KSpenc5186
New member
I’m needing a little advice…
(I’m going to try to keep this short)
On July 5, my husband noticed a bunch of holes in our hill so he decided to check them. They were all empty.
July 7th, around 5pm my husband decided to be safe and check the holes again before he mowed the grass. This time one of them was covered and had fur. He peeled it back real quick and saw babies in the hole, then covered them back up. He put a stick pattern on the top of the hole, that way we would make sure mama would come and also we put our camera out. I figured maybe she wouldn’t come the first day since she just gave birth. I also read it could be up to 48 hours for mama to come.
First day no mama. July 9th still no mama July 10th, no mama again. We even put cornstarch on top to make sure she wasn’t just dodging our camera and not moving the sticks. I also lifted one of the babies up quickly to check their bellies and it had no milk, they were very skinny & you could see it’s ribs & spine. July 11th, I couldn’t wait any longer. I pulled them at noon, I gave mama the morning and still nothing.
These babies were tiny and skinny! I have rehab squirrels a few times, so I figured I could help out these bunnies, now I’m not sure I made the right decision but our human society here is a joke to get animals in. You have to make scheduled phone appointments & they will approve you if they have room.
The first day we got all 5 of them, I weighed them at 0.6 or 0.7 ounces that would be about 4 days from when we spotted the babies. Not sure when mama actually had them. Somewhere in those 2 days we last checked. Feeding them the first time was hard, but finally after 3 days they got the hang of it besides one that was the runt (Red). We color coronated them so we could tell the difference between them all. (Technically they all were runts they were so tiny I had to question if these were mice!) They fluctuated from 0.8/0.9/1.0 oz but they would gain and loose it right away. It was impossible to get there weight up without over feeding them or force feeding them all day. I fed them every 2-3 hours like clockwork. Day 9, one (blue) opened its eyes only weighing in at 1.0 oz (Blue is the biggest one). Day #10 the rest opened their eyes but one (pink). They all would eat and have full round bellies but never would gain weight. Day 10 and we are still at 0.8-1.0 ounces and they’re the size on my palm in length. I told my husband something is wrong maybe this is why mama left them there not growing or gaining weight! Can babies be born premature? Every bunny I saw online looks so much bigger at 10 days old!
The next day 11, I was holding Pink to feed and it did that “death arch” I have read about. I freaked out and said oh no we’re loosing one. This was around 1pm. It seemed Pink had gotten better throughout the day, and even ate for me that evening & night. We also got them out of their cage to stretch a bit, while we cleaned out their cage. All were moving great, except pink that one would move but wanted to snuggle more on your hand. All ate good, 3 peed on the towels. You wouldn’t have expected anything wrong besides them being so small & skinny!
Here comes the worst part… July 20th
Next morning the one that did the death arch (pink) I found had passed. We looked around the cage and then Green was also gone. In the corner we noticed the runt (Red) still breathing, but cold on its side barely breathing.
The Blue one who is the biggest was walking around trying to climb my hand. And Orange was walking around too. All of a sudden the Orange fell and did the death arch. I immediately tried to warm Red & Orange up. We ended up loosing 4. I have one left and I’m freaking out. What could have done this to almost all them that fast all in the same day around the same time!? My brain is going crazy trying to figure this out!!! I know they were under weight but does anyone know what this could be? Why this happened? Did I do this!? Is this why Mama abandoned them??? I know the last ones prognosis isn’t good but I’m trying,
Tips would be greatly appreciated!
My husband is trying to make me feel better but I don’t. I feel responsible. He said if I never would have at least tried they would have just died in that hole & or a predator could have got them. But I was the one taking care of them and feel responsible for their deaths.
As of writing this (I’m new and finally got approved had this pre-written to ask everyone) July 23rd , the last little one “Blue” is still with us by the grace of God. He is only 1.4oz. He eats good still, and munches very slowly on Clovers & Alfalfa Hay. Any suggestions to beef this guy up? He is still super small the size of a gerbil. But is very active! It loves to run all over the place and gets faster everyday!
Thank you for your time reading this
First picture is 6 days old
The picture of 4 in my hand is the day before they passed, that’s how small they were at 11 days.
(I’m going to try to keep this short)
On July 5, my husband noticed a bunch of holes in our hill so he decided to check them. They were all empty.
July 7th, around 5pm my husband decided to be safe and check the holes again before he mowed the grass. This time one of them was covered and had fur. He peeled it back real quick and saw babies in the hole, then covered them back up. He put a stick pattern on the top of the hole, that way we would make sure mama would come and also we put our camera out. I figured maybe she wouldn’t come the first day since she just gave birth. I also read it could be up to 48 hours for mama to come.
First day no mama. July 9th still no mama July 10th, no mama again. We even put cornstarch on top to make sure she wasn’t just dodging our camera and not moving the sticks. I also lifted one of the babies up quickly to check their bellies and it had no milk, they were very skinny & you could see it’s ribs & spine. July 11th, I couldn’t wait any longer. I pulled them at noon, I gave mama the morning and still nothing.
These babies were tiny and skinny! I have rehab squirrels a few times, so I figured I could help out these bunnies, now I’m not sure I made the right decision but our human society here is a joke to get animals in. You have to make scheduled phone appointments & they will approve you if they have room.
The first day we got all 5 of them, I weighed them at 0.6 or 0.7 ounces that would be about 4 days from when we spotted the babies. Not sure when mama actually had them. Somewhere in those 2 days we last checked. Feeding them the first time was hard, but finally after 3 days they got the hang of it besides one that was the runt (Red). We color coronated them so we could tell the difference between them all. (Technically they all were runts they were so tiny I had to question if these were mice!) They fluctuated from 0.8/0.9/1.0 oz but they would gain and loose it right away. It was impossible to get there weight up without over feeding them or force feeding them all day. I fed them every 2-3 hours like clockwork. Day 9, one (blue) opened its eyes only weighing in at 1.0 oz (Blue is the biggest one). Day #10 the rest opened their eyes but one (pink). They all would eat and have full round bellies but never would gain weight. Day 10 and we are still at 0.8-1.0 ounces and they’re the size on my palm in length. I told my husband something is wrong maybe this is why mama left them there not growing or gaining weight! Can babies be born premature? Every bunny I saw online looks so much bigger at 10 days old!
The next day 11, I was holding Pink to feed and it did that “death arch” I have read about. I freaked out and said oh no we’re loosing one. This was around 1pm. It seemed Pink had gotten better throughout the day, and even ate for me that evening & night. We also got them out of their cage to stretch a bit, while we cleaned out their cage. All were moving great, except pink that one would move but wanted to snuggle more on your hand. All ate good, 3 peed on the towels. You wouldn’t have expected anything wrong besides them being so small & skinny!
Here comes the worst part… July 20th
Next morning the one that did the death arch (pink) I found had passed. We looked around the cage and then Green was also gone. In the corner we noticed the runt (Red) still breathing, but cold on its side barely breathing.
The Blue one who is the biggest was walking around trying to climb my hand. And Orange was walking around too. All of a sudden the Orange fell and did the death arch. I immediately tried to warm Red & Orange up. We ended up loosing 4. I have one left and I’m freaking out. What could have done this to almost all them that fast all in the same day around the same time!? My brain is going crazy trying to figure this out!!! I know they were under weight but does anyone know what this could be? Why this happened? Did I do this!? Is this why Mama abandoned them??? I know the last ones prognosis isn’t good but I’m trying,Tips would be greatly appreciated!
My husband is trying to make me feel better but I don’t. I feel responsible. He said if I never would have at least tried they would have just died in that hole & or a predator could have got them. But I was the one taking care of them and feel responsible for their deaths.
As of writing this (I’m new and finally got approved had this pre-written to ask everyone) July 23rd , the last little one “Blue” is still with us by the grace of God. He is only 1.4oz. He eats good still, and munches very slowly on Clovers & Alfalfa Hay. Any suggestions to beef this guy up? He is still super small the size of a gerbil. But is very active! It loves to run all over the place and gets faster everyday!
Thank you for your time reading this
First picture is 6 days old
The picture of 4 in my hand is the day before they passed, that’s how small they were at 11 days.
