Introducing the POPPLES! (picture)

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Anntann

Anntann

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actually, these aren't exactly POPPING yet, but they're only about 18 hours old.

Buck is a New Zealand Black named Peter. Doe is a white NZ who looks more like an American..mandolin type body. All the kits are BLACK! (god I'm tired of black :yawn: ) She delivered...wait for it...13! <insert fainting smiley here> Born on August 2, 2010 sometime between noon and 4pm :D

One was stillborn (looked undercooked), 1 is runt sized, but this morning has a round tummy. 2 are smaller..and I'm worried about them, they are less ... hmmm... active. The other 9 are long, round, good sized considering how many of them there were, and wriggly. There is one that is determined to crawl away from the others. Don't know what that is about. Might have to call him Indy, after Indiana Jones!

For those who like to look at videos of squirming black crawling kits: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQYluFL9O1Q. 33seconds long.

WhiteMomKis.jpg
 
I've no idea if she'll be a good momma. She lost her last kits over the 1st couple of days when she was in another home. I've tried to provide a very secure place, with plenty of extra hay, pellets, and greens. She was worried about my taking out the kits, and kept lookinginto the nestbox, so maybe she "gets it" this time. I'm trying to leave her alone today so she can check on them, feed them. A couple had very round tummies, but that was probably still from being inside her. I'll know more in the morning..if they have round bellies, I can relax.
 
Oh, they're so darling! :cute: Love the video! Boy, that one is a very active little thing!

Quite a lot of popples!!! Good going Momma!!

(Maybe one or two will turn... not black. I know... fat chance when they have black skin, right?)
 
Probably going to lose a couple. The doe just does NOT have a lot of milk. <sigh> Since Sophia (the angora) still has milk from her month old litter, we're going to try to let the skinny guys have a drink from her. I'd try to foster a couple on her, but that's probably a bad idea :(

Will post later about how they are this morning.<br /><br />__________ Wed Aug 04, 2010 7:42 am __________<br /><br />This morning we still had 12 kits. 6 had fat bellies, and had grown nicely already. 3 had grown, but obviously didn't have full bellies. 3 were dying. (2 of those were actually away from the rest, at the front of the nestbox, getting cold.)

We took Sophia (the angora mom) upstairs with us to the new popples. Put a t-shirt in a box, put Sophia in the box and held her in place, then put the little guys on each side/under her. She turned a bit to nose them...and 4 immediately went to work finding milk. the 2 colder/runtie ones didn't try. There was a LOT of sucking happy noises from the 4. Then 1 of the colder ones warmed up under her, and was trying..finally found a nipple and sucked a bit although there wasn't much there..but he got some.

Sophia was VERY good about it. Really seemed to understand "new babies, must feed". After about 5 minutes we took her up, and put 4 of the kits back in the nestbox..they settled right down to sleep with the others. Then we FLIPPED Sophia (still compliant) and put the 2 runtie guys on her. One found a nipple with milk and drank some down. (still not a full tummy, but at least he got some). The other...he was warm, and at least tried. Might have gotten a few swallows.

I fully expect to lose the 2. Given Sophia's seeming acceptance of the kits, we MAY try to foster 4 of them to her. I'm thinking the 4 that were on her today. We'll see how they progress today. The White doe (she hasn't told me what her name is yet...yes...I wait until something seems right.:roll: )is starting to move around more and acting more like a Mom. She was concerned when we took the kits out; last night she hopped back IN to check on them. So I have hopes there.

I think I'll just breed rats. who would care is 2 of the 12 litter of RATS died? not me, that's for sure. ;)
 
You should try forcing the kits (strong ones) to nurse on the white doe. They may not get much at first but the more they nurse the more milk that should come in. Milk is produced by "supply and demand" type thing. The more the kits demand the more she should produce. However in rabbits they need to go to the kits and they only do that once or twice a day so the doe sorta controls that demand unlike puppies and kittens whose mother is always there with them.Then maybe after some foster feedings for the weaker ones they could stay with the rest?
 
Only took one feeding from Sophia to perk up the slower/smaller kits. We now have 10 that are strong and happy in with White Momma. 2 died :( but I was expecting 3 to go. The third is still small, but he's struggling right along, and had some milk in him this morning when I checked.

This doe REALLY hides her breasts well. sheesh. She's got so much fur and it's so long I could almost SPIN the stuff. But I felt around on her and she's filling up now. happydance! I'm able to let the littler ones have an extra snack now :)
 
WELL! Time for an update on these critters. They're weighing in at an average of 4lb 5oz at 9 1/2 weeks.

They're not setting any records for weight gain, but they're on pellets, hay and greens (not a LOT of greens, maybe 2 days a week) Healthy little buggers, too. The smallest is 4lb 2oz, largest is 4lb 8oz. That's 43lbs of rabbits. :bananadance2: They've gained a LOT of size and weight in the last 2 weeks. pretty much doubled in size.

The doe just hides in the house :razz: Pokes her head out when I bring food. She's not SCARED of them, but it's the only place that they can't run over her when they play :lol:
 
At 9 weeks old they should be weened from/taken away from the Dam.
She is hiding because she is sick of having them all over her!
Time to separate them to their own cages.
Ottersatin.
 
Dennis, she weaned them herself a couple weeks ago. They run, and hop around. She goes out and cleans clocks when she's tired of them. They have a BIG area to be in. It's a colony setting. She can get away from them anytime she wants to. I'll quite often see one of them laying next to her, grooming her ears, or rubbing noses.
 

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