I'm really baffled and concerned

[WildWolf]

So, my SF doe had a litter of 5 about 3wks ago. Today, I weighed them, and there are only four!!!! I looked EVERYHWERE. None of them have ventured down a (steep) ramp into the run, but I checked there also. All of my wire is too small for them to fall through- except maybe chicken wire? There is one tiny section that has un-reenforced chicken wire... I know its bad, but I just haven't reenforced it yet. I still don't think that chicken wire is big enough for a 3wk old kit to squeeze through... Also, the hutch part of the doe run is about 3.5ft off the ground.
The doe is not stressed at all, and the kits aren't super skittish... they would be stressed if something had gotten in or taken one, wouldn't they?? there's no blood, no tufts of fur, no holes, no anything. The kit just disappeared!
In case anyone doesn't know, my doe run is huge. It could be that the kit is hiding- really really really really well- but...

Any suggestions?

__________ Sat Oct 12, 2013 12:03 pm __________

Also, there were 5 kits yesterday.<br /><br />__________ Sat Oct 12, 2013 12:03 pm __________<br /><br />I think. They were running around, but I didn't notice that there were less than 5...

 

[MamaSheepdog]

A friend of mine had a mom and litter in a cage made out of 2" x 4" woven wire with chicken wire over it. I happened to be caring for her critters one weekend, and when she got home she called me and asked "Is there something you wanted to tell me?" "Er... no." says I. "One of Brownies kits is gone- did it die while we were away and you just didn't want to spoil our trip?" "No-o-o..."

I never bothered to do a head count on the kits while I was there so have no idea if it went missing on my watch or not, but it was gone when she came home.

Long story short, the little kit was found about a week later, still alive, romping around the rabbit room... a bit thinner, but alive. She put him back, only to have him pull another "Houdini" about a week later. :roll:

I hope you find your kit. :clover:

 

[WildWolf]

Thanks... unfortuanately, I'm not going to be here this afternoon... and our neighborhood is FULL of stray cats and hawks, not to mention dogs and raccoons...
Would it be attracted back to its litter/mom/other rabbits?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Would it be attracted back to its litter/mom/other rabbits?

Yes. It wont have gone too far.

There is still the possibility that a rat or some other animal dragged it off though.

 

[ladysown]

look under EVERYTHING... wee kits that take off tend to find something small to wedge themselves under until they are determined that everything is safe. They do a run spurt and then hide. run spurt then hide. Had one do it to me yesterday.... got under Biscuits cage... Fun NOT!

 

[WildWolf]

I looked again this morning. A pile of 4 kits in the hutch... no sign of the other kit.
I just don't think it could fit through the chicken wire!! They're so big.
If it did get out, it probably got dragged off- we have soooo many wild/stray/loose animals. But I don't see a way for it to get out!
Hopefully it's playing hide-and-seek, but I looked EVERYWHERE...<br /><br />__________ Sun Oct 13, 2013 11:45 am __________<br /><br />MamaSheepDog- how old was the kit that escaped through the chicken wire?

 

[AmysMacdog]

So sorry to hear this WildWolf, I hope it turns up safe and sound soon!

 

[WildWolf]

Thanks for your support!

also, just wanted to add: I just found one of the four kits inside the run (the run attaches to the hutches). So, there's a big space for the kits to be in... but the run is enclosed (no holes anywhere) with 5ft tall chicken wire and re-enforced with 3ft high 1"x2" wire. Then there's a roof of netting (to keep birds out). Again, the kits are 3weeks old... surely they can't fit through chicken wire!!! I can barely fit 3 fingers through chicken wire, and I have "piano" fingers (really skinny fingers)!!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

MamaSheepDog- how old was the kit that escaped through the chicken wire?

Maybe 4 weeks or so- but they were mini Rex/oversized Lionhead kits out of my LH buck Kingston. It could be that the chicken wire wasn't totally secure and it slipped out of a gap. I never looked that closely at her cage.

Have you checked under all of the bedding and stuff? Maybe it got crushed and is buried somewhere in the pen?

 

[WildWolf]

For sizing- they are all around 0.7 lbs. Do you think they could fit through chicken wire?
I will double check the bedding again, but there really isn't much bedding... I didn't check the hay though...

 

[TheLittleBunny10]

One of my kits LOVED to escape, I found him buried in the hay (about 3 hours later) eating all he wanted (this happened about 3 times)
hope you find the kit

 

[WildWolf]

I checked the hay- no kit.
So, I just figured something out. I'm completely sure that I had 5 kits four days ago, because I took them all out and put them in a blanket. I didn't notice the kit was gone until yesterday, when I took them all out and put them in a basket. The kit could've escaped the day after I put them all on a blanket... which would mean the kit was about palm sized (yes, they grow that fast!!). Maybe, just maybe, it was small enough to squeeze through chicken wire...

MamaSheepDog- Sorry to ask you again... but was the kit about palm sized? or less? or more? by palm sized, I mean it curled up in my palm, and wasn't on my fingers.

 

[DitchDoc]

Concerning, absolutely. I sure hope the kit makes a reappearance for you ! :/

 

[skysthelimit]

I hope you find your kit. I had one like that last year, a holland kit, and I know there whee five, because i was standing there when she had them, and I counted five, took a picture of five, and only had four the next day.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

MamaSheepDog- Sorry to ask you again... but was the kit about palm sized?

Yes it was.

 

[WildWolf]

Ok, then that's probably what happened. Poor kit... I think he probably escaped through the chicken wire, and then got eaten, because he hasn't showed back up.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I don't know... it seems hard to believe that they could get through it if it is the 1" wire. The only thing I can think of is it isn't as rigid as rabbit cage wire, so maybe it "gives" a little.

Don't give up hope yet- her little kit showed up at least a week later.

 

[Frecs]

I had a kit that would slip out while I was reaching in to fill food and water...he'd make his great escape on the other side of my fat arm! and a four-foot leap to the ground! He did it twice. First time, I was able to scoop him up before he realized I was coming after him (and he screamed bloody murder). The second time, I had to use a live-trap to catch him. Kits can move VERY fast!

 

[WildWolf]

well, there is a small section of the hutch that is just chicken wire... he could've escaped through that, then fallen 4ish feet to the ground...

Thanks, hopefully he will show back up then... The only problem is, he can't get back in the hutch. Anyone have any suggestions about laying a trap or hidey hole or something, in case he is alive and does come back?

__________ Mon Oct 14, 2013 1:08 pm __________

Maybe if I just put a hidey hole near the hutches, the kit (if it's alive) would dart into it when I come, instead of darting into the woods.<br /><br />__________ Wed Oct 16, 2013 3:59 pm __________<br /><br />I FOUND HIM!!
sorry, I'm just really happy because this is my first (and my doe's first) litter, and I wanted it to be a really good experience...
He's about a week's growth behind the others, but perfectly fine. In fact, I found a tiny little burrow (two tiny connected holes) that he probably was using until he got bigger. He's a lot more friendly than I expected; not skittish at all. Pretty hungry though!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

:bouncy: YAY!!!