Doe eating a live kit??

[FourRingCircus]

I knew i had one kindling soon. Went out to check on her and found a nest full of fur - yay! Then she hopped out of the way and I saw that she had been eating a kit. Not the best sight, but it's part of it. Then I realized it was still moving!!! No back legs and missing all the skin on the back half, but still alive!! I used my bare hands to dispatch it b/c I didn't want to wait to find some scissors - the poor thing needed to be put out of it's misery. 4 healthy kits in the nest box - hopefully she'll care for them...

To top it off, I saw our dog digging around underneath the hutch - I just figured she smelled the blood. Then I heard a scream. There was a live kit outside of the hutch!! I found a hole in the back corner that had been covered up with a chewed up pinecone and some fur - I am guessing that's where it fell through . I think the dog was just as surprised b/c there wasn't a mark on it and all limbs were still moving so I put it back in the nest box. I will check on it to make sure it's not suffering or struggling.

 

[Zass]

Does usually only eat live kits when they are frightened of a predator.

Stray dogs and roosters have been identified as culprits in frightening does into cannibalism...
It makes me wonder if maybe she's scared of your dog/dogs being under the hutches?

You can take the nestbox and return it for feedings. After a week or so they should be safe with her.

 

[FourRingCircus]

Does usually only eat live kits when they are frightened of a predator.

Stray dogs and roosters have been identified as culprits in frightening does into cannibalism...
It makes me wonder if maybe she's scared of your dog/dogs being under the hutches?

You can take the nestbox and return it for feedings. After a week or so they should be safe with her.

The dog has been on the back deck all afternoon... the only time I ever see her back there is when she's with me. Now, the chickens have been out. The might have been scratching around underneath.

 

[Zass]

The dog has been on the back deck all afternoon... the only time I ever see her back there is when she's with me. Now, the chickens have been out. The might have been scratching around underneath.

One time, I saw where some hens had pecked at and partially eaten wire-born kits..

So yeah, maybe they are scary to her.

 

[TF3]

*shiver* sorry you had to see that, but thankfully you ended it quickly!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Does she have a mineral/salt lick? The only time my does cannibalize live kits is when their salt/mineral block is missing.

 

[grumpy]

"Sometimes".....(critical word) a doe, will get (carried away) when
cleaning a kit after its birth.............and not stop. It """may""" have been
completely accidental.

However, that other kit falling to the ground wasn't an accident.
It was an oversight on your part and one's that not uncommon.

Doe----1..........................Owner----1. You're tied.

Grumpy.

 

[FourRingCircus]

"Sometimes".....(critical word) a doe, will get (carried away) when
cleaning a kit after its birth.............and not stop. It """may""" have been
completely accidental.

However, that other kit falling to the ground wasn't an accident.
It was an oversight on your part and one's that not uncommon.

Doe----1..........................Owner----1. You're tied.

Grumpy.

Oh, I do know the other was an oversight. It was a section of a used hutch that I had been using as storage and I guess I didn't realize the back corner was so weak - I am assuming she was using that back corner which further worsened it... the feeder being in front of it along with a pinecone over top made it hard to see. My fault though... <br /><br /> -- Tue Sep 29, 2015 8:07 am -- <br /><br />

Does she have a mineral/salt lick? The only time my does cannibalize live kits is when their salt/mineral block is missing.

No salt lick, but I can get one. Someone else told me that they weren't really necessary and just rotted the cage out faster, especially in our humidity. Of course I just threw away a 2 pack that I didn't think I would need.

She's a bit of a crazy doe anyway. She mellowed out a bit while she was pregnant, but I think since she had them it has her ramped up again. I am hoping to get a good litter or two out of her then she's gone, but she might not get there. We'll see...

 

[Marinea]

"Sometimes".....(critical word) a doe, will get (carried away) when
cleaning a kit after its birth.............and not stop. It """may""" have been
completely accidental.

However, that other kit falling to the ground wasn't an accident.
It was an oversight on your part and one's that not uncommon.

Doe----1..........................Owner----1. You're tied.

Grumpy.

I had a first time doe go crazy cleaning up kits- it wasn't pretty. She went on to become a terrific mom. It happens. Sorry you went through that.

 

[FourRingCircus]

Pretty sure this doe is just psycho anyway. I was hoping the mellow mood would last, but nope. I have been trying to get her to warm up to me, and had gotten to the point where she would let me brush between her ears once or twice before grunting at me. Today as soon as I put my hand in to check on the kits she grunted really loud and lunged at me with her front feet. Sheesh. A rabbit whisperer I am not :x So far all 5 are still alive and wiggling (even the escapee), but they are pretty hungry by the sounds of it (or maybe they are just as crazy as their mom). It's not even been 24 hours though so we'll see how it goes. Beautiful kits though... It's kind of fun having something other than white.

 

[alforddm]

Beautiful kits though... It's kind of fun having something other than white.

Really??? You're going to tease us like that and not give us pics???? :evil: :evil: :twisted:

:lol: :lol:

 

[FourRingCircus]

Beautiful kits though... It's kind of fun having something other than white.

Really??? You're going to tease us like that and not give us pics???? :evil: :evil: :twisted:

:lol: :lol:

They are on my camera . Will post soon! I didn't get too many b/c I didn't want to disturb them too much. Just a quick singleton shot and a peek into the nest. <br /><br /> -- Tue Sep 29, 2015 10:52 am -- <br /><br /> These are from a Chin doe and NZW buck... I was expecting a little more color variation, but hey, they're not white! :lol:







(ignore the flaked off sparkly polish - my girls painted my nails a couple weeks ago and I haven't taken the time to take it off)

Really hoping she is able to care for them OK... I want to keep one or two! Unless of course they inherit her personality :x . The buck is a sweet ball of fluff so maybe that will help? I was planning on using her with a new, young Chin buck I got to try and get some good coloring for my breeding stock, but not sure if she'll stay long enough for that.

 

[alforddm]

OHH looks like you have a whole nest full of Chinchillas! Congratz!

 

[FourRingCircus]

OHH looks like you have a whole nest full of Chinchillas! Congratz!

I am actually really surprised by that! I figured I would have a couple, but thought for sure there would be some mixes of some sort. I have no idea how the genetics work though...

 

[grumpy]

:lol: thought you got smacked with a hammer...LOL.

 

[FourRingCircus]

:lol: thought you got smacked with a hammer...LOL.

Thankfully not :lol: