Doe not feeding kits?

[paper_crane2]

They were born this morning and she still hasn't fed them (6:15 now).

Should I do something?

Also, does that mean that I shouldn't take the nestbox out tonight because she didn't feed them?

 

[ladysown]

i would hold her over the kits to encourage her to feed them. You will want to hold her firmly so that in her struggles (if she does) she won't hurt the kits.

First though, see if she'll jump in the box and feed them.

Sometimes it takes a full day for their milk to come in strong. She would have let them nurse while they were being born though, so she may not have to feed them until tomorrow morning.

 

[mystang89]

What do their bellies look like? Round and puffy or skinny and wrinkly? If they haven't fed I would take the doe out, flip her on my lap, put 1 kit at a time on her, let the kit find the nipple and then feed them that way till they are full.

This link might help. expressing-milk-t12164.html

I personally wouldn't take the box out at night unless it was getting in the negatives but there are differing opinions.

 

[paper_crane2]

This doe is a mean one, she doesn't let me pick her up, so I doubt that she'll let me hold her over the kits.

The kits bellies have been small and wrinkly since this morning.

 

[mystang89]

Mean or not, if the kits aren't being fed then I see 3 options.

1.) Put some gloves on and flip her over on your lap. Most rabbits will go into a trance when on their back.
2.) Try to feed them on formula.
3.) Find a snake owner.

Hopefully its as LadySown said and her milk just hadn't come in full yet. Is this her first litter?

 

[paper_crane2]

Yeah, this is her first litter.

How long should I wait for her to feed them before I intervene?

 

[mystang89]

Imho, it really depends on how the bellies look. If they are sunken in, wrinkly and just look malnourished I would try to put the kits on and give them a chance. If they don't seem interested then milk a bit out and see if that helps. Just remember, there isn't anything you can do to MAKE a kit eat. If they don't want to then they don't want to.

If the kits bellies look like they've eaten, even a few hours ago, then I would give them till tomorrow. The kits eat surprisingly little and the does milk is surprisingly rich. Many does will only feed once a day, some may feed twice.

 

[RothsRabbits]

leave them alone for 24 hours. She may only feed them at night when nothing stirs not even a mouse!!

Problems can arise when people mess with them to much.

give her plenty of water. and check them tomorrow. Then you can try to intervene if you want with the suggestions above.

and remember they only nurse once or twice in 24hrs in most cases.

 

[mystang89]

Also make sure that she has plenty of food for herself. It's just like a nursing mom. They need lots of food and water to make the milk for the baby. Any update on what they look like now?

 

[paper_crane2]

This morning I looked and some of the kits are nicely fed with round bellies, but others don't look like they got that much. I've been giving the doe parsley to help with milk production, so do you guys think that the other kits will start to be fed better soon?

 

[3mina]

They may or may not get more, as long as they look like they're eating is leave them be. Even if they don't have the tight as a drum bellies of their littermates.
Keep notes on how the doe does with this litter and if this is a pattern, decide if you want to keep her in your herd. I usually give three strikes but not always.

 

[TwoAcreDream]

Maybe I missed something here...
but how many babies does she have and what breed is the mommy ?

 

[paper_crane2]

Thank you for all the help everyone. This is my first litter so I'm a little nervous that I'll do something wrong

Maybe I missed something here...
but how many babies does she have and what breed is the mommy ?

French angora
8 kits (originally 9, but 1 was dead)

 

[mystang89]

Keep in mind that some kits are going to be smaller than others just because of genetics. Glad they are all doing ok. Id leave everything alone since she seems to be doing well.