MORE PIX !One is just not fat! what to do? MORE PIX

[LadyKarli]

So all my kits are doing great. Their fur is coming in. 1 of my reds seems small & never has a full belly. The others seem like they are doing okay but the one is pretty skinny. I was wondering if I should sneak him in with my Mini Rex whose kits are always fat & happy & seems like she has plenty of milk. Momma Red is doing okay with her kits but Cloud the mini Rex is doing awesome. It might help take a bit of the load off Momma red. I know to put him at the bottom of the pile & put vanilla on her nose if I do switch mommas on the little guy. What to do? What to do?

 

[MaggieJ]

Maybe you could try flipping one of the does and give the little guy a couple of supplementary feedings. If he got to fill his belly a few times, he would likely become strong enough to compete.

On fostering... how does his size and age compare with that of the Mini-Rex kits? How large a litter would he be in competition with? Ladysown moves kits around a lot, to give them their best shot. Maybe she will chime in on this.

 

[ladysown]

you do NOT have to put vanilla on her nose to foster. You just don't. You take the kit(s) you want to foster and simply plunk them into the nest. I put them in the middle usually but have good success just letting them wiggle out of my hands.

How big is the thin one compared to the MR kits? Same or smaller size, I'd move him over in a heart beat.

I can't recall how many are in each litter. So you may need to play a bit of switheroo. Where you take the biggest MR kits and move them over to his litter at the same time.

Once again, vanilla is not necessary. These are not goats, sheep or cattle. They are rabbits. Little brains. Not close observers of their litters, they generally go in, feed them, and ignore them. You get the odd "i'd gotta check them" constantly does, but generally most feed and ignore. AND even with the I gotta check them constantly does.. fostering still remains easy enough to do... just wait until they feed their kits. THEN plunk a kit into the middle of the nest. Cover well with fur and walk away.

 

[LadyKarli]

Well the MR has 4 kits & they are all so fat I think she feeds them all the time LOL! The NZ baby is about the same size as the biggest MR kit cause they were born a week before. So I am going to do it. I think it is his best chance & if my NZ red is low on milk it means more for the other 4.

 

[ladysown]

i think it sounds like a wise decision. Go for it.

 

[JessicaR]

Well the MR has 4 kits & they are all so fat I think she feeds them all the time LOL! quote]

I wonder if that is true of most mini rexes :hmm: My 2 mr does kits always seem to be so fat and the does go in the box at least 3-4 times a day and feeds them. My 1 week old kits always look like they are about to pop! I think they would both be excellent foster moms if i ever needed one.

 

[LadyKarli]

Well the kit was smaller than the biggest MR kit. So it should all work out. (crossing fingers!) Can't wait to see the poor thing with a full belly! I think it might be the runt also. Going to take pix this afternoon Cloud the MR has some beautiful kits

 

[MaggieJ]

Thank you, Ladysown. Fostering is not something I've needed to do and I know you have a lot of experience with it. Really appreciate you sharing your expertise.

 

[ladysown]

isn't that what we are here for though? to impart the benefits of our experience? At least that's what I"m here for.. to learn, and to teach.

and well.... to sometimes shack my head at the foolishness of rabbits and people. We both can be rather silly at times.

 

[LadyKarli]

Well I think it was the best choice to foster out that kit to my MR! Momma red fed the 4 kits she had left to about popping & My MR Cloud fed the runty kit to about popping & everyone seems happy! Including ME

 

[MaggieJ]

Super! And the best part is you have learned how to juggle litters to best advantage. :goodjob:

 

[LadyKarli]

Pix of kits

__________ Mon Apr 09, 2012 3:21 pm __________

The one is either VERY full or something is wrong. Time will tell.<br /><br />__________ Mon Apr 09, 2012 5:10 pm __________<br /><br />He is the biggest kit :i

 

[MaggieJ]

That one... it is very distended. I wonder if it is having problems urinating. I think I would take a warm, moist cotton ball and try to stimulate it to urinate. Can't hurt.

 

[LadyKarli]

Little bugger peed all over my hand LOL!

 

[MaggieJ]

LOL. Does he look better now?

 

[LadyKarli]

A bit...He peed a lot!

 

[JessicaR]

I just had that same problem with my kit! It was really distended so I was looking her over and noticed something white and hard on the gentitals so I cleaned it off and at first what looked like pus oozed out then that kit peed for a long time! Stomach went back to looking normal and mom immediatly started feeding him :roll: I am going to keep and eye on it to see if that happens again.

 

[siddsaysgimmie]

The second one is adorable.. glad to see that your NZ baby is so fat and that he peed. Of course on your hand.. haha. Buggers.

 

[LadyKarli]

Yeah that second one is the biggest baby I have seen my Mini Rex have. He is bigger than the New Zealand kit I am having his mom foster!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Good job, Karli and Jessica! Now we have yet another reason to give in our arsenal of why to handle kits in the nest when someone asks!