AShelBunny
Well-known member
So first time we bred a rabbit. She had 6 bunnies! So excited. It seems she like she is biting off their ears and legs.
What do I do?!
Why?!
Help! SOS quick
What do I do?!
Why?!
Help! SOS quick
Help! SOS! Stat! New timers
- Thread starter AShelBunny
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Sounds like she may be over grooming. We're they just born? Remove the babies from the cage until we can figure out the issue.
she is a first time mom and maybe she is cleaning up the afterbirth and over doing it because of screwy instincts. you can try taking them away and cleaning them up yourself and only giving them to her to feed until she calms down?
AShelBunny
Well-known member
Take the whole nest box out if she is done having babies.
Yes, take all the babies away, but make sure you leave any afterbirths for her to eat if you take the whole box out.
AShelBunny
Well-known member
Yes they were just born yesterday some time.
And then what do I do? Like hand feed or reintroduce?
poor things. they will make it without ears, but if they are missing limbs I would cull them now.
I am sorry, I can't remember if you are breeding for meat, pet, or show. If the end result is that you will have to cull these please do yourself a favor and do it before you string yourself out over them.
you can try to feed on moms belly while you hold her if she will sit for it. then in a few days she will likely accept them back...in the future she may do better, so give her another chance.
I am sorry, I can't remember if you are breeding for meat, pet, or show. If the end result is that you will have to cull these please do yourself a favor and do it before you string yourself out over them.
you can try to feed on moms belly while you hold her if she will sit for it. then in a few days she will likely accept them back...in the future she may do better, so give her another chance.
Fortunately, looks like they are clean and the wounds look like they are scabbed. As long as the wounds don't get infected and she is not continuing the behavior of obsessive grooming, she should be fine with them now. But,if she is still chewing on them you can keep the nest box out of the cage and just put it back in the cage in the early morning and evening, just monitor. She should feed them during those periods, then take them back out.
Take them out this evening to let her jump in and feed them. She'll probably do more cleaning and more nest-building. Watch her carefully and listen for squeaks from the babies, as if they're in pain. If they're crying or she spends too much time in the box (more than about 5-10 minutes), make her get out. Either way, when she's done feeding them, bring the box back in the house and don't take it again till tomorrow.
AShelBunny
Well-known member
We are breeding for meat.
So no ears won't mean much.
Ok. Cull the littlest with no leg?
I'm so sad. Ok.
They were really born yesterday but I didn't want to look at them because it was so cold. Today was a little warmer so I checked them out and found this. Do you think she calmed by now?
How do I know when you bring them back?
It is ok. she is young and dumb, but she will get better. this is a new mom thing, that usually goes away. follow the above advice. watch and listen during feedings and they only need one or two feedings a day. In a few days when the scabbing is really healing and there are no new ones is when I would try to give them back full time.
Do you know how to cull the baby? It is emotionally hard, but the physically easiest way (for both of you) is to decapitate with pruning shears or sharp scissors just behind the ears. One quick snip, take the head off, hold him facing away from you so you hit the spine first.
RABBITGIRLFORTHEWIN
Well-known member
I hate it when things like this happen
. It's sad but I would cull the little one or any other ones without limbs. Give Mama another chance being a first-time mama is hard. Nurse the other ones back to health, by holding Mama down and letting the kits nurse.
I would try to let the doe nurse normally, even if you have to convince her to get in the box. (I'm betting you won't have to, since she's already shown herself overzealous to a fault about taking care of her babies.) If she won't hop in in the morning, try again in the evening. Only if she won't cooperate at all would I try holding her down or flipping her on her back. Those techniques can be pretty stressful for an already keyed-up rabbit.
I have had awful experiences with both approaches. First one was with a doe being held on her back for babies to nurse on her belly. She suddenly raked with her back feet, and not only did she send three kits flying, which then hit the floor, but she also disemboweled one of them in the process. The other tragedy was a doe being held down so the babies could get underneath her to nurse. She fought with us and ended up stomping the kits, and poking two of them with her nails (which weren't especially long).
Sometimes you don't have much choice, but letting her do it on her own terms is usually the best option.
I have had awful experiences with both approaches. First one was with a doe being held on her back for babies to nurse on her belly. She suddenly raked with her back feet, and not only did she send three kits flying, which then hit the floor, but she also disemboweled one of them in the process. The other tragedy was a doe being held down so the babies could get underneath her to nurse. She fought with us and ended up stomping the kits, and poking two of them with her nails (which weren't especially long).
Sometimes you don't have much choice, but letting her do it on her own terms is usually the best option.
AShelBunny
Well-known member
This morning they were all fed. So we lost two. The one that was missing a leg and another one I didn't think was too bad. But they were all fat and fed this morning!
Yay! Thats good news, a fat baby is a happy baby!
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Well AShel. How are they doing ? I'm watching this thread like a Swiftie looking for Easter eggs ;-)
AShelBunny
Well-known member
So they are doing well! Fat and fed. I've left her to it now.
We lost those two. But I'm feeling optimistic.
That was a little traumatic for me though! Lol
I've watched her with them and she lets them feed and no new injuries.so. hopefully that won't happen again.
That's what I would do. And you could give her another chance but if shes doing that to kits reliably I'd say shes just not cut out to be a mom. Sometimes the first time is rocky and then they get it but if it's a pattern it's a problem.
