I went to a pet/feed store and didnt find branches but I founds them hay and straw, oat flakes mixed with alfa alfa hay is that okay? I hope that helps them. as for the milk I'm still scared to stop and I read its okay to give them milk until 8 weeks, I'm scared to take it away from them before they are stable..
Kits keep dying
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-HRanchito
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YES FEED THEM THE OATS - lots and lots of oats. My kits lost their mom at three weeks, and I went with quaker oats and grass hay. (Following the same advice you just got) One day I gave them a bunch of pellets and they got SEVERE poopy butt, so I went right back to oats - only oats and hay - until they were stable again.
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
dianeor":1srlylcw said:
They may have gas. A lot of people buy the anti-gas drops made for human infants and give those. It is worth a try, and I doubt it will hurt them if that is not the problem.
I don't see mention anywhere of what their droppings look like. Are they having diarrhea or does it appear normal? Are there any other symptoms, such as runny noses, sneezing, or discharge from their eyes? Have you checked for dehydration?
To do so, pinch a bit of skin between your fingers- it should snap right back into place when you release it. If it smooths out slowly, they are dehydrated. You can give them a Pediatric Electrolyte solution, or a "sports drink" such as Gatorade.
Hi everyone,
No I definitely don't have to coach them to eat, seemed they were starving I did have to coach them to drink they weren't drinking from a bowl so I bought them one of those bottles and they were just drinking and eating all day. I was actually scared they would die of over eating. Today, after I bought the hay, oatmeal and water bottle they were the most active I had ever seen them but they ate SO much I am a little worries? Should they/ Do they know how much to eat? One of them is looking tired now but its 4 am and they were really active today I am hoping he really is tired and its nothing more serious.
Their dropiings look normal, tiny black balls? The man at the store gave me a big bag of hay I asked for grass hay, but it doesnt looked like it so my aunt read what it said in hebrew on the sack and its Lucerne hay, is this okay? I am actually a bit ticked off. Is it at least okay until I find grass hay? They didnt have any at the pet store. For what its worth its the first time I actually saw them eating an drinking and looking alive? I read that its actually good to start them on Lucern hay? I really want to do everything I can for them, especially after everything they have been through.
P.S They aren't dehydrated! Which is good
and now they look much more fat and fluffy
No I definitely don't have to coach them to eat, seemed they were starving I did have to coach them to drink they weren't drinking from a bowl so I bought them one of those bottles and they were just drinking and eating all day. I was actually scared they would die of over eating. Today, after I bought the hay, oatmeal and water bottle they were the most active I had ever seen them but they ate SO much I am a little worries? Should they/ Do they know how much to eat? One of them is looking tired now but its 4 am and they were really active today I am hoping he really is tired and its nothing more serious.
Their dropiings look normal, tiny black balls? The man at the store gave me a big bag of hay I asked for grass hay, but it doesnt looked like it so my aunt read what it said in hebrew on the sack and its Lucerne hay, is this okay? I am actually a bit ticked off. Is it at least okay until I find grass hay? They didnt have any at the pet store. For what its worth its the first time I actually saw them eating an drinking and looking alive? I read that its actually good to start them on Lucern hay? I really want to do everything I can for them, especially after everything they have been through.
P.S They aren't dehydrated! Which is good
and now they look much more fat and fluffyZRabbits
Well-known member
I haven't raise a litter yet, but have to say, you got a lot of good advise already. Lucern hay, or Alfalfa is really good for babies. I'm feeding my now 8 week old Flemmish alfalfa mixed with Timothy, which is getting him to eat more hay. I did that with all my babies, which helped them immensely. I don't think you can ever overfeed a baby. So glad to hear they are eating, drinking, pooping and peeing. Their systems sound like they are doing what it's supposed to be. And the activity level shows they are getting the nurishment they need to keep growing.
Understand being nervous. I would have been in your position. But just keep doing what you are doing.
Stay safe.
Karen
Understand being nervous. I would have been in your position. But just keep doing what you are doing.
Stay safe.
Karen
One of them didnt eat his milk this morning I also didnt give the 3 cc only 1.5 because they ate so much. the other two gobbled it up as usual but I havent seen him eating or active today. Is there anything I can do for him? maybe force him to at least drink water? sorry for the stupid questions...He is just the smallest out of the three and Im worried. They are usually active towards the afternoon so maybe im being paranoid...but given the circumstances i should be...
sometime fussing over them to much isnt a good thing. I leave them alone during the day. Rabbits need alone time and rest. They are more active at night time and eat mostly at night. It sounds like they are doing ok. Aslong they dont have poopy butts and sneezing and hudle in a corner by it self. ....Make sure they have hay and old fashion oats and should have some stress aid in the water. YOu should be ok. Rabbit can put it away. Dont have to worry of them to over eat. They will drink and you will not see them drink. ... JUdge by the poop and urine that is left behind. As long that is there , YOu are on the right track.
I stop the Milk, If they dont want it. THen leave it be. Being 3 weeks old. THey shouldnt have it.
I stop the Milk, If they dont want it. THen leave it be. Being 3 weeks old. THey shouldnt have it.
What is their bedding like? They do have a box that has straw or hay in it, our of drafts, add a lot of straw or hay if they also need it to keep warm.?
"Mary Ann" is right about the milk, especially if you are still giving it by dropper. They are eating and if you
still want to give milk, put in on the (yeast/sourdough) bread. Yesterday was the first day that you added the new feed, so
it might be an idea to wait 1 or 2 more days if you do discontinue the milk. I would stop using the dropper, always a chance of it going down the wrong pipe, into the lungs.
Sounds like they are doing ok, at that age you give as much as they will eat (free feed).
You should have a better idea of how they are doing in a few hours, or by this evening.
I would be interested in how much they ate of the hay and how much they ate of the other items - as a break down.
Other than that - I agree with Mary Ann, you have the food, let it work, which means that the babies may need to sleep. -
Off to check my eyelids for light leaks.<br /><br />__________ Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:11 am __________<br /><br />I did a search and this thread is good - she has videos of them feeding from a good dropper. If yours are using the dropper like that, then it should not be able to hurt them.
If the littlest one is still having problems, look at the recipe she posting, with the molasses.
post35923.html?hilit=%20baby%20molasses#p35923
"Mary Ann" is right about the milk, especially if you are still giving it by dropper. They are eating and if you
still want to give milk, put in on the (yeast/sourdough) bread. Yesterday was the first day that you added the new feed, so
it might be an idea to wait 1 or 2 more days if you do discontinue the milk. I would stop using the dropper, always a chance of it going down the wrong pipe, into the lungs.
Sounds like they are doing ok, at that age you give as much as they will eat (free feed).
You should have a better idea of how they are doing in a few hours, or by this evening.
I would be interested in how much they ate of the hay and how much they ate of the other items - as a break down.
Other than that - I agree with Mary Ann, you have the food, let it work, which means that the babies may need to sleep. -
Off to check my eyelids for light leaks.<br /><br />__________ Tue Jul 17, 2012 7:11 am __________<br /><br />I did a search and this thread is good - she has videos of them feeding from a good dropper. If yours are using the dropper like that, then it should not be able to hurt them.
If the littlest one is still having problems, look at the recipe she posting, with the molasses.
post35923.html?hilit=%20baby%20molasses#p35923
Thanks everyone!
Mary Ann...What is Poopy butt?
Piper, thank you so much for all of your help! I am still feeding through a syringe but I plan on stopping in a few days when I see that they are stable and eating. Yesterday when I brought the food they ate and drank non stop. They ate almost half the hay in their cage and I use hay and straw for bedding as well. Its too hot so theres no need for them to stay warm. The little one is still pretty inactive.. Hope he is going to be okay
Mary Ann...What is Poopy butt?
Piper, thank you so much for all of your help! I am still feeding through a syringe but I plan on stopping in a few days when I see that they are stable and eating. Yesterday when I brought the food they ate and drank non stop. They ate almost half the hay in their cage and I use hay and straw for bedding as well. Its too hot so theres no need for them to stay warm. The little one is still pretty inactive..
Hope he is going to be okay
Here is something that explains itdianeor":x61y5fwx said:
http://www.examiner.com/article/poopy-butt-rabbits
Hi everyone! Thanks again for your help the bunnies seem to be doing okay, but they still seem like they are hungry? They are on a diet of rolled oats ((which they dont seem to be crazy about, Ive even tried to soak it in the goats milk) and lucerne (alfa alfa hay) which they love. Should I be adding greens now like parsley from the garden? Cucumber leaves? A lot of the vegetables in my garden dried up due to the summer, can I maybe get them organic stuff from the market?
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At their age, they will definitely be hungry a good bit. They should have as much food as they can eat until they hit about 12 weeks, if I remember right.
Rabbits don't actually need vegetables at all... they are herbivores, actually, not vegetarians. Grasses, safe weeds and other plants, and safe twigs would be the staples of a rabbit diet.
Small quantities of some vegetables can be eaten. The Natural Feeding Forum has loads of information!
Tomatoes and Eggplants are members of the Nightshade family, and contain low levels of poison in their leaves and stems. Something about cucumber... can't remember. It might already be in that forum. I am so tired!
Rabbits don't actually need vegetables at all... they are herbivores, actually, not vegetarians. Grasses, safe weeds and other plants, and safe twigs would be the staples of a rabbit diet.
Small quantities of some vegetables can be eaten. The Natural Feeding Forum has loads of information!
Tomatoes and Eggplants are members of the Nightshade family, and contain low levels of poison in their leaves and stems. Something about cucumber... can't remember. It might already be in that forum. I am so tired!
You still (should) have a couple of weeks but you need to think about separating them, too. Time to learn how to sex bunnies.
Some people seem to separate at 8 weeks. You did not say what size or breed the mother rabbit was. The smaller breeds of rabbits may mature quicker than the larger breeds - so, may need to be separated sooner. ]
Are you intending on breeding more rabbits?
Some people seem to separate at 8 weeks. You did not say what size or breed the mother rabbit was. The smaller breeds of rabbits may mature quicker than the larger breeds - so, may need to be separated sooner. ]
Are you intending on breeding more rabbits?
