Dead doe

[dlynn]

Rough day. Found my 11 1/2 month old silver fox doe, dead, this morning. Went to the aviary and a quail hen dead. Then a dead 4 week old chick in the brooder box, dead. These animals seemed to thrive in our cold winter. Now a week of 40* and melting snow and problems. I opened up the doe to see if I could figure out what happened. First time with rabbit so I m trying to compare to pictures. She has 8 week old kits(8). Didn't seem to have weaned them as there was milk running when I pulled skin. Stomach seemed full but intestines seemed fairly empty with poops spaced out instead of close as I've seen in pictures with some air bubbles lower down. From research I'm guessing GI stasis. But the things they say to prevent, I do. An abundance of hay, tree branches of maple, mulberry, white pine, spruce, bass wood.. free range yard, so lots of exercise. A good pellet made in our area. I give a chopped salad in the morning as a treat with a little oats stirred in. Black oil sunflower seeds at night to reward them for going in when called. The only change I've made is switching from rolled oats to sprouted whole oats a few weeks ago. I did find she was pregnant again. There were 12 kits in her from 1 to 3 inches. I had caught her chewing on weird things lately. An old wool carpet pad ( insulation under the tarp covering their shelter for winter) the tarp itself, a fiberglass panel... She retreated to a den box last night, rejected the sunflower seeds ( her favorite) this morning she was dead. Is this common? Any suggestions?

 

[eco2pia]

I would expect she chewed the wrong thing...they sort of chew all the things, and fiberglass seems like a bad thing to ingest? I would not count on a rabbit to have a lot of "sense" about what is safe--not that they can't be smart, just that it seems to vary by individual. I have a male who will only eat bark, pellets, and cardboard. He will not eat fresh greens or hay. Obviously this makes little sense nutritionally....I have a doe that will carefully reject plants I have later found out were toxic. She sorts them out into a little pile and eats everything else. They are just individuals.

 

[Buknee]

So sorry for you loss. Insulation and fiberglass are most likely your culprits.

 

[Scooter1A]

Have you found any other animals dead or dying since you first posted? Seems odd that different animals are having problems. I hate to ask this question but...do you live in Ohio? I'm sorry you have to go through this. Great job on looking inside the doe, this is how we learn. Man, the things we have to do, right? God bless.

 

[dlynn]

Have you found any other animals dead or dying since you first posted? Seems odd that different animals are having problems. I hate to ask this question but...do you live in Ohio? I'm sorry you have to go through this. Great job on looking inside the doe, this is how we learn. Man, the things we have to do, right? God bless.

No, Wisconsin. The quail both looked injured. They get a little nasty sometimes. No other rabbits are having problems so far. She wasn't one to chew on odd stuff before. Wonder if another pregnancy triggered that urge. Glad she gave me the 8 kits. Seem to be doing good, almost 8 weeks. Will have to keep a few

 

[Scooter1A]

No, Wisconsin. The quail both looked injured. They get a little nasty sometimes. No other rabbits are having problems so far. She wasn't one to chew on odd stuff before. Wonder if another pregnancy triggered that urge. Glad she gave me the 8 kits. Seem to be doing good, almost 8 weeks. Will have to keep a few

Great! I'm sure that the pregnancy triggered it. OMG they eat like there is no tomorrow the minute they know they are pregnant. Glad you have the 8 and Easter is coming!