Doe with kits not eating pellets

[ekaelliott]

I'm having all kinds of problems with this litter of New Zealand Reds. First, the doe had a false pregnancy (I think the heat was too much for the buck to have been fertile). Then, when I re-bred her she did get pregnant. She never looks very big but does tend to have large litters. I had a friend watching my house for me the night that she kindled. He said that she only had two babies but when I got home there were ten but four were dead. There was more blood then usual for this doe as well. I'm not sure if it was just a rough delivery or if he interrupted her. The dead kits all looked okay. Since then she has lost three more kits. She doesn't seem to be eating pellets at all but has been eating vegetables. I don't think she is getting the kits much milk which would make sense if she isn't eating. This doe has been a good mom to her previous litters so I am not sure what is going on now. Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[MaggieJ]

Try giving her some kitchen oatmeal (old-fashioned, large flake type) and some hay. Most rabbits find the oatmeal very palatable and it may help her milk supply. Vegetables are not enough. Some weeds like dandelion and plantain, raspberry or blackberry leaves and so forth may also help. Is she pooping normally?

 

[Twobirdsfarm]

Hey ekaelliott,
I have similar problems with one of my does. I know she's pregnant when she stops eating, lol. Then of course, after she kindles she can't produce enough milk to feed the kits. She's due this week and so when she went off her feed over a week ago I tried some different things that have seemed to help restore her appetite.

1) She has a hay rack outside her cage, but for whatever reason she's decided it's too much effort to pull the hay through. So I put some right on the floor of her cage and she eats it up.
2) My angoras are usually on a 17% extruded pellet which this doe won't touch around kindling time. I give her a separate dish of 16% maintenance pellets and she'll eat some of that.
3) I don't give my buns salt blocks because they ruin the wire cages, but I gave her one and she really likes it. When she stops eating she also stops drinking and this helped get her drinking water again.
4) I occasionally offer greens and veggies to my buns, but for this doe, once she's off her feed I'll give her some kale and a piece of carrot morning and night. She eats those very well and that way I know she has at least some water and nutrition in her stomach even if she doesn't eat anything else.
5) All my buns really like alfalfa cubes and she'll chew on them even when she won't eat much else. You can get little bags at the pet store or big bags at the feed store.
6) I also offer her a handful of BOSS (Black Oil Sunflower Seeds) in her grain. If she'll eat them, they really help with milk production and weight gain.

Just try and offer her as many things as you can, and if she'll eat it, give her more! Just make sure you don't shock her digestive system too much.
Good luck, and I hope that helps!
- TBF

 

[ekaelliott]

Thank you for the ideas! I'll get her some oatmeal when I go home for lunch and get her some hay (instead of straw) after work. I just hope it's not too late. I want the last three to survive. I raise the rabbits for meat and want everyone to have happy healthy lives before harvest. We've had some "tragedies" lately due to having moved and having had a really hot summer. The freezer is getting low on rabbit and mostly I just want everyone to be in good health. I think it's really strange that she has never had this behavior before. She has always been a good mom and perfectly able to raise large litters in the past. I'm hopeful this is a fluke and she will be on her game again for the next litter. If not, I'll be better prepared and hopefully won't lose so many kits!