Kit Won't Eat

[BeachBC]

So I had a litter of four born Tuesday and yesterday morning when I checked on them one didn't seem to be growing with the others. It also looked like it hadn't been eating...I took the other three out for a while so that the little one would have a chance to eat but it still wasn't getting fed so this morning I held the doe in my lap and put the kit right up to her but it just won't eat...doesn't even try.

Any suggestions?

I'm guessing the kit is quite dehydrated by now so I'll probably try some electrolytes with an eyedropper, but if anyone has any tips I'd really appreciate it!

 

[Rainey]

That was the hardest thing for me when we started raising rabbits in 2014--kits that just failed to thrive. The worst was the time a doe lost the entire litter her first time and then 7 of 11 the next. Most of the time it's been one kit out of a litter of 8 to 12 kits. We haven't had litters as small as 4--I'm assuming that's a smaller breed. When we've had thin kits in a large litter what has worked for us was taking the half of litter that was fullest out for a feeding then putting everyone in again. That way there were enough kits to keep each other warm. And it helped when we learned (here on RT--thanks to all the more experienced folks who help out newbies) that kits can't feed when they're chilled. So we warmed some with a heat lamp (one for a chick brooder) to warm kits born on the wire and they revived and were able to feed. Tried with one of the disaster litters to feed formula made with goat milk with a dropper but that was very stressful and not successful for us. But I know it's worked for other folks.
Best of luck to you. Hope you find something that works for you--and that you find a way to cull very young kits when they aren't able to feed--one that works for you and doesn't leave the kit to slowly starve.

 

[MaggieJ]

Rainey is right . . . some kits just fail to thrive. With only four in the litter, I doubt very much that the doe's milk supply is insufficient. More likely there is something wrong with the kit that is not readily apparent. In cases like that it is probably kinder to euthanize the kit rather than let it starve to death.

 

[BeachBC]

Just wanted to update y'all and say thanks to Rainey and MaggieJ for your help!

I went out yesterday morning before work fully intending to end the kit's life, but it was already dead. Really wishing I had done it sooner so he wouldn't have had to suffer but I guess I'll know for next time.

The other three are doing great though - fat and happy!

I was kinda hoping for a bigger litter but the doe was pretty stressed out (with moving and hurricane evacuation) while she was pregnant so I'm just excited she had a litter! She's an AmChin cross and the buck is a standard Rex...this is the best pic I have of them right now

 

[MaggieJ]

The first time one encounters a fading kit, the feelings and instincts are to do everything one can to save it, so don't beat yourself up for not taking earlier steps to euthanize it. Before long you'll have enough experience to know when to euthanize and when to try to save a kit. Sometimes runts have a very strong desire to live and given a helping hand at the beginning do very well. But a kit that has no desire to eat is a different story.

You've got nice-looking rabbits and those kits are looking good. Raising only three should mean that the doe will be in good shape for rebreeding later on.