litter of 2??...Got weird????

[Lowell]

A lop/cali doe just had a litter of 2 about a week ago. Temps here have been freezing at night. I thought they may not survive the cold but so far so good. The doe is really keeping them covered good.

Can I expect them to survive now that they have lived a week?? Or what other concerns may there be with a litter of 2?

Thanks, Lowell

 

[3mina]

At a week old they're furring out so cold shouldn't be much of an issue. I haven't had anything out of the ordinary happen with small litters but my smallest litter this year was four.

 

[michaelhodgejr]

I had one of my does have a litter of two back in June. I had no problems with them, though they did appear to grow mighty fast

 

[Lowell]

Mine are still doing good...and man are they fat!!!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I have a litter of two standard Rex, and they are absolutely HUGE. Fat too... they look like mini Rex they are so round! :lol:

 

[Lowell]

The 2 are doing good and just took the nest box out and today there was a dead newborn baby laying on the wire floor. I'm sure she has not been with a buck since she was bred for the litter of 2. Any ideas??

 

[MamaSheepdog]

:shock: 16 days later?

I would think it was a retained kit, but that seems too long- it would be rotten and stinky, and your doe would have a nasty discharge. If it was very small and only partially formed, it could be that she got pregnant right after giving birth, but if you are certain she hasn't been exposed to a buck, that can't be it either.

Do you have any other does that could be pregnant? Kits can crawl a great distance, and I have found newborns in another cage in the past.

 

[Lowell]

I only have 1 other doe and her litter is a little over 6 weeks old and she is not re-bred.

The dead newborn was not small...even maybe big??

I have only 1 buck and he is always in a cage away from the does.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I'm stumped.

 

[MaggieJ]

Your temperatures have been cold... Just possibly the kit had been there all along. I've occasionally found a dead kit in the colony that did not noticeably decompose even after a number of days.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

That is what I would think. Its been cold enough to keep it from decomposing very much lately.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I didn't think of that since I take my nests out to check the kits from day one. I bet you are right- the kit has been "refrigerated" all along.