OK, so...long story short...There was a digestive upset in my herd, possibly started by a feed ingredient change up, but I think the actual pathogen that took advantage of their compromised systems was something simple like e-coli, possibly picked up from a human at just the wrong time. The two worst hit were the two smallest kits in totally separate litters. (One inside the house, one out in the rabbitry) Anyway, it amounts to what most would call weaning enteritis, and one kit did have the full blown mucoid enteritis that is so commonly fatal. That kit had to be culled, because she reached a point where she was obviously suffering very much, and wasn't going to recover.
The other kit, Fader, had had some diarrhea, but seemed to be moving towards GI stasis. Both exhibited signs of severe GI pain at one point.
As far as I know, there is no real effective treatment for enteritis in babies, just electrolytes, smethicone, herbs to dry up diarrhea and settle the tummy. So that's what I gave them.
Fader was also hand fed mashed pumpkin for the first two days, because she refused to eat on her own.
Gi stasis had almost set in completely.
Then when I was trying to tempt her to eat, I saw she wanted...grapefruit?? :? Well, she was licking it off my hands while refusing all other foods.
So I thought, "Why not? I'm going to lose her unless something changes, and for some reason she actually WANTS this stuff :roll: ."
She started nibbling small amounts of grapefruit peel. than larger amounts.
She continued to refuse oats hay or pellets. But she started accepting strawberry and raspberry leaves, and a little lemon balm, tarragon and fennel. The stems from the apples. (She was given access to the produce counter) She hasn't had the slightest bit of interest in grapefruit since. She has nibbled the banana peels.
We have increased the greens to comfrey, dandelion, rose leaves, oregano, dill , and flat leaf parsley. Mostly giving her access to a good variety and letting her chose what she wants. The dandelions are her favorites. Everything is fresh from my garden. She's lucky I have a well established herb bed!!!
It's not how I normally raise kits, I tend to keep them strictly on pellets, oats, and hay until after 8 weeks.
But it's been a week now and her appetite and energy have gotten stronger every day. She's still refusing oats but I have seen her nibbling a little hay... I think. Without the greens she would have already been dead.
Her poops are very small and hard. Like "recovering from GI stasis" poops.
I have no idea how to forage feed a 6 week old kit. Especially without oats and hay as a backdrop. THANKFULLY she is still nursing from her mother. She was too sick and miserable to for a few days, but the last two nights I've seen her under her mother with her siblings. I haven't offered any grass, should I? I've also added a little goats milk to the menu, because she was willing, and I felt she needed more calories.
Oh, I've been giving the doe (Mucky) small amounts of all the same plants, so that she can hopefully pass along (via cecotrope) well adjusted gut fauna. Thankfully, Mucky has an iron stomach and is used to being given a little bit of everything.
While alive, Fader is about 1/3 the weight of her siblings. (and in need of a better name, I'd rather she didn't constantly try to live up to it)
FEEDING ADVICE PLEASE???? What would you guys do if she was yours? (and you were trying to keep her alive.)
The other kit, Fader, had had some diarrhea, but seemed to be moving towards GI stasis. Both exhibited signs of severe GI pain at one point.
As far as I know, there is no real effective treatment for enteritis in babies, just electrolytes, smethicone, herbs to dry up diarrhea and settle the tummy. So that's what I gave them.
Fader was also hand fed mashed pumpkin for the first two days, because she refused to eat on her own.
Gi stasis had almost set in completely.
Then when I was trying to tempt her to eat, I saw she wanted...grapefruit?? :? Well, she was licking it off my hands while refusing all other foods.
So I thought, "Why not? I'm going to lose her unless something changes, and for some reason she actually WANTS this stuff :roll: ."
She started nibbling small amounts of grapefruit peel. than larger amounts.
She continued to refuse oats hay or pellets. But she started accepting strawberry and raspberry leaves, and a little lemon balm, tarragon and fennel. The stems from the apples. (She was given access to the produce counter) She hasn't had the slightest bit of interest in grapefruit since. She has nibbled the banana peels.
We have increased the greens to comfrey, dandelion, rose leaves, oregano, dill , and flat leaf parsley. Mostly giving her access to a good variety and letting her chose what she wants. The dandelions are her favorites. Everything is fresh from my garden. She's lucky I have a well established herb bed!!!
It's not how I normally raise kits, I tend to keep them strictly on pellets, oats, and hay until after 8 weeks.
But it's been a week now and her appetite and energy have gotten stronger every day. She's still refusing oats but I have seen her nibbling a little hay... I think. Without the greens she would have already been dead.
Her poops are very small and hard. Like "recovering from GI stasis" poops.
I have no idea how to forage feed a 6 week old kit. Especially without oats and hay as a backdrop. THANKFULLY she is still nursing from her mother. She was too sick and miserable to for a few days, but the last two nights I've seen her under her mother with her siblings. I haven't offered any grass, should I? I've also added a little goats milk to the menu, because she was willing, and I felt she needed more calories.
Oh, I've been giving the doe (Mucky) small amounts of all the same plants, so that she can hopefully pass along (via cecotrope) well adjusted gut fauna. Thankfully, Mucky has an iron stomach and is used to being given a little bit of everything.
While alive, Fader is about 1/3 the weight of her siblings. (and in need of a better name, I'd rather she didn't constantly try to live up to it)
FEEDING ADVICE PLEASE???? What would you guys do if she was yours? (and you were trying to keep her alive.)
The ground is pretty wet and partially shaded. Maybe I can order some willows? Are scrub or bush willows just as good as tree type willows? Or I should say, "what type of small willow is best to plant for rabbits?" 
