How much cleaning does the doe do of the kits?

[Jim S]

I am checking my litter of two on a daily basis, and this morning, the smaller of the two had a great big cake of dung stuck to its rear end.

My wife and I managed to remove most of it, before she went to work, and the animal seems to have been eating and behaving normally since, but there is still a LOT of dung on the fur around the vent, and my concern is that it may build up again.

They are on an all hay diet, as I suspect gorging on pellets may have caused this.

Would you clean the kit further, or leave it to the doe, and the kit (which doesn't seem to have done a lot in terms of cleaning since)?

 

[michaels4gardens]

actually, i would clean it up, and.. would watch this very closely, -- "poopy butt" ,can be nothing but "becoming accustomed to pellets" - .. or, --it could also be a warning , of "generic" enteritis beginning,- or the beginning of...coccidiosis induced ,enteritis... ..

 

[Augustus&Beatrice]

I don't know how old they are but typically mom doesn't clean their bums as much if they are out of the nestbox and they have to figure it out for themselves. The only other time that I saw that a mom didn't clean a bum while they were in the nestbox is if she was a first-timer. I'm not saying none of the above couldn't be the case but just my observations over the past few years.

 

[Jim S]

Thanks chaps - they're a month old, and she's had three prior litters, although this is her first in my care.

We cleaned it up last night, and this morning, there doesn't seem to have been a repeat performance. I'll continue to keep an eye on it.

If it *is* enteritis, would you generally expect to see an ongoing and worsening problem?

 

[michaels4gardens]

Thanks chaps - they're a month old, and she's had three prior litters, although this is her first in my care.

We cleaned it up last night, and this morning, there doesn't seem to have been a repeat performance. I'll continue to keep an eye on it.

If it *is* enteritis, would you generally expect to see an ongoing and worsening problem?

yes, it will continue, and likely get worse..

 

[ladysown]

that big hunk of dung is a cecaltrophe (I can never remember how to spell that) the kit didn't clean up properly (usually from being lazy or sitting on a solid surface). wash it off, watch for genital swelling, clip hair away from the vent if needed as it helps babies stay clean. Mark that kit as one NOT to keep back as a breeder.

Litters should be watched closely for poop build up from age three weeks to about five weeks. it is NOT a sign of enteritis, but mostly of lazy kit needing to learn to stay clean. I dislike lazy and have worked hard to breed that out of my herd, it still pops up.