If my doe does not feed who if anyone has had success bottle feeding from day one? I feel I should be prepared this time in case. Last time she had no milk. This time I'm feeding nettles and raspberry leaves.
Bottle feeding
- Thread starter Scooter1A
- Start date
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No colostrum = no properly started immunesystem = failure to thrive.
So honestly i would not try. Milk production is part of good mothering abilities and problems in that area is good reason to cull. Losing a nursing doe later on i might try to bottle raise the litter, but not that young. Bottle raising is a gamble anyway with rabbits.
So honestly i would not try. Milk production is part of good mothering abilities and problems in that area is good reason to cull. Losing a nursing doe later on i might try to bottle raise the litter, but not that young. Bottle raising is a gamble anyway with rabbits.
I always try, seems like such a waste...
I agree with @tambayo that bottle raising is a gamble and I've never actually done it from day#1, but others have. Newborn kits do need colostrum, but you can buy that - it's sold for goat and lamb bottle feeding. If you have access to raw goat milk, that's a great milk replacer for bunnies (you'd still need to supply them with colostrum, either from a newly freshened goat or from the feed store). If you don't have access to raw goat milk, I've raised a few bunnies on Esbilac goat's milk puppy milk replacer with the addition of heavy cream. You can buy it in powder form and just have on hand for emergencies.
eco2pia
Well-known member
I have not had success. I have tried from day one.
Something to read:
https://rabbittalk.com/threads/updated-hand-feeding-formula.27372/
https://rabbittalk.com/threads/formula-feeding-baby-bunnies-pics-vids.3691/
I tried it once, with no success. I have still some cans of condensed goat milk, brought over from the US, just in case I might need it.
https://rabbittalk.com/threads/updated-hand-feeding-formula.27372/
https://rabbittalk.com/threads/formula-feeding-baby-bunnies-pics-vids.3691/
I tried it once, with no success. I have still some cans of condensed goat milk, brought over from the US, just in case I might need it.
OK Thanks.
Theryans813
Member
I have not fed from day one however I have fed from day 4 successfully. I used a dropper to start then moved to a small syringe and just moved to a bigger syrine as they got older. Cup the little bun in your hand and flip it on its back, once a drop of milk touches their mouth they got curious and started picking then suckling within minutes, at least for me. I had to raise an entire litter when a neighbor killed my whole trio.
If they don't get any colostrum from mom, I would try getting the colostrum paste and dissolving it in the formula for the first few days.
Those babies are now part of my breeders. They are sweet & give nice size beautiful buns.
Excellent! I think she will feed this time. She has in the past but something went wrong with the last litter. I still blame the wind. I will get ready just in case. By the way, neighbors are a pain.
eco2pia
Well-known member
I appreciate that someone has had luck!! I have had a terrible time but I am usually either working with kits who have been chilled or are already failing to thrive (runts) so I am never sure if it is my feeding attempt that was the factor that caused their demise or if they were just too far gone. In my experience, they are borderline not interested in feeding in the first place, and I can't get them interested, which sounds like they are probably already past the point of no recovery. This eases my mind a bit.
atta girl!
I read the old posts, thank you. Will follow the instructions and recipe if need be. Just bought it all and I feel more at ease, just in case.
I think having it all on hand is a good idea. Relieves the stress some. I was saying I should add a couple options to my pantry as well. Glad you brought this up.
jodib90
Member
Hiya, anyone have success with the hand rearing from day 1?
My buns just had her 3rd litter, she's an amazing mum, we've not lost a single kit, yet! She makes a fab nest, keeps an eye from a far feeds once a day, let's me in. And all kits have gone on to be healthy pets.
This morning, I woke to a random kot in the middle of the room, poor thing had frozen almost solid I'd never felt anything so cold, 101 dalmatians came to me and I knew I had to warm him up, anyway the wiggler is now alive and warm in a towel in some hay on top a hot water bottle.
I'm getting mixed advise on putting him back, I thought would be his best chance at survival, vets are saying she may reject the whole bunch or hurt the other trying to reject him again, is thsi them being over paranoid? My rabbits trusts me 100%, I just want to do the best by him? Happy to try an hand rear if it's my best option.
Any advice would be awesome please?
My buns just had her 3rd litter, she's an amazing mum, we've not lost a single kit, yet! She makes a fab nest, keeps an eye from a far feeds once a day, let's me in. And all kits have gone on to be healthy pets.
This morning, I woke to a random kot in the middle of the room, poor thing had frozen almost solid I'd never felt anything so cold, 101 dalmatians came to me and I knew I had to warm him up, anyway the wiggler is now alive and warm in a towel in some hay on top a hot water bottle.
I'm getting mixed advise on putting him back, I thought would be his best chance at survival, vets are saying she may reject the whole bunch or hurt the other trying to reject him again, is thsi them being over paranoid? My rabbits trusts me 100%, I just want to do the best by him? Happy to try an hand rear if it's my best option.
Any advice would be awesome please?
I definitly would put him back.
Rabbits don't act like that, what is in the nest is their litter. They don't care about individual kits, and if one gets dragged out on the teat (most likely what happened) they don't put it back - that can't happen in nature so they never evolved that instinct.
Hand rearing is the last option. I would not do it in that case, but warm him up properly and put him in the middle of the nest. It's not just about feeding him, but they also need the warmth and wiggling in the nest.
Good luck
. I had kits that looked and felt like a stiff thrive.
Rabbits don't act like that, what is in the nest is their litter. They don't care about individual kits, and if one gets dragged out on the teat (most likely what happened) they don't put it back - that can't happen in nature so they never evolved that instinct.
Hand rearing is the last option. I would not do it in that case, but warm him up properly and put him in the middle of the nest. It's not just about feeding him, but they also need the warmth and wiggling in the nest.
Good luck
. I had kits that looked and felt like a stiff thrive.
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jodib90
Member
Ohhhh fab, **** i wished I put him back sooner now!!! He's fabulously warm, ill bring her in guve her some veg and bundle him in whilst she's not looking!!!
Fingers and toes crossed!!!
Thank you so much for your help!!
He looks sooo much better now, I'll grab a pic before popping him back!!!
Fingers and toes crossed!!!
Thank you so much for your help!!
He looks sooo much better now, I'll grab a pic before popping him back!!!
