Lost a 3 week old kit this morning

[Ramjet]

Lost a kit this morning (born 1-19-14). Have no idea why. No signs of injury , just dead in the nest box.

It showed no signs of stress and had been eating pellets / hay along with moms milk.

The rest of the litter appears perfectly healthy.

First time I've lost a kit at that age that was unexplainable ....

It did get a bit cool last night (~36F) but they have been exposed to much cooler temps & 36F isn't terribly cold and it was in the nest box with the others so I think cold can be ruled out ?


This one has me stumped as most times I can figure out what the cause is / was and do something about it.

 

[ladysown]

it could have been racing around and broken it's back. Had something scare it terribly. Most anything could have happened. My guess though.. it done gave itself a solid scare and died of it. Some kits just do that.

I've a litter of 10 kits right now. ONE is very easily startled and will jump at most anything, you hold it will holler.
Another of the same litter went and broke a leg.. Calm quiet little thing that is just calmer and quieter now... it's a go figure.. how did it manage to do so? Haven't a clue... but it did.

 

[BlueMoods]

I've lost them to fright, and for no apparent reason other than they decided to die on me at that age. Lost a 7 week old last week but, it was one I had just gotten so, stress of moving I suspect. Some are just jitter bugs and will die at little of nothing. Some will stress out and die jsut over moving to a new cage at weaning, that's rabbits. Just don't make pets out of anything under 3 months old and, you will be fine.

 

[Ramjet]

These buns weren't / aren't skittish at all & the dead one showed no signs of trauma / broken bones. .... tho its entirely possible as my neighbor has several feral cats who like to terrorize my rabbits. None of my herd shows signs of any other illness.

Since it had just started eating pellets , I was thinking it might have had something to do with adjusting to that diet which I haven't ruled out tho it didn't appear bloated.

I guess what bothers me is that I cant explain it and do something to prevent it in the future.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

These buns weren't / aren't skittish at all & the dead one showed no signs of trauma / broken bones. .... tho its entirely possible as my neighbor has several feral cats who like to terrorize my rabbits. None of my herd shows signs of any other illness.

Since it had just started eating pellets , I was thinking it might have had something to do with adjusting to that diet which I haven't ruled out tho it didn't appear bloated.

I guess what bothers me is that I cant explain it and do something to prevent it in the future.

Those are the hardest ones.... If you can figure out what happened and take steps to prevent it in the future, it makes us feel not so helpless. When there is just no rhyme or reason, it is hard to swallow. Sorry you lost the kit...(((hugs)))