Big Busy Kit didnt go in his box last night and died

[bothetaylor]

I've been reading and learning from your board for a few months as my new doe’s had their first litters. I'm now at the 3-week mark and I have a longer learning curve then I'd thought

I am in California on the coast and therefore considered my climate to be mild from a rabbits perspective. Ocean breezes can be vigorous but largely when there is no breeze we keep a fine fog. At night, as of late, it has dropped from 34-39 F with winds at 5-15 when they're here.

Last night the kits went to into their nest box around dusk, and their mildly harried mother stretched out on top of it. Being busy kits, one came back out to run amuck, he ended up near the water feeder when he came to rest. I found him today, unrevivable, alone, cold and dead. The other 4 were snuggled in the box. He had no illness preceding this, was well fed, no bloat or gastrointestinal issues I could see. No wounds and overall a great mom the best I can tell..

Is this unusual or is there something I might consider here that I haven't.

Thank you for your time and generous efforts in maintaining this board

Bo

 

[michaels4gardens]

It happens sometimes.. I prefer "below the cage floor" nests, for this very reason. https://www.bassequipment.com/Store/Sho ... _SANI-NEST

 

[Zass]

When I find three week old kits that age suddenly dead, I usually suspect bacteria or mold toxins instead of cold. At that age, they can die extremely quickly from enteritis without any outward sign of GI distress, and it's often the biggest and most venturesome kit. Maybe check the feed and nesting material to make sure it couldn't have been contaminated with any moisture or mold toxins, and try to remember if non-usual people had been handling the kit, especially children from outside the household.

 

[bothetaylor]

Michaels4Gardens, What a snappy clever nest set up, Very useful looking systems they sell. I'll jump on that idea one day but regret my budget is resistant right now. But thank you that really does look tidy

Zass, I think you have it diagnosed. I wound up losing 4 out of 5, One a day, all plump, pretty, healthy-looking kits, each expired by dawn. Sort of made me dread the morning trek out to see them. One had a blood-tinged rectal area and I'd swear his mouth and eyes appeared to have been slightly red like he was having some sort of systemic coagulation issue. Which can happen to us ( humans) when were septic certainly.

I looked and my bale of tim did have some moisture and possible mold on one end. No kids, but one visitor that helped me weigh and touched them just before this event. I compulsively washed my hands between kits but she didn't, my bad for not thinking about that then. I'll know next time though sadly that won't return them. The 2 does and buck in the same line of cages are all fine.

The great news is I shelved one in my house all warm and he is growing exponentially. Washed everything and passed out new hay, and greens.
I even scrubbed the surfaces and containers. Changed his name from tuesday taco to Harry and he's thriving.

Thank you again for the support and information. !!

Bo

 

[michaels4gardens]

wish you the best ...

 

[Nymphadora]

Hi Bo,

It's always fun seeing new members in my state!

I know you mentioned that you may have figured out the cause (and it's a shame that the hay might have gone moldy), but another suggestion I have is to change the nest box materials regularly if you don't already. I've found that once the kits are a week old, they start making a mess of their nest more than before (makes sense, since they're constantly growing and not leaving the nest box to relieve themselves). So until I remove the nest box entirely, I change out the nest box materials for fresh shavings and hay roughly once a week. I try to save as much clean fur as I can, so they stay nice and cozy. Keeping the materials fresh also helps reduce nestbox eye, I've noticed.

The great news is I shelved one in my house all warm and he is growing exponentially. Washed everything and passed out new hay, and greens.
I even scrubbed the surfaces and containers. Changed his name from tuesday taco to Harry and he's thriving.

Hurray for Harry! We have two does that earned their spot in our herd much the same way... we hadn't planned on keeping them, either.

Now my husband tells all the little bunnies they better grow up to be champs, or I'll eat them (I mean, he's not wrong, but it's ridiculous the way he talks to them)! :roll: :lol:

 

[ladysown]

Once kits are three weeks old they don't need a nestbox. All they need is a place to set on and stay warm (if you live some place truly cold). But even here in Ontario my 17 day old kits are doing fine without setting in a nestbox covered (they do have a box turned on it's side). Keeps them healthier not having a mess of wet litter near them. Also gets them eating quicker.

 

[bothetaylor]

Thank you all ! Harry still thriving and living in my kitchen Im acclimating him to our perfectly mild though rainy weather now, so he can move into his grown up house in the yard and start his new job soon as Backup Buck. so far it's day shift in cage and nights still in my kitchen.