Doe ate 3 and trying to save 2 ??

[Crazy4Rabbits]

My French Angora doe had 5 babies this morning. When I went back at noon she had eaten 3 and the other 2 were cold. I warmed them and am feeding them fresh goat milk. She normally wants to be pampered and now she is not wanting me to touch her...... Is there anything anyone can suggest regarding the babies or checking her out??
Thanks

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Is this her first litter? Sometimes new moms are a little overzealous when it comes to cleaning their kits, and they eat parts of them.

She may not be finished kindling, which may be why she is being standoffish.

I would give her a Tums for calcium just in case she needs it.

I recently became friends with a longtime rabbit breeder, and she says that some does will eat their kits if they don't have a mineral block in their cage.

As for your little survivors, I would take them out to the doe morning and evening for supervised nursing. After a day or two, when her hormones have settled down, it will probably be safe to leave them with her.

I'm sorry you lost part of the litter in such a gruesome way.

Good luck with the survivors! :clover:

 

[Crazy4Rabbits]

Thank you. She has had one previous litter and did fine. It is her first litter in her new cage and in the winter. I wondered if she still has more to birth but it has been 12 hours. I will give her the tums. I'll take them down in the morning and see if she will let them nurse. I'm worried about her....
Thanks again for the advice...