Jasmine Popped - cold kits - my kitchen is a N.I.C.U.

[Diamond]

I am glad I have learned to search the WHOLE BOX with new kits.

Jasmine has a lovely nest with 5 kits in it, one was a tad cold but I put it under the others. But she was SO HUGE, I knew there had to be more. So I searched the nest box and found 6 very cold kits in the front corner, not covered with hair or anything.

Thanks to Rabbit Talk, I knew that they weren't dead, just needed warmed up. Of course, being an RN, I don't waste time triaging. Right off the bat I warmed up two dish towels, wrung them out, and made a hot pack to place the cold babies on with their heads poking out of their hot towel sandwich.

That gave me time to find my hot water bottle (which had migrated to the henhouse with a recent chick rescue ) and a box. By the time I got back, most were starting to wiggle and squeak. Got them situated in the deep sink, then rummaged up an infrared lamp from the barn. The deep sink is now a NICU (neonatal intensive care unit).

Once they are fully warmed I'll get a few drops of Pedialyte in them and return them to mama.

This was her first litter, she tried to have them all in the nest box but only covered half. Maybe the last six were born at a different time?

PS all but one have dark skin. Among these there is pink and black mottles, so I think we will have some interesting colors....

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Good save! I would not bother with the Pedialyte. Newborn kits aspirate easily and you may end up killing them instead. Just put them back in and let mom do the rest. Congrats on the litter!

 

[Diamond]

Well, they are all warmed up but 1 is barely breathing. Heading back out to mama, hope she will take care of them from here. Skipped the Pedialyte, as suggested.

 

[trinityoaks]

Good job! Just keep an eye on them to make sure they're getting fed. Their bellies should look like they swallowed a grape.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

:bounce: Good job, Diamond!

What an effective NICU you run! :doc:

I like your bunnysandwich idea. I usually pop any cold kits under my shirt against bare skin to start warming them up as soon as I find them, and proceed with prepping other warming methods as you did.

Thanks to Rabbit Talk, I knew that they weren't dead, just needed warmed up.

Hint, hint... As a way of thanking RT, I think pictures are in order once the patients have stabilized! :camera:

 

[Diamond]

Here's a few I snapped...

My NICU:

Babies tucked under a towel. Here they are, getting warm and wiggly. You can see the one in the middle isn't well.

Jasmine checking them all out. She smelled and smelled and smelled everything. I was afraid she would do something naughty to the ones I'd handled, so I hung out. She smelled me, then the bunnies, the box, then me. Finally she pulled some more hair and covered them up.

I didn't put the sick one back, it was dead by the time I finally got back to the house.

Jasmine is a mellow rabbit, she was raised as a pet, I bought her off of Craigslist - she got too big and the girl lost interest in her (typical story). She is now 11 months old. I have enjoyed her because she doesn't mind being handled, this is helpful now because she is not concerned with me handling the kits.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Jasmine is a mellow rabbit, she was raised as a pet, I bought her off of Craigslist - she got too big and the girl lost interest in her (typical story).

It is too bad rabbits are not raised as meat by more families- I bet the girl who owned her would be delighted to have baby rabbits to play with every couple of months, and she would still be excited by rabbit ownership. My kids love our rabbits, but they still readily consign them to the freezer.

The kits look nicely fleshed for such a large litter! They should do well now, thanks to your quick intervention.

 

[grumpy]

Eleven total? and saved ten?

Pretty darned good for Jasmine. Is she a NZB? She's a nice lookin' rabbit and I'll bet she makes a good Mama!

Grumpy.

 

[Diamond]

She's a NZB, pedigreed, but has white in some of her distant bloodlines. Hence one pink baby - the exact reverse of the litter from Diamond!!! Buck is a red NZ with some Creme D'Argent, no papers, so it's any good guess.... but he knows how to make babies! And has an impressive shoulder!

I think if they had all been in the nest, there would not have been any losses. The one got too cold for too long.

She is very mellow, and I am proud of her going in and checking all the kits out when I put them back. I think that next time around she will take better care of the newborns.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I think for a first litter she did a splendid job!

 

[Cindi Davis]

WTG Jasmine , Ohhh and Diamond toooo. You two do well together

 

[jessie15273]

:bounce: Good job, Diamond!

What an effective NICU you run! :doc:

I like your bunnysandwich idea. I usually pop any cold kits under my shirt against bare skin to start warming them up as soon as I find them, and proceed with prepping other warming methods as you did.

Thanks to Rabbit Talk, I knew that they weren't dead, just needed warmed up.

Hint, hint... As a way of thanking RT, I think pictures are in order once the patients have stabilized! :camera:

I like to pop em down the front of my shirt, a bra makes a great kit carrier :roll:

 

[jbrabston]

Pretty impressive! Congratulations on all the new kits!

 

[curlysue]

Awesome job!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I like to pop em down the front of my shirt, a bra makes a great kit carrier :roll:

I don't have much "up front" and have always been perfectly content with that- but when I have cold kits I wish I was a double D at the very least! :lol:

 

[OneAcreFarm]

I like to pop em down the front of my shirt, a bra makes a great kit carrier :roll:

I don't have much "up front" and have always been perfectly content with that- but when I have cold kits I wish I was a double D at the very least! :lol:

You just need a bigger bra so you can "fill out" the cups with cold kits! :mrgreen:

Here is a chuckle....

http://www.beforebaby.com/waya/2007/02/14/valentines-day-humor/

 

[Diamond]

LOL That's funny!

This morning there were 10 wiggly and warm kits tucked under a big fluffy pile of fur. It got cold enough to frost last night but they didn't feel it, Mama Jasmine has been doing her job quite well.