Day 3, kits not fed

[haleyl97]

First time mom delivered Monday around 4 pm. It is now Wednesday 4 pm and her 3 surviving kits do not yet appear fed. They appear skinny and wrinkled with sunken stomachs, and cry and squirm in the nest. Mom does visit the nest occasionally, adding fur and sitting for a while eating hay. What should I do? Do I give them more time? Try flipping her?

Thank you

 

[MaggieJ]

Can you examine her and see if she has any milk? If she does, rather than flip her (tricky because she will kick), sit down with a towel over your legs. Spread your legs a bit to make a pocket in the towel between them. Keep the doe right side up and slip the kits under her. Stroke her ears etc. to calm her while the kits nurse.

 

[caroline]

I had this happen a few weeks ago.I fostered the kits to 2 other does since the momma did not appear to have milk when I took her out and flipped her for the kits to nurse. I always breed multiple does at the same time so that I can even out litters or foster kits when the momma doesn't appear to be feeding hers. Fortunately I don't have to do it often and I sure am glad when I have another momma available

 

[Miss M]

Feel her tummy... does she seem to have milk?

You can give her fresh parsley to help with milk production. Black oil sunflower seeds (BOSS) can help with that, too. So can oatmeal lightly coated with blackstrap molasses.

You can take the nest out, bring her to it, pull the babies into the middle of the nest, put her in the nest, and then hold her in the nest box if necessary to get her to stay there. That, or put the babies in a depression in a towel in your lap, and put them over her in your lap. Some does will allow you to flip them and nurse babies that way... others (like mine) will start kicking, resulting in flying kits.

If they are still not getting fed, they are going to start fading fast. You can try handfeeding them, though I have not had to feed formula as the sole feed for a newborn rabbit... I have only supplemented underfed kits. Here is the formula I use: 1/2 Cup evaporated goat's milk (usually with the canned evaporated milk), 1/2 Tablespoon corn syrup, and 1 egg yolk. Here's the thread I started on it: formula-feeding-baby-bunnies-pics-vids-t3691.html

I hope you can get her to feed them. I have had to hold a doe over the kits the first two or three times... after that, she got it.

 

[Susie570]

I would definitely try 'flipping' her... although a few of us have discovered that it's much easier to do a supplemental feeding if you do not turn the doe upside down. It is VERY important though, to make sure you hold her in such a way that she cannot trample the kits if she gets upset (she probably will). If you can get her zoned out on her back, the kits should be able to nurse. Don't worry if they act like they're not getting anything for a few minutes, just keep petting her and she should let her milk down. One person suggested pressing a warm washcloth against her teats for a little while first. If you can feed the kits on the doe they have a much better chance of survival than trying to 'hand raise' them. Good luck!

 

[haleyl97]

I have her in my lap on the towel as I type this. Babies have been under her for about 5 mins nursing and now have round bellies! For how long do I let them nurse? Mom is very calm like this

 

[akane]

I would have held her over the nest box instead. Then she can associate the nest box with the experience and know where to go for the next feeding.

 

[haleyl97]

Wow, the kits look so different full! Should I repeat the assist feeding, in the nestbox? And when? <br /><br /> -- Wed Feb 11, 2015 4:34 pm -- <br /><br /> One of the kits has dried feces on his bottom. Do they need bathroom assistance? Should I be doing that, or trusting mom to even though she is not feeding them?

 

[MaggieJ]

Akane has a point . . . but at this time, the most important thing was to get them fed. As long as she associates the kits with the need to nurse, she should soon get the idea. Feedings are usually only twice a day. Since the day is well advanced, you might want to try again at bedtime. If not, then first thing in the morning. You may need to assist feeding for another time or two, but most does catch on fairly quickly.

Well done! :goodjob:

 

[Susie570]

Wow, the kits look so different full! Should I repeat the assist feeding, in the nestbox? And when?

-- Wed Feb 11, 2015 4:34 pm --

One of the kits has dried feces on his bottom. Do they need bathroom assistance? Should I be doing that, or trusting mom to even though she is not feeding them?

I know that mom's milk will last 24hrs. I'm still new at this, but MY thought would be to leave her alone the rest of the day and then check the kits again in the morning. If they do not look like they still have fat bellies, I would do another feeding and then repeat the following day as needed.

Sounds like you did great!

 

[katiebear]

-- Wed Feb 11, 2015 4:34 pm --

One of the kits has dried feces on his bottom. Do they need bathroom assistance? Should I be doing that, or trusting mom to even though she is not feeding them?[/quote]


You can clean up its bottom but you don't need to potty them..the squirming around in the nest box will do the trick

 

[Miss M]

Wow, the kits look so different full! Should I repeat the assist feeding, in the nestbox? And when?

-- Wed Feb 11, 2015 4:34 pm --

One of the kits has dried feces on his bottom. Do they need bathroom assistance? Should I be doing that, or trusting mom to even though she is not feeding them?

Excellent job! :hooray:

You can try again tonight, or not. She might feed them again... or not. Definitely make sure she feeds them in the morning, though. She should feed morning and night. An occasional doe will feed only once a day, but most do it twice.

The kits do not need bathroom assistance. Actually, they don't really seem to get it from the doe, either. The thought of some on here is that it is actually the action of the kits wiggling against each other that takes care of that.

For the one with the dried feces, though, I'd take a wet cotton ball and clean him off. Just watch out... you may stimulate him to pee in the process.

Ah... I've been beaten by Katiebear. :lol:

 

[haleyl97]

I can't thank everyone enough for your replies! The kits are clean and fed and warm. I'll repeat the feeding in the morning, in the nestbox this time. I recently took in Mom as a "buck" (hah) hoping for a new companion for my little guy whose former buddy passed away. Obviously I have no experience with kits; I'm so thankful to have found you guys.

 

[Miss M]

This is a great place! I've learned so much from the members here! Pretty much everything I know about rabbits...

Everybody is so eager to help, too.

 

[MatSuAK]

:cheer1: Way to go Haleyl97 :cheer2:

 

[Susie570]

I can't thank everyone enough for your replies! The kits are clean and fed and warm. I'll repeat the feeding in the morning, in the nestbox this time. I recently took in Mom as a "buck" (hah) hoping for a new companion for my little guy whose former buddy passed away. Obviously I have no experience with kits; I'm so thankful to have found you guys.

Same thing happened to me, only in reverse. I bought my son a lovely broken blue mini lop doe at a pet store, then a friend donated a companion doe for her, since we couldn't be with her all the time and she was lonely. Three months later.... the donated doe had 9 babies. lol <br /><br /> -- Wed Feb 11, 2015 11:02 pm -- <br /><br />

Just watch out... you may stimulate him to pee

Indeed. Our kits are 2 weeks old today and it's the first day I was able to hold them without each one giving me a good sprinkling! Lol

 

[JenerationX]

Welcome to RT!

 

[jimmywalt]

Ditto everything Miss M said in her posts above!!!

Parsley has worked WONDERS for us since we read about it here a few months ago. We buy it at the store on about day 28 and always have it on had along with some oatmeal. Seems to work!!!!!

As far as flipping the doe over, I've ready MANY threads on this site that discourage that. One gravity will work against you, second the doe has to "release" the milk - the tap doesn't run 24/7, but only when she wants to.

Good luck with the kits!

 

[haleyl97]

Mom is doing a great job regularly feeding kits on her own now! Thank you so much for your help

 

[alforddm]

Awsome! So happy to hear it!