Pictures of my 3 day old babies!

[WhenInRhome]

Here is Stumpy. Born on the wire he got trampled by the mom and dad One foot shriveled up and the other is swollen. I am guessing he will lose it too.

When I put them on the fur blanket for their "photo shoot" they all went nuts trying to find milk I guess! They were digging all through it. :lol:

Stumpy is her favorite

This one was a mystery baby. It was born at least 24 hours after the first babies. Sunday two were born on the wire, overnight she had 6 more, 3 were dead. We had 5 all day Monday and then Tuesday morning we helped make sure all were nursed and still just 5. Today we found this one! I know we couldnt have missed it before. We have them inside and my girls check them too often. It looks completely different than the others. Light a super light brown or cream. I named her Velma because she is kind of a mystery

 

[Marinea]

Too cute! And what a beautiful young lady you have there.

 

[Zass]

Lovely pictures!

Looks like your babies are getting enough to eat.

I'll be honest and say I wouldn't hesitate to dispatch the one with the damaged legs. I raise meat rabbits though, and I dispatch far too many perfectly healthy young rabbits to feel the slightest bit bad about euthanizing one that isn't.

Careful with the fur blanket...kits sometimes pee.

 

[WhenInRhome]

Lovely pictures!

Looks like your babies are getting enough to eat.

I'll be honest and say I wouldn't hesitate to dispatch the one with the damaged legs. I raise meat rabbits though, and I dispatch far too many perfectly healthy young rabbits to feel the slightest bit bad about euthanizing one that isn't.

Careful with the fur blanket...kits sometimes pee.

My daughter is very attached to the baby with the stump. We are going to give it a chance. It it every looks like it is suffering I will put it down.

The blanket is old and has been peed on by countless newborns (I am a newborn photographer). It is retired now so I use it for animals

 

[Susie570]

Lovely pictures!

Looks like your babies are getting enough to eat.

I'll be honest and say I wouldn't hesitate to dispatch the one with the damaged legs. I raise meat rabbits though, and I dispatch far too many perfectly healthy young rabbits to feel the slightest bit bad about euthanizing one that isn't.

Careful with the fur blanket...kits sometimes pee.

After they were a few days old, every kit I picked up would pee on me... every time. Definitely expect them to pee.

As for Stumpy... yeah... I don't know, but I guess as long as it's thriving. :shrug:

 

[WhenInRhome]

If I did have to put Stumpy down what would be the most humane way? I had to put down my daughters mouse earlier this year. It got scratched on the neck and ear through the cage and it got infected. Poor thing kept scratching itself and scratched off its whole ear I used baking soda and vinegar to make gas. I read it was the most humane way to kill rodents. Would that work for a kit too?

 

[FourRingCircus]

I'll be honest, although it sounds a bit gruesome... I used scissors for one that was not at all thriving. Learned about it from a chicken forum for chicks. Quick, easy, no chance for suffering (you cut the head off in one very fast motion, assuming the scissors are sharp). Not sure what to do once they get a little bigger. This one was just a few days old.

 

[Zass]

Euthanizing kits is probably everyone's least favorite part about raising rabbits. Sort of like, every instinct we have goes against it.
I see potential for infection that could cause suffering, and I think it's very responsible that you are taking the time to ask about before you in end having to make the decision.

The fastest and easiest methods are also often the messiest or most gruesome so be prepared.

Cervical dislocation, head removal, or anything else that achieves instant unconsciousness and/or brain death is usually used.

I guess newborns have been found to be able to survive with very low oxygen, so using gas to kill them can be tricky.

I absolutely do not recommend freezing for any reason, as kits most certainly can feel cold, and it is definitely unpleasant to them.
(I didn't think you were considering it, but I've seen it recommended on other forums.)

There are whole threads on the subject, as everyone who raises rabbits eventually ends up in the position of having to mercy kill a newborn at some point, and everyone wants it to be as quick and painless as possible.

 

[funnies50]

I think the euthanizing is definitely the saddest part You have a beautiful daughter, Zass! Hope all of the kits make it. And I hope they don't pee on it... opcorn:

 

[Fireclaws bunnbutts]

I think the biggest problem would be that rabbits hind feet are pretty important, so what would happen if the other foot fell off as well? How would it get around? as it certainly wouldn't be comfortable for it to hop around on the stumps.

I've yet to had to cull a baby, don't think I could if I needed to (I'd probably let my cat do it, because she doesn't mess around)

But those are the things you need to think about.

 

[WhenInRhome]

Euthanizing kits is probably everyone's least favorite part about raising rabbits. Sort of like, every instinct we have goes against it.
I see potential for infection that could cause suffering, and I think it's very responsible that you are taking the time to ask about before you in end having to make the decision.

The fastest and easiest methods are also often the messiest or most gruesome so be prepared.

Cervical dislocation, head removal, or anything else that achieves instant unconsciousness and/or brain death is usually used.

I guess newborns have been found to be able to survive with very low oxygen, so using gas to kill them can be tricky.

I absolutely do not recommend freezing for any reason, as kits most certainly can feel cold, and it is definitely unpleasant to them.
(I didn't think you were considering it, but I've seen it recommended on other forums.)

There are whole threads on the subject, as everyone who raises rabbits eventually ends up in the position of having to mercy kill a newborn at some point, and everyone wants it to be as quick and painless as possible.

Thanks for all of your advice! The low oxygen thing totally makes sense. They have to be able to survive the nest when siblings are piled on. I would never freeze. That is an awful way to die. I had read up on the baking soda/vinegar thing on snake forums. I guess snake owners have feelings too. They would kill the rat/mouse before feeding it so it would not suffer, and also potentially scratch the snake. I watched a ton of videos before I did it. I wanted to make sure my girls little mouse did not suffer. She just laid down, breathed slowly for about 10 seconds, and then stopped.

I will have to get my husband to do it if it comes to it. I can gas an pet but there is no way I could snap its head.

 

[funnies50]

Putting them in the freezer sounds awful ... What a horrible way to die. As WhenInRhome said, I can't bring myself to snap something's head - if I can't even squish a bee, how am I supposed to cull a baby bunny? You know what? I think it's a good thing I don't live on a farm like some of you... :shock: