Baby Bunnies!!! Need Help!

[KatzNetherlands]

Willow had four baby bunnies this morning! Looks like two blue and two chocolate.... When I came to check on her, there was 3 in her nest and one in the middle of the cage(non wire floor, so was on bedding) but they are in my basement, so it is cool....about 65 degrees, at all times... the one baby was cool to the touch, so I put in with the other...

I just went to check on them and it appears to have crawled away from them, I thought it was dead but it is still moving... right now I put it back with the others, but is there anything else I can do?? I really would like to try and save this baby...... all the others look healthy and are a good temp..... Very happy she had these little babies.... I just hope I can save this one!

 

[ladysown]

you could stick it in your bra until it's nice and warm (assuming of course you are female).

But what I do is what you did. I stick it into the nest with the others. I do make sure the nest is a nice little hole for them. I put the wander right in the bottom with the others on top and make sure the nest is well covered in fur.

be persistent. Normally they will stay put especially once they get warm. Did it have a full tummy?

 

[KatzNetherlands]

I don't think it is alive... It is not moving and appears to be dead... I have it in a towel next to a heated rice sock... just in case... It seems strange.. it was for certain alive just 2 hours ago, it was chilled but not ice cold or anything, and now it is dead? Could something else have been wrong? 65 is cool but I didn't think it was too cold for them.... Should I move them/Willow?<br /><br />__________ Sun Aug 14, 2011 1:30 pm __________<br /><br />And they appear to have full tummies... She had them sometime this morning.

When do you 'give up' on trying to save a baby?

 

[MaggieJ]

I've always heard not to consider them dead until they are warm and seem dead. If they are cool, continue to warm them. Now and again you'll be able to save one you were sure was gone. Remember that they cannot digest milk unless they are warm... It will just sit there in their stomach.

Sixty-five degrees is not too cold for the babies as long as they stay in their nest. But it is cool enough to chill one that wanders.

 

[KatzNetherlands]

Well this little guy is nice and warm but still showing no response, no breathing or anything... I am amazed at how fast that happened. I think I will have to give up on this one... I am so sad. This was a beautiful baby too... looks like a blue...

Poor baby

 

[MaggieJ]

That's too bad... but it happens sometimes, no matter how careful we are.

 

[ladysown]

sometimes you just lose them and it makes no sense why.

 

[KatzNetherlands]

Well, I really hope my luck gets better with these litters.... first a no go on Willow, then Pippen lost both hers at birth, and now this... at least the other 3 are doing good.... I really hope that with Pippens next litter, due in a week, that it goes alot better...

One of these days I hope to have some good news, and not have it accompanied by bad news....

 

[akane]

65 is good bunny breeding temps. Mine raised litters in -20 last winter. Most likely because the kit got cold it then tried to search out more heat than the others were producing or the others moved away from it. It helps to warm them up before putting them back with the others if it's a small litter and/or a large nest box.

 

[KatzNetherlands]

Well, our weather has been kind of random lately, ranging from 70-75 to 90+ during the day, and then getting really cool at night... So, I figured having a steady temp would be better for the rabbits... hence the basement. It stays 65 all year round...

Just checked on the three babies and they are all doing well still.... nice and warm....

So excited for my first live litter!!

__________ Sun Aug 14, 2011 6:36 pm __________

Looks like black, blue and chocolate! I am getting pics now...<br /><br />__________ Sun Aug 14, 2011 7:15 pm __________<br /><br />Here are pics of the babies.... Not certain the little black one will make it.... it seems skinnier than the rest... More wrinkley.... What should I do? Or do I just wait and see how they are tomorrow? So much worry with these little babies...

Dad:

Mom:

 

[ladysown]

give them some time.
if the black falls behind it's easy enough to hold momma and let him get an extra feed in or two.

 

[KatzNetherlands]

Little Black is doing good today! All 3 look fed and warm.... such a good mommy!

 

[MaggieJ]

Good for Willow! :goodjob:

 

[fuzzy9]

Hooray!! inkbunny: Mom and Dad are really adorable too!!

 

[hoodat]

In the first few days it takes very little to upset the cycle. It usually happens something like this. They get seperated from the others and get too cold, then when returned to the nest they may be too weak to get their share of the milk at the next feeding even when their body temp gets back where it should be, that makes it difficult to keep their temperature up and they end up in a downward spiral that ends in death. Missing only one feeding at that age can make them too weak to compete with the stronger kits. Sometimes you can step in and break the cycle but sometimes there really isn't much you can do. It's difficult but as a rancher friend used to say,"The only way never to lose one is never to have any".