Help! 18 day olds with their eyes still closed what do I do?

[Smith's Rabbits]

I had a litter born the 12th (9 mini lops)all have had eyes open for a while now. Since day 14 or 15. This litter was born the 13th (5 Satins and 1 mini lop from above litter fostered). Their nestbox is darker ( covered cat litter box) and its been so cold I haven't done much but check for fat bellies. I took the lid off today and there are three with both eyes still shut kind of covered with a crustyness. then there is one with one open and one closed. I brought them inside to try to fix it but I am not sure how to proceed? warm washrag is my plan? I work 3rd and have the night off so I will have all night for them to warm up/dry off.

 

[ZRabbits]

Warm washrag sounds like a good plan. Hope you update on their progress.

Karen

 

[skysthelimit]

The crustiness sounds a bit like nest box eye. I would get a q tip or cotton ball and try to loosen it with some warm water, them put some eye ointment in it, the Terramycin eye stuff you can get at TSC.

 

[ZRabbits]

The crustiness sounds a bit like nest box eye. I would get a q tip or cotton ball and try to loosen it with some warm water, them put some eye ointment in it, the Terramycin eye stuff you can get at TSC.

I'd be afraid with the q-tip. I wouldn't want to poke one in the eye. But if it works, it works. I used a warm washrag on one of my kits. Thought all of their eyes were open, but found one that just needed a little help.

Karen

 

[skysthelimit]

The crustiness sounds a bit like nest box eye. I would get a q tip or cotton ball and try to loosen it with some warm water, them put some eye ointment in it, the Terramycin eye stuff you can get at TSC.

I'd be afraid with the q-tip. I wouldn't want to poke one in the eye. But if it works, it works. I used a warm washrag on one of my kits. Thought all of their eyes were open, but found one that just needed a little help.

Karen

LOL. It's all fun and games till a rabbit gets and eye poked out.

Due to my issue with wet dewlap fungus and losing some kits this summer, everything I touch the rabbits with is disposable. That way, I can just move on to the next kit without having to disinfect the cloth, just get a new q tip/cotton ball. Holding it sideways and wiping it across their eyes with a steady had should not cause any injury.

 

[ladysown]

grab a teabag (make your tea if desired), get it lukewarm, place on eye for a good while and the eye should open up just fine with just a bit of pressure. the astringents in the tea will be good for the eye with no need for medication. works a charm.

SO.. now you need to figure...was it caused by dirty nestbox or is it genetics? Fix the one problem, and then approach the second by selective culling. The fact that one has one good eye and one not so good tells me it's a combination of the two. Keep the one with the good eye and don't keep the rest for breeding purposes.

Nestbox eye CAN BE bred out!!!!

 

[Amy]

I've read chamomile tea is great for eye infections. Good luck!

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I had a litter born the 12th (9 mini lops)all have had eyes open for a while now. Since day 14 or 15. This litter was born the 13th (5 Satins and 1 mini lop from above litter fostered). Their nestbox is darker ( covered cat litter box) and its been so cold I haven't done much but check for fat bellies. I took the lid off today and there are three with both eyes still shut kind of covered with a crustyness. then there is one with one open and one closed. I brought them inside to try to fix it but I am not sure how to proceed? warm washrag is my plan? I work 3rd and have the night off so I will have all night for them to warm up/dry off.

So, just a question, you have not cleaned the box out since they were born? It is likely Nestbox Eye, an infection they can get from dirty bedding. I was getting this a lot and then I started to clean my boxes out after the doe kindles, day 3, day 9 and day 14...in the summer I take out the box on day 14 but in the winter I leave it till day 21 or longer. I have not had NBE since I started doing it this way

 

[ladysown]

i rarely thoroughly clean out my nestboxes since I started to breed out those that got it. All I do is remove wet bedding only...nothing more.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

i rarely thoroughly clean out my nestboxes since I started to breed out those that got it. All I do is remove wet bedding only...nothing more.

Yep, that is what I mean...take out the dirty stuff, put more in if needed....sorry if it was not clear. I only had one line that got it regardless and I culled that line out of my barn. So, between culling and prompt removal of soiled bedding, we don't ever get NBE anymore.

 

[ollitos]

I think we might have a little nestbox eye as well. The eyes are not crusty though. They are just sealed shut. When I feel them, it does feel like there might be some hardness sealing the eyes shut. I'm going to try warm tea bags in a bit.

 

[a7736100]

I've had some crusty eye lids which I just rub away with my fingers. Then using both thumbs I gentle pull the lids apart till there's at least a little opening. I let the kids do the rest. Rarely have I had to use moisture.

 

[skysthelimit]

I've only had one crusty eye. It never opened and he turned out blind in one eye.

 

[Smith's Rabbits]

we clean out all the wet stuff the day after they born. I changed out all their beddding last night and took the cover off. They were out running around a bit today even the ones with their eyes closed. I worked at their eyes with an old sock ( it was softer then the washrag) soaked in warm water. I got one eye open, the others are looking a little better I will repeat the process tonight.

 

[MaggieJ]

Be careful not to scrub at the eyes. A cotton puff dipped in warm (not hot) tea and applied like a compress should give better results.

 

[luvabunny]

However you do it, and there have been many suggestions above, just make sure those eyes stay open. An eye infection can and will produce a blind rabbit.

My general rule is that if you have cleaned / opened them for 3 days in a row, then it's time for medication.

If you have that many bunnies with it, I would do a complete clean & disinfect of the nestbox, and put only straw back in. At their age, they won't need a lot of fluff and extra bedding, and should really only be using the box to sleep in at night. The more they are up and about, the more they will have their eyes open, and the more Mama will be able to help keep them clean.