Question about newborns

[ida1416]

I've had a couple litters born in the last few days. I've been able to be there and check on the kits 30 minutes post kindling. I noticed in one does litter the kits had smooth and soft skin, which I associate with normal kits. Then this evening I had a doe give birth and the kits feel dry and wrinkly. Now usually dry wrinkly kits would indicate they arent getting fed, but what could it mean fresh out of their mom?
Also, do you guys think your does usually nurse the babies pretty quick or wait until hours after kindling? I'm not sure if I should hold her and let them nurse before I go to sleep or if I should just let it be. Shes a first time mom.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

Can you show pictures of what you mean by "smooth" and "dry and wrinkly"?

And no, you should only hold the Doe down to feed them if the Kits are clearly not getting fed

 

[ida1416]

Can you show pictures of what you mean by "smooth" and "dry and wrinkly"?

And no, you should only hold the Doe down to feed them if the Kits are clearly not getting fed

Sure thing so here is the litter born yesterday, looking like normal healthy kits. Soft not wrinkly skin and smooth to the touch like a baby's bottom
Conversely to that, here are the kits that were born tonight. Their appearance is pretty bad. They feel dry and rubbery and their skin is not soft or supple. They are wriggling and squeaking like normal but I'm worried by their appearance. Mom cleaned them off and built them a nice nest so im inclined to leave it be but I was wondering if folks had any idea what might be behind the difference. Both does seem healthy and are the same age. Same buck fathered both litters.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

The first group looks fine
The second two do look weird but not quite in an underfed way, I think there's another thread where someone had a Kit that looked like that

 

[Alaska Satin]

I've had a couple litters born in the last few days. I've been able to be there and check on the kits 30 minutes post kindling. I noticed in one does litter the kits had smooth and soft skin, which I associate with normal kits. Then this evening I had a doe give birth and the kits feel dry and wrinkly. Now usually dry wrinkly kits would indicate they arent getting fed, but what could it mean fresh out of their mom?
Also, do you guys think your does usually nurse the babies pretty quick or wait until hours after kindling? I'm not sure if I should hold her and let them nurse before I go to sleep or if I should just let it be. Shes a first time mom.

I agree with @RabbitsOfTheCreek in the advice to not hold the doe down or otherwise annoy her. If she's a first-timer, she may need a little time to figure things out, and being pestered or forced might not be helpful at all.

Sure thing so here is the litter born yesterday, looking like normal healthy kits. Soft not wrinkly skin and smooth to the touch like a baby's bottom
Conversely to that, here are the kits that were born tonight. Their appearance is pretty bad. They feel dry and rubbery and their skin is not soft or supple. They are wriggling and squeaking like normal but I'm worried by their appearance. Mom cleaned them off and built them a nice nest so im inclined to leave it be but I was wondering if folks had any idea what might be behind the difference. Both does seem healthy and are the same age. Same buck fathered both litters.

The second kits just look like they're a bit newer and not as fluffy as they'll be when they've been in the box for a day, but I don't see anything wrong with them. Their bellies are not overly full but they're rounded , and I don't see ribs or hips that indicate starvation. Maybe since it's a first litter, they just didn't develop quite as robustly in the womb as the other litter. It may also be that some details are more obvious in lighter-colored kits than in dark kits. They also might not be quite as clean (yet) as the blacks. Those kits would not make me worry if they were in my barn.

Newborn kits sometimes nurse while their siblings are being born, and does sometimes feed kits within a few hours of birth, but healthy newborns can wait a good 24 hours without it being a particular issue.

 

[ida1416]

The first group looks fine
The second two do look weird but not quite in an underfed way, I think there's another thread where someone had a Kit that looked like that

Yes its strange...all 3 look like that and they just dont feel right. You know when you just get that feeling? I'm a little more anxious than usual right now as I have had 3 new moms all go in the last few days so I'll try to just relax and leave them. I'll update on how it goes as I've never had newborn kits look like that or feel like that. But theres a first time for everything. Thank you both for your feedback though its been very reassuring!

 

[Cindy in SD]

It looks like they might be just a bit premature. How are they doing now?

 

[Tinytailsrabbits]

Sure thing so here is the litter born yesterday, looking like normal healthy kits. Soft not wrinkly skin and smooth to the touch like a baby's bottom
Conversely to that, here are the kits that were born tonight. Their appearance is pretty bad. They feel dry and rubbery and their skin is not soft or supple. They are wriggling and squeaking like normal but I'm worried by their appearance. Mom cleaned them off and built them a nice nest so im inclined to leave it be but I was wondering if folks had any idea what might be behind the difference. Both does seem healthy and are the same age. Same buck fathered both litters.

They look alright to me!

 

[ida1416]

They look alright to me!

They are doing well! By the next day they were not wrinkly and mama fed them well. She did so well I actually gave her two kits from another litter to foster. The mom to the litter of the black kits I mentioned at the top actually stopped feeding them so I had to foster her kits never know what to expect with rabbits!

 

[Tinytailsrabbits]

They are doing well! By the next day they were not wrinkly and mama fed them well. She did so well I actually gave her two kits from another litter to foster. The mom to the litter of the black kits I mentioned at the top actually stopped feeding them so I had to foster her kits never know what to expect with rabbits!

Good. Normally before mom feeds them they look a little wrinkly.