Need help with 2nd time mama!

[SetskiesD]

My Netherland dwarf is due today and it's her second pregnancy. I put the hay in her cage so she can put it in her nesting box. The first pregnanCy she just ate it all and didn't pull any fur. This time, she still hasn't pulled fur but she's gathering the hay and just walking around her cage with it. What if she doesn't put it in the nesting box but on the cage floor?

 

[MaggieJ]

I always put the hay in the nest box and used my fist to make a nest-shaped depression in it. The doe often rearranged everything, but it seemed to help confused does to associate the nest box with the nesting materials and kits. I suggest you put most of the hay in the box for her and just leave enough outside it for her to move into the nest or to eat as she sees fit.
:good-luck: Hope all goes well with the kindling.

(And thanks for adding your location to your profile. )

 

[SetskiesD]

Thanks you so much Maggie! It worked! She finally started taking hay into the nesting box. She has yet to pull fur, but this a better start than the last time.

 

[MaggieJ]

Glad to hear things are looking promising this time.

A lot of first-timers are clueless and if their instincts don't kick in promptly it often means loss of the litter. Most do a lot better second time around.

 

[SetskiesD]

I have another doe that is 1.5 weeks along. She is normally calm and friendly. Lately she has been a bit sassy and today attacked me when I went to feed her. I understand that it is because she is pregnant, but is it true that the more protective they are while pregnant the better mothers they'll be?

 

[Prisma]

I have another doe that is 1.5 weeks along. She is normally calm and friendly. Lately she has been a bit sassy and today attacked me when I went to feed her. I understand that it is because she is pregnant, but is it true that the more protective they are while pregnant the better mothers they'll be?

Unfortunately, no. Nasty does are just nasty, its why if I get one it doesn't get bred and it doesn't go any where. There are too many wonderful temper does to fuss with ill temper and ill temper begets ill temper kids *most* of the time I've found. My ill temper or nasty is truly aggressive behavior though, biting/charge with mouth open/boxing. Being watchful or talkative is not the same thing nor is having an issue out of fear OR pain.

 

[MaggieJ]

I have another doe that is 1.5 weeks along. She is normally calm and friendly. Lately she has been a bit sassy and today attacked me when I went to feed her. I understand that it is because she is pregnant, but is it true that the more protective they are while pregnant the better mothers they'll be?

I can't remember having a doe who became hostile due to pregnancy hormones, but that's not to say it can't happen. I did have one doe who kindled huge litters who was aggressive for the first two weeks after kindling. She was fine once the kits eyes were open and they could get around. I put up with that, but later culled her because of coccidiosis issues with her kits. They were messy, dirty lil things and she did not teach them better manners.

Her sister, Patches, only kindled 6-8 kits, but she was a sweetheart throughout and raised nice, well-mannered kits. When I'd go into the rabbitry after she kindled, she'd come to the front of the cage just quivering with happiness. "Look, Maggie! I did it again!" Loved that doe!

 

[SetskiesD]

Oh darn. Is it true Netherland dwarfs are known for being ill-tempered? My friend who breeds Mini Rex rabbits told me that. So Before she was pregnant she was really sweet and all of a sudden she just got so angry. It may be because she bonded with the male and I separated her from him.
Update: My broken black otter doe pulled fur right before she gave birth and she pulled a lot of it! I was told Netherland Dwarfs have 2-4 babies on average but she had 6!!!! Only 1 didnt survive. The breeder I got her from called her a BUD (Big Ugly Doe), at the time I didn't know what that stood for because I was just starting out.

 

[ButtonsPalace]

I have another doe that is 1.5 weeks along. She is normally calm and friendly. Lately she has been a bit sassy and today attacked me when I went to feed her. I understand that it is because she is pregnant, but is it true that the more protective they are while pregnant the better mothers they'll be?

I can't remember having a doe who became hostile due to pregnancy hormones, but that's not to say it can't happen. I did have one doe who kindled huge litters who was aggressive for the first two weeks after kindling. She was fine once the kits eyes were open and they could get around. I put up with that, but later culled her because of coccidiosis issues with her kits. They were messy, dirty lil things and she did not teach them better manners.

Her sister, Patches, only kindled 6-8 kits, but she was a sweetheart throughout and raised nice, well-mannered kits. When I'd go into the rabbitry after she kindled, she'd come to the front of the cage just quivering with happiness. "Look, Maggie! I did it again!" Loved that doe!

My favorite little mutt doe, Harlem, is the sweetest bunny you'll ever meet, every morning she's so excited to see me and get pets... But... I also always know when she's pregnant because she's the most hateful touch me not ever. When she's pregnant I don't open her cage because she's scary lol... Once she tried to jump out of the cage at me. But as soon as she has the babies she sits at the front of her cage waiting for me to see, when I walk into the room she's goes nuts running around the cage until I come look at her babies, when I pull the nest box up to g through it she peaks in over the side watching me. ( I did handle her for several hours a day from day one so we have a very close bond, same goes for her mom)

 

[MaggieJ]

I've heard that about Netherlands too, but it can't be always the case or they would not remain so popular. As with many problems with animals. it likely occurs mainly in lines where the breeder has not selected for good temperament. Some breeders are more interested in colour and type and how the rabbit does on the show table.

 

[SetskiesD]

Yeah, the breeder I got them all from was always talking about show quality. So today I was doing my best not to handle the new babies too often, but right now I just went to make sure they were all fed. One of the babies was just crawling all around the clump making a little squeeking noise. Is that something I should be worried about?

 

[Prisma]

Even those that are only interested in show type worry about personality too. If a rabbit BITES it is thrown off the table. Some times a lil nip will get by but not a bite that draws. Years ago when I had NDs my first pair was NASTY, so bad couldn't be handled. I got a breeders trash...nice type beautiful build but nasty attitudes...they didn't want to deal with. I didn't know about watching about getting other peoples problems unfortunately. They didn't lie, but failed to warn me about the chainsaw attitudes.

I hope that's not the case and a bad attitude linage. Protective is okay, but not aggression.

 

[SetskiesD]

Yeah she doesn't bite, she just growls. She only leaped towards her food bowl as soon as I filled it up. She has yet to attack me lol. I hope she doesn't get worse during late pregnancy. She's only about 2 weeks along.

 

[MaggieJ]

Setskiesd, that kit that is circling the group and squeaking may be cold or it may be looking for food.

This thread shows pictures to help determine if a kit is being fed. fed-vs-unfed-kit-pictures-t3052.html

Sometimes, especially in a large litter, a kit will miss a feeding and then, having done so, may fall farther and farther behind the rest and needlessly perish. Sometimes all it needs is the chance to get a good fill-up or two, which can be done by removing the other kits temporarily and letting it nurse first. Other times, a kit like that has some unseen health problem and will not thrive no matter what you do. Sad, but true.

You won't do any harm handling the kits often, as long as you don't take them out of the nest for so long that they get chilled. Routine handling helps to make for rabbits that are more easily managed later on.

 

[SetskiesD]

All of their bellies are full and not wrinkled. I did notice a bit of yellow on its nose is that just mucus?

 

[MaggieJ]

All of their bellies are full and not wrinkled. I did notice a bit of yellow on its nose is that just mucus?

Sorry, I just don't know what it would be. Maybe dried milk? Keep an eye on it, and with a little luck someone else will know the answer.

 

[SetskiesD]

Okay now I just have one more question and then I'm done (sorry I'm new to this it's my first successful litter)
Out of the five new baby NDs I have, one of them is a little bit smaller with smaller ears. I'm pretty sure it is not a peanut because its only a wee bit smaller than the others and the only difference is the ear size. Do you think it is just a true dwarf or a runt?

 

[Rainey]

As long as everyone has full bellies, you don't need to worry. Most litters have some size range. And it is ok on here to keep asking questions. When I was new I asked a lot and folks were very patient as well as helpful. Enjoy those kits--they grow up so fast.