Good thinking, Pongo. :doh:

 

[Pongo]

maggie - don't bonk yourself in the head ... you haven't done it often ... I have

 

[MaggieJ]

But it's so obvious! Oh well, doesn't seem to have done him any harm so far, but I will use water at next feeding. He seems to have a good appetite.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

If anyone wants to keep an emergency supply of appropiate milk rpelacer on hand, I know there is a darn catalog that carries milk replacer for alarge number of species, but have not been able to find it on line. i did, however, find this, and it seems very sound....http://www.squirrelworld.com/RabRehab.html

now, i am going to see if I have one of the catalogs in PAPER form....

 

[pfaubush]

But it's so obvious! Oh well, doesn't seem to have done him any harm so far, but I will use water at next feeding. He seems to have a good appetite.

Hahaha. It never crossed my mind either. I think it's natural to equate babies with milk.