Can a doe have too many Fruity Tums?

[MamaMandy]

My Holland doe Victoria, will be 28 days tomorrow. I gave her a nest box today and she's arranged the shavings in it but hasn't carried any hay or straw into it yet. When I went out to check on them all before bed tonight she was eating and that reminded me that I have some Tums on hand. I put one in her feeder and while I was putting one in her water bottle she snatched the one out of the feeder and ate it! None of my other does have ever been very interested in them so it surprised me! I gave her another one (she actually took it out of my hand ) and I put one in the nest box in case she dropped the one she was eating through the wire. Will she eat only as many as she needs or should I limit her?

Her last litter she had 8 and all but one was still born. The only one not still born was a peanut. Very disappointing. I'm really hoping for a better outcome this time! I'd love to get a broken black and a sable point...fingers crossed!

 

[Bad Habit]

My girl Hannah had 2 last night, and is in full nesting mode right now. I asked in the chat box, and was told there wouldn't be an issue. Hannah is a 3.4lb Lionhead.

 

[MamaMandy]

Thanks Bad Habit! Victoria is a probably 4.5 pound Holland. I put the one in her water thinking she wouldn't eat the ones in the feeder and that way she'd be sure to get some. Apparently she knows she needs the calcium! I'm hoping that's a sign this delivery will go better. She kindled on day 28 last time...I wouldn't mind her going early this time but I'd rather her go overdue if they'll all just live!

 

[Bad Habit]

Fair enough. I'm pretty anxious for Hannah to have a healthy litter. She was bred to an outside buck, broken. She ate well tonight though, so she might hold out for a while.

Here's hoping for a safe and healthy litter for Victoria

 

[MamaMandy]

Thank you! What color is Hannah? I hope all goes well for her too. My does seem to pig out right before delivery, but I know others say their does go off feed before kindling.

 

[Bad Habit]

Hannah's an opal vienna bred to a broken harlequin buck. She doesn't have the tan undertones that she should, though, she's oddly coloured.

What colour is Victoria? I know you'd be happy with healthy babies, but are you secretly hoping for anything specific?

 

[Miss M]

I have wondered the same thing myself, about the Tums. I look forward to some more experienced members' thoughts!

Good luck with this litter! Hope they are all well! :clover:

 

[MamaMandy]

She's a broken tort bred to a black. She's my only broken Holland and is 4 yrs old now so I need a younger broken to replace her eventually. I'd love a broken black as I've never had that color, but my biggest hope is for a sable point! Lots of the babies she lost last time were born a silvery color and the breeder I got her from told me they were probably sable points. The buck I bred her to carries shaded and dilute also, so I could possibly get a smoke pearl, which is my all time favorite color! Maybe???

And thank you Miss M! I'll keep everyone posted...

 

[Bad Habit]

Well, MSD told me it would be fine in the chat box last night, lol.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

According to this study, rabbits are unique in their metabolism of calcium. They absorb all that is available in the diet, and the excess is secreted in the urine, which is why the urine sometimes leaves "chalky" deposits. Interestingly, rabbit milk contains 3 to 5 times the amount of calcium and phosphorous than is found in cow's milk.

http://www.nutrecocanada.com/docs/shur- ... abbits.pdf

I am thinking that I should give my lactating does Tums too. It will likely help with milk production.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I would limit the tums to two a day. because there isnt just calcium in that .. She might like the taste to much and keeps eating them no matter what. There is sugar , coloring,ect. that isnt good for a rabbit. If you really want just calcium.. Maybe you should look into something else. Like goat drench.

 

[MamaMandy]

Thank you Mary Ann, that's exactly what I was wondering. She was eating them like candy! Although, when I offered them before she wasn't that enthusiastic about it...

 

[Bad Habit]

Oh, I thought the question was if the number she'd had were bad for her.

For the record, Hannah delivered 8 babies just after midnight last night.

 

[MamaMandy]

Well, yes, but I was wondering if she would continue to eat them even if she didn't need anymore also.

Wow! That's crazy! I hope Victoria will have that many healthy ones! That's great. Congrats!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

She was eating them like candy! Although, when I offered them before she wasn't that enthusiastic about it...

We have catnip that has self sown, and is coming up everywhere. Mint shouldn't be fed to lactating or prego does, but is fine for bucks, young rabbits, etc. I tried and tried to get my rabbits to eat the catnip and they all turned their noses up at it... until I had a doe with the beginning stages of mastitis- she gobbled it down right away!

So, I'd say your doe probably needs the calcium, but I agree that the other ingredients aren't optimal. I have recently started adding a little bit of oyster shell (a calcium supplement for chickens) to my feed, as I saw it was part of Barbi Brown's conditioning mix. You could also try plain calcium tablets.

 

[AnnClaire]

MammaMandy, do you also supply a mineral block for the rabbits? I find that mine with regular access to mineral block don't eat the tums until the day before/day of kindling. Of course, we have "hard water" here which is heavy with lime stone and calcium ... lots of CLR gets used in my coffee maker/tea maker

 

[Bad Habit]

Bunnies seem to know when they need something specific, and will seek it out, or eat something they normally wouldn't because they need it. It's pretty cool.

 

[Rexisbest]

Fresh spinach is high in calcium, I feed to all my pregnant and lactating does. Have added lots of fresh greens to diet as a result of this forum, hoping it improves everyone's condition!