Am I feeding him enough?

[LadyKarli]

So I heard over feeding are one of the major reasons hand fed baby bunnies die. Every web site says something different about how often to feed them as well. Here are some pix of him. this is his 3rd day of life & he is full of it. He is warm & wiggly. If you have any advice it will be greatly appreciated. I am planning to adopt him out to my Mini Rex doe who is due to kindle any day. I have one question. I keep trying to get him to go pee but nothing happens. Rubbing him with a wet cloth to stimulate. I do see he has pooped all on his own in his little box. Should I be concerned or just keep trying?

 

[MaggieJ]

From what I can see, he is definitely not getting too much milk. Were all the pictires taken at the same time? In the third bunny picture, he looks slightly fuller than in the first, but still not as much as kits that nurse from a willing mom. Hope your other doe kindles soon! :clover:

BTW, Autumn is gorgeous! She knows how to pose effectively too! I love calicoes and tortoiseshells.

 

[LadyKarli]

I hope so too. Yep all those picture were at the same time. Autumn is a great cat. I have 4 kids & she adores them. Follows them everywhere & sleeps with us. We found her down at the dock & took her in. We were lucky & she was already fixed. We live in the boonies so a lot of cats end up being dumped out here. She was 100% someones house cat Now she is mine. A true blessing. She arrived right when my little old grey cat was passing away.

 

[MaggieJ]

Sometimes things happen that just seem to be meant.

We had meant to go to the Humane Society to get a cat on a certain day, but had to put it off. When we got there the next day, I fell in love with our Marilla, the cat in my avatar. She had arrived there only the previous afternoon and would not have been there yet if we stuck to our original plan. She is perfect for us... and she seems to have no complaints about us either. :roll:

 

[LadyKarli]

Well she is a pretty girl! I miss my grey cat very much. Had her since she was just a bit bigger than this baby Bunny. She was a grumpy thing. Autumn is a ball of total affection. So happy to have a home. Mysty (grey cat) would not let the kids near her at all. Very temperamental. Autumn loves kids. I couldn't have picked out a better cat myself.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

If your little kit isn't peeing, I would say he isn't getting fed enough. Have you checked him for dehydration? Pinch a bit of his skin between your fingers- when released, it should snap back and lie smooth against his body. If it stays pinched, or flattens back out slowly, he is dehydrated. All of his wrinkles and the fact he isn't urinating cause me to think he isn't getting enough fluids.

I believe you said you are feeding goat's milk- you might want to try mixing some pedialyte with it, but if you don't have any on hand, it is simple to make yourself. (You can even offer it to him plain- he may take it eagerly if he is dehydrated.)

Here is a recipe for a homemade electrolyte solution:

Table Salt (NaCl) 1/2 tsp.*
Salt Substitute (KCl) 1/2 tsp.*
Baking Soda 1/2 tsp.
Table Sugar 2 tablespoons
Tap Water 1 Liter (= 1 Qt. 2 tablespoons)

If you don't have the salt substitute, I would make it without.

I hope your mini-rex kindles soon- hand feeding has such poor results that the best you can realistically hope for is to keep him alive until then. I would offer him feedings multiple times a day unless he gets a nice round belly that looks like a ping pong ball, then two feedings a day would probably be sufficient.

Good luck- we are rooting for you and the little guy!

P.S. Autumn is very pretty! I'm glad you found each other!

 

[Miss M]

At that size, the ones I had to hand-feed were taking about 5 - 6 eyedroppers' worth, twice a day, and they were (I think) also getting some from their mom -- just not as much as some of the others.

I didn't know at the time that you could overfeed them, and I overfed two of them (they wouldn't stop at 5 - 6 eyedroppers). They ended up with unnaturally bloated bellies. When one of them died, I asked on here, and learned that I was overfeeding. So I skipped two meals with the other one, and then fed him 5 eyedroppers twice a day, increasing only when he got bigger. He survived and made it to growout weight, along with the others I hand-supplemented.

This is the formula I fed:
1/2 Cup evaporated goat's milk
1 egg yolk
1/2 Tablespoon corn syrup

I warmed it for about 4 or 5 seconds at a time in the microwave, stirring with a fork between, until it was very warm. You don't want to cook the egg, though.

Your little guy does look like he could take some more milk. You'll know if you're overfeeding... it just doesn't look right.

 

[LadyKarli]

He is doing good this Morning. Hopping around & happy. Urinated on his own cause i couldn't get him to do it & is leaving little poops everywhere. :lilbunny:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

That's great, Karli! Still no mini-rex kits?

I am beginning to wonder if they don't just pee and poo on their own- the does spend such a short time in the nest to nurse, and I've never seen one grooming the kits (at least while they are in the nest) like you do with dogs and cats. However, when I check *** on kits they often start to pee- and there is an awful lot of it considering how small they are!

Thoughts on the extent of maternal care in rabbits, anyone?

 

[LadyKarli]

Not yet. Any day though the Doe is huge & restless. Not making a nest yet but it is her first litter so who knows what will happen. She might do wonderful or not. Rabbits are such drama....who knew? I still love them

 

[Miss M]

That's great, Karli! Still no mini-rex kits?

I am beginning to wonder if they don't just pee and poo on their own- the does spend such a short time in the nest to nurse, and I've never seen one grooming the kits (at least while they are in the nest) like you do with dogs and cats. However, when I check *** on kits they often start to pee- and there is an awful lot of it considering how small they are!

Thoughts on the extent of maternal care in rabbits, anyone?

I have wondered about it, too... yet, it is true that they will die if they are not stimulated to pee and poo when they are babies.

I don't know if the mother stimulates them to go or not -- perhaps it is the fact that they are all wiggling against each other?

 

[akane]

Feeding too often kills just as many as underfeeding. Normally they would only get one or 2 meals a day and then have time to digest. Their body is designed for that. Unfortunately our formulas are nowhere near bunny milk and we often can't get as much in to them so sometimes a 3rd or 4th feeding or splitting a feeding by feeding, warming them up for 30-60mins, and then feeding again is required. Only do that if necessary. Try to keep the number of feedings as limited as possible.

Also coat is a better judge of health than fullness. I've had plenty of does raise kits that never seemed very full but they had bright shiny coats and grew in to very healthy kits. Kits with dull or thin coats are not getting enough fats and protein to make a good coat and therefore not enough for their body. This can be a formula issue though since not all on the internet are created equal. I prefer goat kid formula mixed to double concentration since I found a breakdown of cottontail milk and the fats, proteins, etc... nearly lined up with goat milk except half the concentration on most. I also think horse, goat, etc.. is better than using formulas designed for carnivores.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

That's great, Karli! Still no mini-rex kits?

I am beginning to wonder if they don't just pee and poo on their own- the does spend such a short time in the nest to nurse, and I've never seen one grooming the kits (at least while they are in the nest) like you do with dogs and cats. However, when I check *** on kits they often start to pee- and there is an awful lot of it considering how small they are!

Thoughts on the extent of maternal care in rabbits, anyone?

I have wondered about it, too... yet, it is true that they will die if they are not stimulated to pee and poo when they are babies.

I don't know if the mother stimulates them to go or not -- perhaps it is the fact that they are all wiggling against each other?

That was my thought exactly...they stimulate each other in the nest. They get really bouncy and wiggly when mom comes to feed. I bet that is what does it.<br /><br />__________ Thu Feb 23, 2012 3:36 pm __________<br /><br />I think that actually might be a girl....

Look at this pic...


Now look back at yours....

 

[LadyKarli]

I agree & I hope it is a girl. That would please me very much

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I think she's a girl too. (Just between you and me, Karli, I don't know what it is about One Acre... I was looking at the belly not it's- ahem- private parts. )

Not only that, I don't think she is black, either. I think she is agouti (wild rabbit color) or seal or something. I can see brown on her head and neck if I look closely.

I am so happy that you have managed to keep her alive. Good job, Mommy!

Post more pics soon!

 

[skysthelimit]

I think she's a girl too. (Just between you and me, Karli, I don't know what it is about One Acre... I was looking at the belly not it's- ahem- private parts. )

Not only that, I don't think she is black, either. I think she is agouti (wild rabbit color) or seal or something. I can see brown on her head and neck if I look closely.

I am so happy that you have managed to keep her alive. Good job, Mommy!

Post more pics soon!

Now that you mention it, that does look like agouti ear markings.

 

[LadyKarli]

My bunny did not make it. She aspirated & choked on her formula last night. Something I know you can't really prevent & happens often to small critters. I buried her under a little tree in the next lot. Poor little Baby. I am sad but it is all part of raising animals. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you learn. I have many more on the way. Ones I actually know are coming & can prepare for.<br /><br />__________ Fri Feb 24, 2012 7:44 am __________<br /><br />I held her till she was gone. Amazing how something so small can touch your heart in only 3 days.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

My bunny did not make it. Sometimes you win. Sometimes you learn.

That is a very good way to look at it, and something we all need to keep in mind.

I'm so sorry you lost her, Karli! ((Hugs)) You tried so hard to save her, and I really thought she would hang on until the other kits came. At least you know you did all you could for the little one.

I hope you will soon be blessed with a wiggling mass of popples to shower with love and kisses!

 

[LadyKarli]

I will post pictures <br /><br />__________ Fri Feb 24, 2012 9:34 am __________<br /><br />Of the new babies !

 

[Jessykah]

Oh I am so sorry! I have went through it too, with a whole litter once, and once with a little black one. You should keep the goat milk formula or powder, until it expires, in case you have to supplement baby buns in the future. Sometimes it helps the runts to catch up with the others so that they are stronger to compete at the milk bar.....
....I have seen my does stimulating kits as they nurse. They will just tuck their head under and lick the kit closest to her head, then stop while she licks her lips, then goes to lick another kit for a second or 2 and then licks her lips again. I don't see it often...maybe they only do it every other feeding or so? She is only at it for a few seconds. And the kits pop around to other teats, so they rotate themselves for her, lol. I have had a doe that didn't lick the babies enough, and they had dirty bums.