First-Timer Doe's Pregnancy

[GypsyTinker]

Ask at the store for anything lavender. I think even the scent of the essential oil will do it.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

There are other herbs that will help as well. This list below is taken from the link posted. If you only have dried herbs, you can sprinkle them on some damp greens or roll a slice of banana or apple in them to coat.

Mild Emmenagogues:
These include Parsley, Ginger, Yarrow, Feverfew, Rosemary and Sage.

Medium Strength Emmenagogues:
Parsley, Queen Anne's Lace Seeds, Black Cohosh, Mugwort, Juniper.

Strong Emmenagogues Include: Several of these herbs are also listed as abortifacients, which I have given a page of its own. You can find more information about these herbs there.
Pennyroyal, Angelica, Savin, Rue, Tansy, Asafetida, Blue Cohosh, and Vitamin C, celery seed, birthwort.

http://www.sisterzeus.com/Emmeno.htm

Good luck! :clover:

I hope she passes the kit soon!

 

[Teddy2511]

Alright, I've given her the small piece of banana coated in dry parsley and a tums. She hasn't shown any interest in either, but for right now she looks like she's trying to sleep.

The single, live kit is sleeping in a nest outside of the cage with a warm water bottle (wrapped in a sock) in with him for warmth.

<br /><br />__________ Thu Apr 25, 2013 3:04 pm __________<br /><br />I don't have any lavender buds/leaves, but has anyone ever tried lavender essential oils?

 

[GypsyTinker]

Rosemary is a good idea... Yarrow should be in your yard as well.

Yarrow is not flowering yet and will be a lovely green rosette of feathery leaves. It is hard to miss.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Achillea_millefolium

 

[Teddy2511]

Is this yarrow?

<br /><br />__________ Thu Apr 25, 2013 4:22 pm __________<br /><br />Well, she made a little bit of progress!
Almost the whole back of the kit is now showing; the hips and hind legs being the part that is completely out.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Is this yarrow?

Nope.

I have some growing. I'll take a picture and post it for you.

Almost the whole back of the kit is now showing; the hips and hind legs being the part that is completely out.

She'll probably finish before I can even post the pic! :clover:<br /><br />__________ Thu Apr 25, 2013 3:40 pm __________<br /><br />I couldn't find my camera- I think Hubs took it to work with him- but I found a pic from last year.

The plant is just beginning to flower:

 

[Teddy2511]

Oh, okay thank you!

She still hasn't passed the kit... But hopefully soon!

__________ Thu Apr 25, 2013 5:21 pm __________

She passed the kit! And one more dead kit right after it.

But now I am wondering what to do with the one live kit... Should I put it in her nest so that she can feed it right away, or should I wait until tonight to give her chance to rest and figure what she's doing before I give it to her?

And should I keep the singleton in the separate nest with the warm water bottle and just bring him back for feedings?<br /><br />__________ Thu Apr 25, 2013 6:32 pm __________<br /><br />Also, the doe is trembling a little from her eventful day... Will a tums help with that?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I'm glad she passed the kits, but sorry they were both dead. But the doe made it, and that is the important thing.

You can breed her back immediately if her vent looks okay, and she will likely have a nice large litter with smaller kits that are easier to birth next time.

I would definitely keep the singleton inside. You can take him out for a feeding when dusk is coming on (which is probably about now for you), but then bring it inside until the morning feeding.

If you have a heating pad you can put that under half of the nest so it has the option of moving away from the heat. The low setting would be best.

Good luck with your "lonely only"! :clover:

 

[Teddy2511]

Thanks, MSD!
I'll take the little guy down to mom shortly and see how it goes. She's busy eating a bunch of fresh dandelion leaves right now...

You don't think it would be too stressful to breed her back right after 6-7 hrs of labor? How long is the "window of opportunity" that comes right after birthing?

I don't have a heating pad, but I'll continue to use the hot water bottle wrapped in a sock as the kit's surrogate sibling.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

You don't think it would be too stressful to breed her back right after 6-7 hrs of labor? How long is the "window of opportunity" that comes right after birthing?

I'm not sure what the window of opportunity is- but in a colony setting, sometimes the bucks try to breed the does while they are kindling. :shock: I am pretty sure she will still be receptive tomorrow though.

My JW doe delivered one large dead kit the day before yesterday, and I will check to see if she is still receptive. My plan was to breed her back yesterday if no other kits were delivered (which they weren't) but I didn't get around to it.

I suggested a heating pad since the water bottle may cool during the night, but as long as it is fairly warm in your house and the nest has plenty of fur, the kit should hopefully be okay.

 

[Teddy2511]

Hm, okay, I guess I'll wait until tomorrow morning then since I want to make sure she's finished and rested first. Sadly, all the kits that were born dead look like they were the blue points and blue torts that I was hoping to get. Maybe I'll get those in her next litter.

I plan on refilling the water bottle with hot water several times; once before I go to bed, once in the middle of the night, and once when I get up in the morning. Will that be enough? It would be about every 4 and a half hours...<br /><br />__________ Thu Apr 25, 2013 8:46 pm __________<br /><br />Is it normal for a rabbit not to clean herself after a long labor? Mimi still has a very bloody bottom and it has already been 3 hrs since she delivered the last kit...

 

[ilovecharmz]

Check to see if she cleaned it today if not you can spot clean her bum!

 

[Teddy2511]

She finally had herself all cleaned up about a week after kindling and the kit is now two weeks old. Yay!