new litter

[TariLynn]

The first of four bred does had her litter today! Our blue Mini Rex had five babies. She was bred on the 18th of October...is this a little early? Also - though this is a different doe, I am afraid of loosing them like the last litter that my red doe had.

 

[sammysue63]

Sould be between 28 and 35 days so they are still in that range. We had a doe kindle at 27 days just to prove she could I guess, and the kits did just fine.

 

[TariLynn]

So far sort of good...one of the five is definitely a runt and with the pictures of baby tummies that MaggieJ posted - I am thinking this one is not getting fed. Any suggestions?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Check out "Extra feeding for kits" in rabbit care. Written by a Lactation Consultant, so you can't get much better than that! Good luck with the popples! I have standard Rex. : )

 

[TariLynn]

My girls and I went down and flipped the momma to let the little guy feed, we then brought him back to the house because he was so small and was getting trampled by the others. We tried to keep him warm with a heating pad but he died later...we knew it was a long shot but we tried anyway. At least we now know that we can do that - we just need to be on the lookout and begin trying to feed them sooner.

 

[caroline]

The heating pad may be too hot for kits. I've had good luck with just putting the kit in my shirt, next to my body heat. Seems like that is about the right temp. Besides, it's so sweet to walk around all day with this little baby in my shirt

 

[MamaSheepdog]

The heating pad may be too hot for kits. I've had good luck with just putting the kit in my shirt, next to my body heat. Seems like that is about the right temp. Besides, it's so sweet to walk around all day with this little baby in my shirt

In studies done on premature human infants, they found that those that were held skin to skin on their mother or father's belly/chest fed more vigorously and frequently and maintained their body temps better. Makes perfect sense considering in the womb it is temperature controlled, plus they are stimulated by heartbeat, gut sounds, etc. as well as movement of the mother going about her daily business. I think it would be especially beneficial for a lone kit who can't snuggle with it's littermates.

Plus Caroline is right- it is just so sweet to have an infant pressed up against you all day, no matter the species!

 

[TariLynn]

Here are the four little ones - still doing great!

 

[Rae]

Look at those sweet little faces. I just love kits.

 

[ilovehome]

They are adorable! Congrats, and hope your other 3 does do well, too.

 

[TariLynn]

No one else took but that is okay...I am sure I would be in some trouble trying to find places for all those babies when they got bigger. I need to let some of them go, but not sure which ones because most of the does are ones I recently purchased and I paid quite a bit for two of them.

 

[Miss M]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaawwwwwwww... they're just so sweeeeeeeeeet!!!! :in_love:

 

[LilFish_JWQueen(:]

congrats on the new babies!

 

[TariLynn]

Thanks everyone!

 

[Cattle Cait]

I'm late coming in to this but...cute! I miss having babies around...

 

[TariLynn]

Thanks Cattle Cait - just saw all your new buns...won't be long!

 

[fuzzy9]

They are adorable wee ones!!!!!

 

[Bramble Hedge]

Congratulations on the new kits, they are soooo cute, and caroline that sounds perfect "pocket bunnies"