Sad day

[Crunch]

Went out this morning to check on my five 3 week old kits and one had passed. I have read that during the transitional phase when they begin to eat you can have losses. I hope this is the only one.

 

[tm_bunnyloft]

You may want to give them oatmeal and timothy hay.

 

[Crunch]

Regular dried breakfast oatmeal?

 

[TerriG]

Yes, regular rolled oats. I have one doe that has kits that don't transition well. The first litter, we didn't know as it was our first litter ever. We lost her only kit. Her second litter, we lost one and were able to turn one around. She is due with her 3rd litter this week.

We had another kit from another litter that I noticed was starting to have some problems (messy butt). I pulled the litter out (they are 4 weeks today, 3 1/2 when this happened) and put them on timothy hay and oats. I put them in the doe's cage every morning and night and then back to their cage. The kit was looking much better. Tonight I decided to leave them in with her to see how it goes. If I start seeing a messy butt again, I will pull them again.

 

[Crunch]

Thanks. I will try and see if I can prevent any further loss.

 

[Barton's Big Bunnies]

Sorry for the loss
On the oats - can it be quick oats?

 

[Peach]

Sorry about the loss Good luck with your babies! I hope you don't lose anymore!

 

[rittert3]

On the oats you don't want quick oats because they can cause bloat. Get the old fashioned rolled oats. Sorry for your loss

 

[OneAcreFarm]

When I see this, I pull the pellets and feed only grass hay, rolled whole oats and water. Give them some baby gas drops or Gas X strips and get some ProBios or Benebac paste. It will help level out the good bacteria in their digestive system. Sorry for your loss...

 

[Crunch]

It was weird as I would have expected some external symptoms like diarrhea or something, but went out in the morning and it had passed. So far the other 4 are doing well.

 

[grumpy]

The warning signs are very subtle. Maybe just a little "fuzzed-up" and stand-offish. They may stay in a corner by themselves. The next morning, they're gone. It's quick to take hold and little can be done once it occurs.

Precautionary hay each day seems to help more than anything else.

grumpy.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

What i do all the time ,is when the babies are 2 weeks old in the nesting boxes. Every morning i take the oatmeal and just sprinkle it on top of the babies. it is there first solid food. Then there is no losses. I see them sniffing it and start to eat it. THE first couple of times i put it in there they dont know what it is. tHEN They catch on. when the babies are almost 3 weeks old. I start putting a little hay on top of them.

 

[TerriG]

What i do all the time ,is when the babies are 2 weeks old in the nesting boxes. Every morning i take the oatmeal and just sprinkle it on top of the babies. it is there first solid food. Then there is no losses. I see them sniffing it and start to eat it. THE first couple of times i put it in there they dont know what it is. tHEN They catch on. when the babies are almost 3 weeks old. I start putting a little hay on top of them.

I will have to try that. I have just been waiting until they start wandering out and getting into Mom's food.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

What i do all the time ,is when the babies are 2 weeks old in the nesting boxes. Every morning i take the oatmeal and just sprinkle it on top of the babies. it is there first solid food. Then there is no losses. I see them sniffing it and start to eat it. THE first couple of times i put it in there they dont know what it is. tHEN They catch on. when the babies are almost 3 weeks old. I start putting a little hay on top of them.

I will have to try that. I have just been waiting until they start wandering out and getting into Mom's food.

I have been doing this for a long time..... It works really well for me.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I used to start them on oatmeal too. Since I no longer feed pellets, I just put my grain mix in the nest and a handful of alfalfa leaf.