fhjmom
Well-known member
Some of you may have read my other thread about the sick kit that didn't make it. Through that experience, I can say he did teach me a lesson and thankfully in this instance, my mistake most likely had no effect on the eventual outcome.
For some reason, when I started reading about "baby-saver wire" on cages for does with litters, I thought that it meant smaller wire size on the floor. When it finally sunk in that it meant on the sides of the cages, we had already purchased cages. I had intended to purchase some others or add the baby-saver wire to some of those we had, but just hadn't had time or money to do so. Plus we were past the first few days after kindling and I (mistakenly) thought there was nothing to be concerned about and I had some time to take care of it before our next litters were due.
So the baby kit was one day shy of two weeks old, found outside of the nest box definitely having trouble breathing. I won't detail his illness since that was another post, but at one point, he seemed to get kind of panicked and ran to the corner of the cage. I was watching him and he all of a sudden lunged forward and thrust his head through the wire, then just went limp. I really thought he was gone at that point and I could not get him out of the wire. It was awful seeing him stuck and limp and not being able to get him out. I was trying to get my son to go get me some pliers so I could pry the wires apart but he was really upset and freaking out. I finally was able to find the pliers myself and get the kit's head out. Once I held him in my hand, he perked up and didn't seem to be damaged from being stuck in the cage, although he was still having respiratory issues. His breathing continued to worsen and we lost him, but I do not believe it had anything to do with the cage incident. However, watching the poor thing get stuck, and knowing how I would have felt if he had gotten stuck before I knew he was sick and I had found him dead, stuck in the wire... let's just say none of that is an experience I want to happen again if I can avoid it.
So I have spent the last two nights adding baby-saver wire to the two cages that currently house does with litters in the nest box. I have two more new kindling cages that I am picking up on Friday that will also have baby-saver wire before the does ever go in them. And my fingers are very, very sore from working with the wire but knowing my babies have a bit of added protection is worth the pain. I am thankful that baby kit taught me a lesson before I lost another healthy kit.
For some reason, when I started reading about "baby-saver wire" on cages for does with litters, I thought that it meant smaller wire size on the floor. When it finally sunk in that it meant on the sides of the cages, we had already purchased cages. I had intended to purchase some others or add the baby-saver wire to some of those we had, but just hadn't had time or money to do so. Plus we were past the first few days after kindling and I (mistakenly) thought there was nothing to be concerned about and I had some time to take care of it before our next litters were due.
So the baby kit was one day shy of two weeks old, found outside of the nest box definitely having trouble breathing. I won't detail his illness since that was another post, but at one point, he seemed to get kind of panicked and ran to the corner of the cage. I was watching him and he all of a sudden lunged forward and thrust his head through the wire, then just went limp. I really thought he was gone at that point and I could not get him out of the wire. It was awful seeing him stuck and limp and not being able to get him out. I was trying to get my son to go get me some pliers so I could pry the wires apart but he was really upset and freaking out. I finally was able to find the pliers myself and get the kit's head out. Once I held him in my hand, he perked up and didn't seem to be damaged from being stuck in the cage, although he was still having respiratory issues. His breathing continued to worsen and we lost him, but I do not believe it had anything to do with the cage incident. However, watching the poor thing get stuck, and knowing how I would have felt if he had gotten stuck before I knew he was sick and I had found him dead, stuck in the wire... let's just say none of that is an experience I want to happen again if I can avoid it.
So I have spent the last two nights adding baby-saver wire to the two cages that currently house does with litters in the nest box. I have two more new kindling cages that I am picking up on Friday that will also have baby-saver wire before the does ever go in them. And my fingers are very, very sore from working with the wire but knowing my babies have a bit of added protection is worth the pain. I am thankful that baby kit taught me a lesson before I lost another healthy kit.
ldtimer:
