Cold kits

[ollitos]

First time doe kindled on the wire. Three of the eight are moving. The rest are so cold. I have them on a heating pad with a towel over them. What else can I do? I remember someone saying something about the color of the toenails indicating if they still had circulation or not. All of the cold ones have white toenails, just like the ones that are moving.

Bless her heart, that doe was sitting on those kits trying to keep them warm

 

[majorv]

Warming them slowly seems to work better than warming too quickly. I've been able to revive some of mine by placing them in a bowl of warm water (up to the neck). My mistake was that after I got them moving I placed them in a towel on a heating pad, and they got too warm. What I should've done was after reviving them putting them in a nestbox inside the house and covering them well.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

My favorite method is to put some towels in the dryer to warm and then making a hollow in them to contain the kits. I place them in the warmed towels and close the door to retain the heat. Make sure to warn all family members not to turn the dryer on.

I hope the kits warm up and are okay. :clover:

 

[AmysMacdog]

Got my fingers crossed and said a little prayer for them and the momma. Bless her heart for sure!

 

[ollitos]

The three I knew were alive are doing well. The other 5 are in the dryer. I saw some toenails starting to turn dark but not sure how many kits are doing that.

 

[Trapper]

What is the best average temperature for momma and kits? I have two American Sables, labeled #2 and #3, in a well ventilated, thermostate controlled green house. #2 kindled sometime in the past three hours and #3 is due within the next 48 hours. The outside temperature was 23 during the night and forcasted to reach into the teens tonight. Controls are set for 50 degrees inside the GH/Bunny Barn. At 11:00am temperature inside both nest boxes was 54. Is this a safe temperature for both both mom and kits?

 

[3mina]

Easily within normal, you've got a lovely spring day going on there

 

[Amy]

I've also used the warm water to the neck, which got the kit moving and breathing a little...then I snuggled it on my chest with blankets, it was on my skin so I could feel it go from very cold to warm, but it took about an hour.<br /><br />__________ Sun Jan 13, 2013 11:23 am __________<br /><br />I did try the towels in the dryer method, but it was taking too long for the dryer to warm the towels up...might just be my dryer.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I've also used the warm water to the neck

I did try the towels in the dryer method, but it was taking too long for the dryer to warm the towels up...might just be my dryer.

Our dryer warms them very quickly, but even so, I keep the cold kits under my shirt and against my skin until it is ready. Since your dryer takes a long time to warm up, dipping them in warm water is a great option to start warming them, and that is the method used by a lot of people.

Another thing that can be done is to put them in a nest with other warm healthy popples. I would hesitate to put a whole litter of cold kits in a nest, but one or two snuggled in with several others should not chill the healthy ones too much.

 

[ollitos]

We really tried but they never revived. The three made it but the others didn't.

 

[Frecs]

We really tried but they never revived. The three made it but the others didn't.

So sorry. Been there. It sucks. But, you did the best you could...

 

[owlsfriend]

During my recent popple-debacle, I was given some important information--if they are frozen stiff, it's too late. There should still be signs of heartbeat, felt by placing a finger on the chest and shallow breathing.....I only got this advice from one person of many, so I was wondering if it was general consensus.

 

[Frosted Rabbits]

I can't feel a heartbeat that small and slow-- and I have had some 'stiff' kits revive--
back at my brothers place, I set cold kits about 2 feet away from the wood stove, directly on the warm tile floor.

I have used heating pads-- covered pad with a towel, and a covering a few inches above teh kits

I have even used a seedling starter heat mat-- the kind you put under a seedling tray.

I have a 'snuggle safe' for small animals-- it is microwaved, then placed with the cold animal. Use a towel to prevent burning-- these things hold heat for several hours.

a Chicken egg incubator works great for warming cold kits!!! The added humidity from the water compartment makes it easier for them to breathe, as well.

Those "chemical" hand warmers that produce heat when exposed to air, can also be a good emergency source of heat for kits-- just make sure they don't come in contact, or they WILL get burned. (burned my chest one night using one to help keep warm while delivering newspapers!)