Rabbit milk replacer.

[andyva]

We have a doe that doesn't appear to be coming into her milk, too phsyco to be a mom. We might have to bottle feed. (Normally we would not bother, but our son says he wants to bottle feed, if it comes to that.) There have been a lot of posts about feeding on here, but was just wondering if anybody knows the breakdown on rabbit milk. (Protein, fat, carbs, vitamin content.) We have a lot of experience with various milk replacers in other livestock, so we are just trying to figure out an exact breakdown.

If anybody knows or has a link to something I would appreciate it.<br /><br />__________ Tue Feb 12, 2013 7:24 pm __________<br /><br />In answer to my own question, I have done some research and found out that rabbit milk runs about 13% fat, 12% protein. That would mean that it is roughly twice as concentrated as most milk. So it stands to reason if you used whole milk to mix powdered replacer it should come close.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Good job, Andyva!

It is generally recommended to mix the milk replacer at double strength for rabbit kits.

I would recommend that if you are using kitten milk replacer (as opposed to that made for sheep or goats), mix the powder with fluid goat's milk. I have found that straight KMR causes loose stools in kittens, but mixing it with goat's milk results in firm stools.

 

[Lizardslaps]

I can say I tried feeding a kit strait KMR and even at very rich concentrations I could not get my kits to gain weight (but that could have been other problems to)

what mamasheepdog said should work great

have you tried just holding mom down and letting the kits feed a couple times a day

 

[andyva]

I am currently holding mom on her side and latching kits twice per day. After doing the same thing to countless, (probably hundreds) of sheep, cows, and goats I would say that this doe reminds me of a lot of ewes and several heifers that dried themselves off from the stress, stubborness, stupidity or whatever makes certain animals want to be that way. Those certain animals always have ended up in a freezer, on a truck or in a hole!

It seems that she is drying off/not coming in/ never had much. Kits eat and eat and never act or look full. I have charted their weights. They have lost some, but I consider that normal for a little while, my kids even did that. Kit A has gone 59,58,58,54 in grams. Kit B 43, 43, 44, 42 and kit C 54, 54, 53, and 52. Going to try a before and after feeding to see if they are getting anything. Hard to do with them peeing, which is a good sign.

I will say that it is a lot nicer to hold a rabbit on her side and let kits nurse than the same scenario played out on a 1200 pound limousin cow that wants to kill all parties involved. Rabbit scratches don't go but so deep.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

So the kits are actually dropping weight? That isn't good.

Akane has mentioned in other threads that some kits never get that full round belly- but as long as they have shiny fur they do fine.

Try removing the nest and taking it out to her morning and evening. I have only done this with a few does (when it was very cold and they had few kits), but they all have jumped right into the nest to feed once I placed it in the cage.

The one doe that I flipped to nurse never seemed to relax enough to let down her milk, plus I had a few flying kits when she kicked them. You may have better luck either placing her in the nest (if she doesn't jump in on her own) or placing the kits on your lap and setting her over them. Nursing in a more natural position may be less stressful for her.

There are also herbs that you can give to increase her milk production;

feeds-to-enhance-milk-production-t5090.html

 

[andyva]

This particular doe seems to want to dig at her nest when the kits are present, throwing babies everywhere, so I have had them inside. They seem a little stronger now, I might try to introduce them to her nest and observe what happens.

 

[Miss M]

I've had kits that needed help, and this is the recipe I've used:

1/2 Cup evaporated goat's milk (it's double strength)
1 egg yolk
1/2 Tablespoon corn syrup

The original recipe called for 1 cup of goat's milk, 1 cup of water, and 1 tablespoon of corn syrup. I nixed the water, because I saw people using the recipe and having poor results. They were hypothesizing that it wasn't rich enough. I also didn't want to make that much at a time, so I cut the recipe in half. I didn't bother cutting the egg yolk in half, as it would be difficult anyway (raw). I figured as rich as rabbit milk has to be, the extra yolk probably would not hurt them.

I fed it with an eyedropper. The ones only a couple of days old, I fed like a half a drop at a time, and kept a soft cloth handy to dry out their little nostrils when they managed to get it in their noses and start sneezing. A newborn rabbit sneeze is almost nonexistent, it's so tiny!

I have had good growth on this recipe every time I have used it. The only problems I have had were when I overfed kits (which I didn't know was possible at the time).

The evaporated goat's milk is with the regular evaporated and condensed milk.

 

[andyva]

Well, "mother of the year" lulled me into a false scense of security by being a good mom. She nursed her kits until they were full as ticks, licked them off. I left them with her since she was doing such a good job. This morning she had dug all of their bedding out, they were chilled and dead and she had eaten one. In hindsight, I should have let her nurse and then brought them in.
Oh well, live and learn.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Sorry, Andyva.

Was this her first litter? Sometimes first time does have a delay in their nesting behavior. She had probably decided to "dig a burrow" and make her nest, and the kits got kicked out along with the nesting material.

 

[andyva]

That is what happened, it was her first. I bred her and the doe with 5 week old kits. That was the original plan but mom of the year didn't take. She might do OK, but when we need cage space, she might be getting a yellow slip in her personell file!