Please help me! My first ever litter isn't going txt book! The doe birthed 2 this morn - 10 hours ago & one died. I have just checked her now & she has dug in the nest but birthed another in the outside part of her hutch (I have carefully popped it into the nest)!!! Is this normal after 10 hours?? My biggest concern is the doe is now sitting shaking in the corner! Is she ok? Could there be more? Please advise, I'm so worried!
More babies coming and doe shaking?URGENT
- Thread starter flipp
- Start date
Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 14,520
- Reaction score
- 30
It is not unusual for a doe to give birth to part of her litter, and then the rest of it some hours -- even up to two days -- later.
The shaking is not normal. She may have a calcium deficiency, a stuck kit, or any of several other issues.
If you have some Tums, especially some fruit flavored ones, go ahead and give her a couple of those. If she doesn't want to move, you can offer it to her in a little bowl. You can even give her oyster shell calcium for chickens, if you have that and not Tums.
If you have a weeping willow tree, you can give her some twigs from it. The bark contains a pain-relieving compound that is the basis for aspirin. If you have chewable baby aspirin (the 81mg kind that is used often for stroke or heart attack therapy), you can give her one of those instead. If you have regular aspirin, you would have to cut it up and approximate the dose... and maybe crush it and mix it with banana or something.
You can wash thoroughly, apply some mineral oil to her vent, and carefully insert a finger to check for a stuck kit. Sometimes, working some oil up into there is all that is needed to help a kit through. If she has a stuck kit, it will almost surely be dead and elongated. It is possible that she would go on to deliver live kits afterward, or some/all of them could be dead.
Here's a website that deals with stuck kits: helpful-link-for-dealing-with-retained-kits-t13779.html
And another with herbs that stimulate contractions: herbs-that-cause-contractions-t14843.html
You can also try to get some electrolyte solution into her... Gatorade, Pedialyte, that sort of thing. You can syringe it into her mouth if necessary.
It's been three hours since your post... I sure hope your doe is okay! :clover:
__________ Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:47 am __________
:clover:
The shaking is not normal. She may have a calcium deficiency, a stuck kit, or any of several other issues.
If you have some Tums, especially some fruit flavored ones, go ahead and give her a couple of those. If she doesn't want to move, you can offer it to her in a little bowl. You can even give her oyster shell calcium for chickens, if you have that and not Tums.
If you have a weeping willow tree, you can give her some twigs from it. The bark contains a pain-relieving compound that is the basis for aspirin. If you have chewable baby aspirin (the 81mg kind that is used often for stroke or heart attack therapy), you can give her one of those instead. If you have regular aspirin, you would have to cut it up and approximate the dose... and maybe crush it and mix it with banana or something.
You can wash thoroughly, apply some mineral oil to her vent, and carefully insert a finger to check for a stuck kit. Sometimes, working some oil up into there is all that is needed to help a kit through. If she has a stuck kit, it will almost surely be dead and elongated. It is possible that she would go on to deliver live kits afterward, or some/all of them could be dead.
Here's a website that deals with stuck kits: helpful-link-for-dealing-with-retained-kits-t13779.html
And another with herbs that stimulate contractions: herbs-that-cause-contractions-t14843.html
You can also try to get some electrolyte solution into her... Gatorade, Pedialyte, that sort of thing. You can syringe it into her mouth if necessary.
It's been three hours since your post... I sure hope your doe is okay! :clover:
__________ Wed Aug 21, 2013 11:47 am __________
:clover:
Flipp, hope your doe is okay by now and finished kindling. It occurs to me that since you are in New Zealand you may not have TUMS brand antacid. Any CALCIUM antacid should do just a well.
Hoping to hear that all is well.
Hoping to hear that all is well.
Hi guys, all seems well this morning. Two little buttons tucked up in the nest with full tummies! I even got up through the night to check on them and at one point she was in the nest with them so
I guess she was feeding them! She is back to drinking but she is still not eating her pellets. She is eating greens and hay though. I never knew this kindling could be so nerve wracking! Thanks to every one, I will keep you posted!
I guess she was feeding them! She is back to drinking but she is still not eating her pellets. She is eating greens and hay though. I never knew this kindling could be so nerve wracking! Thanks to every one, I will keep you posted!
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
Oh, what a relief that must be! Congrats on the popples! 
I'm sorry we missed your emergency in the wee hours here. We were all sleeping peacefully in your time of crisis. :zzz:
To my way of thinking, there is only one course of action for you to take...
Go forth, my friend, and recruit more New Zealanders to RabbitTalk! :gettowork:
I'm sorry we missed your emergency in the wee hours here. We were all sleeping peacefully in your time of crisis. :zzz:
To my way of thinking, there is only one course of action for you to take...
Go forth, my friend, and recruit more New Zealanders to RabbitTalk! :gettowork:
I know, I realised you guys would all be sleeping soundly! We had a great forum here with our own rabbit council but the website is undergoing work so no one seems to be visiting it! I posted on there as well but no advice or replies came back. I am really grateful for everyone's help on here over the past harrowing 24 hours! I heeded your advice and tucked a warm bag into the nest with the singleton but now it has a little snuggle companion I think they will be okay? The room they are in is around 62 degrees so I hope they will do well. Once again, thank you all so much!
Just a little update for you all. The dear wee buns are now 4 days old and my doe is doing a wonderful job of looking after them. They are simply gorgeous and I look forward to watching them grow! If I can figure out how to post pictures I will! Thanks again everyone!
AmysMacdog
Well-known member
Thats wonderful news!!! Congrats!
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
flipp":2lekzbu8 said:
Here are a couple of different ways to go about posting pictures:
attachment-tutorial-t5.html
picture-tutorial-t6003.html
ckcs
Well-known member
Glad to hear the buns are doing well.
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 14,520
- Reaction score
- 30
Oh, that's great! I look forward to seeing pics!
Two can sometimes keep warm enough. Sounds like yours have.
I look forward to seeing pics!Two can sometimes keep warm enough. Sounds like yours have.
Thanks, I will try and post some pictures tonight, they are so cute! I just checked them now and my doe has produced a few smelly, sticky, wet looking poo that are not "normal" looking. This happened to her when I first adopted her as her breeder had not fed her on hay at all (terribly sad) and she refused to eat it for a while. I read you are supposed to free feed lactating does their pellets but I am concerned this could be what is causing it as she has been ravenous since having the babies. Should I stop her greens and cut back her pellets to see if her bottom clears up? Also, would she enjoy some freedom around the garden as she usually does each day or will she fret for her wee ones?
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 14,520
- Reaction score
- 30
What do they look like? If they look like a cluster of small poo balls stuck together, then that is a cecotrope. These are a normal part of the digestive process. Cows have their food partially digest and then come back up for re-chewing and more digestion. Rabbits have food partially digest and go all the way through the intestines and out the anus as cecotropes. The rabbit eats the cecotropes, and are able to absorb the rest of the nutrients from their food.
Disgusting, but true.
An intact cecotrope will look something like a large blackberry or a mulberry. They can be a couple of inches long, and are composed of small balls that are smushed together and stuck. They are smelly, too. If a cecotrope breaks apart, you'll have single little sticky balls, maybe a few stuck together. They can stick to fur very well, too.
Disgusting, but true.
An intact cecotrope will look something like a large blackberry or a mulberry. They can be a couple of inches long, and are composed of small balls that are smushed together and stuck. They are smelly, too. If a cecotrope breaks apart, you'll have single little sticky balls, maybe a few stuck together. They can stick to fur very well, too.
It could be cecotropes as there was a big mushy blob of them crushed into the hay. I think it is from too many pellets and she isn't eating enough hay. I don't want to starve her though either! Would she like some freedom as well or should I wait until the babies are old enough to go out with her?
- Joined
- Jan 20, 2010
- Messages
- 14,520
- Reaction score
- 30
She had a difficult birth... she may be having some trouble getting to her cecotropes all the time.
Generally, if a rabbit is dropping cecotropes, it's an indicator that they are getting too rich a diet, and they don't feel a need to eat them. But if you just see one now and then, it just means watch and see.
Especially with a doe that has just given birth, and now she's nursing, I really wouldn't think she's taking in too many nutrients at this point.
Also, does will often leave a few poo balls, and sometimes a cecotrope, in the nest box for the babies to nibble on. This helps them develop the gut flora they will need to properly digest their food later on. Maybe this is why you found a cecotrope mashed into the hay.
Generally, if a rabbit is dropping cecotropes, it's an indicator that they are getting too rich a diet, and they don't feel a need to eat them. But if you just see one now and then, it just means watch and see.
Especially with a doe that has just given birth, and now she's nursing, I really wouldn't think she's taking in too many nutrients at this point.
Also, does will often leave a few poo balls, and sometimes a cecotrope, in the nest box for the babies to nibble on. This helps them develop the gut flora they will need to properly digest their food later on. Maybe this is why you found a cecotrope mashed into the hay.
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
Miss M":1n27mrjk said:
That is an excellent comparison, Miss M.
:judges:
Flipp, just in case it is loose stools from too many pellets or another cause, you could try giving her old fashioned oatmeal, as well as certain greens. Strawberry leaves, blackberry and raspberry canes and leaves, and the weeds plantain and Shepherd's Purse are all excellent plants for clearing up diarrhea. Canned pumpkin (not pie filling) is also very effective.
I think that Miss M is probably correct, and it is cecotropes, but the above mentioned remedies will do her no harm.
flipp":1n27mrjk said:
If she is accustomed to exercise daily, I am sure she misses it. Rabbits only nurse once or twice daily and ignore the nest the rest of the time as a way to protect the kits from predators, so being able to move away from their immediate vicinity may actually be relaxing for her.
I would give it a try and watch her behavior to see if she likes it or not. If you can rig up a ramp or some way for her to get back into the cage if she feels the need to do so, that would be great too.
Here are my babies at 6 days old.....(fingers crossed this works!!)The black and white one is smaller than the other, I hope it will be okay (any thoughts??)!
__________ Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:26 pm __________
You can see the size difference better here....
__________ Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:28 pm __________
<br /><br />__________ Mon Aug 26, 2013 9:31 pm __________<br /><br />Sorry - not sure why the same photo posted several times! Anyway - enjoy, they are super cute!!
dayna
Well-known member
they have nice full bellies! Very cute.
