Momma bun murdering her kits?!?

[gulien]

A young doe i sold as a brood prospect has been a model mum, until today. She has killed 3 of her 8 kits today. They are 17 days old, what the (expletive) is going on?!?

Help, please!

 

[mystang89]

How do you know she killed them? I don't mean to sound like I'm doubting you but was just curious as to how you found them, if you saw her etc. Were they already dead and she was eating them? Missing limbs? Half eaten? Sound like dumb questions but could mean, if you didn't actually catch her in the act, that you either have predators or that they had died and she was trying to get rid of them as a survival instinct.

 

[gulien]

No details yet, as girl I sold her to sent me a panicked email about it. She sai Momma won't let the surviving kits near the cage.

Asked if momma may have been upset by a predator trying to break in, and advised on trying to feed the little ones. Haven't heard anything back, and am on pins and needles!

 

[TwoAcreDream]

Hopefully she split mom and the babies up, till she fiqures out what is going on.
Sounds like something scared the mom.
Have you any more info yet ?

 

[AmysMacdog]

Have her check the mom for mastitis. If she's in pain and the kits were trying to nurse that might've done it if she did in fact kill the babies. Is she sure it was the mom?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I was talking to someone at a show that had a JW doe that would kill and eat her kits at around that age. They actually saw her in action one day. They thought she was cleaning one of her babies and upon looking closer she was eating it alive. :x The same thing had happened with a prior litter but of course they didn't realize it was her at the time.

Hopefully the doe got spooked by something and that is the reason for it and it wont happen again. But apparently some does truly will kill and even eat their young for no discernible reason.

Amy has a great point about the possibility of mastitis. I would definitely check to see if that could be a factor.

 

[MaggieJ]

If the doe is actually doing the killing, I would separate the kits and hand-feed them. At 17 days, it should be possible to feed them kitchen oatmeal soaked with goat milk or even with water. If they are to be fed pellets, add some to the mush. Give solid foods as well and the kits will transition themselves to the solids gradually. The mush helps to prevent dehydration in the short term.

Small predators are often guilty of these types of attacks and the doe gets blamed. Rats, weasels and mink can all get into cages through cage wire, depending on the size of the holes. They will also get in through unsecured J-feeders. Just because you don't see the predators, it doesn't mean they aren't there.

I would not continue to breed a doe that was caught killing kits. In cases where the kits are already dead from another cause, a doe may clean up the nest and avail herself of the protein in the meat. This is far different from the actual act of killing.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I total agree what maggie said.. I would cull that doe only if you know for a fact she is killing them

 

[Peach]

I'd do what is suggested above. Find out if it is her for sure and go from there. Usually I cull down big litters (never had a runt ever become a show/brood quality rabbit), so I just cull down to about 5-6. I prefer litters of 4 or less, but that's just because I don't need the big numbers and show is first, meat is second. So depending what you are breeding for, you can make decisions based on that. I've been pretty sick with the flu and bronchitis and left a litter of 7 and around 10-15 days, found the 2 runts squished underneath the big ones of the litter. It happens

 

[michaels4gardens]

some rabbits just get "psyco" like some people, -- if it was her, -- it could be "temporary insanity" and she may do fine next time-- but in any case-- at my place-- my policy is-3 strikes and they are out-- it does not matter why it happened, [unless it was my stupidity like no nest box or dirty nest box etc.]

 

[gulien]

Got a message late last night, that she has consulted the vet she works for and the vet suspects mastitis. Momma wouldn't let kits back in the cage, so yes, it looks like she's the culprit. Babies are in the house and taking formula. I haven't yet heard if mastitis is confirmed, but will let you know.

Thanks everyone. I do hope the doe has a good excuse, as she's quite nice otherwise.

 

[ladysown]

at 17 days no formula needed.

Just give them hay, oatmeal and pellets.
give probiotics if needed to stabilize the guy..

but if they are eating hay they are good to go.

and some does will turn nutty.
I had one, one litter doing it and she was out of my rabbitry.

 

[gulien]

Got a short email saying momma's ok and babies are eating, although one needs extra help. I've asked for details, so we'll see...

 

[mystang89]

I was talking to someone at a show that had a JW doe that would kill and eat her kits at around that age. They actually saw her in action one day. They thought she was cleaning one of her babies and upon looking closer she was eating it alive. :x The same thing had happened with a prior litter but of course they didn't realize it was her at the time.

Hopefully the doe got spooked by something and that is the reason for it and it wont happen again. But apparently some does truly will kill and even eat their young for no discernible reason.

Amy has a great point about the possibility of mastitis. I would definitely check to see if that could be a factor.

Um...yuk?

 

[Peach]

I was talking to someone at a show that had a JW doe that would kill and eat her kits at around that age. They actually saw her in action one day. They thought she was cleaning one of her babies and upon looking closer she was eating it alive. :x The same thing had happened with a prior litter but of course they didn't realize it was her at the time.

Hopefully the doe got spooked by something and that is the reason for it and it wont happen again. But apparently some does truly will kill and even eat their young for no discernible reason.

Amy has a great point about the possibility of mastitis. I would definitely check to see if that could be a factor.

Um...yuk?

I had a doe do something similar with her kits :? She was a lunatic,bit me, and bit my face once but I had no idea that you could cull an animal, so I dealt with it until one day was finally culled. Born in the suburbs where it's unheard of to butcher your own meat! I would play with the kits, but when I'd put them back in, she would leap across and jump on them. She would realize they were hers, but she grew more and more violent, that I finally took them away at 5 weeks cause it was getting that bad and it was scary to work with her. :x I still wonder how I ended up sticking with Mini Lops after that start LOL The kits weren't skittish (handled them SO MUCH) and loved attention but I think I got lucky cause the kits turned out great. I've had not so happy endings for the the occasional super skittish doe and offspring, so I think that was pure luck in a way :bunnyhop:

 

[michaels4gardens]

I got a nasty bite this past season, when I reached in to check the nest box on a doe that was over-due, -- when she turned around after she bit me-- she had blood on her--I then realized she was in the process of having her kits, and didn't want to be invaded by me at the moment. I blame that bite on me-- for not looking a little closer before I violated her " space" She was a great mom and very protective of her young-- and that is OK with me. Now-- the scar reminds me to look a little before I just reach in and start messing at kindling time-- it is amazing how sharp their teeth are and how fast they can move-- I never had a chance to move out of the way - it was over before I realized she had bit me.