So my Holland Lop doe was bred 23 days ago and she has her nesting box ready and fresh hay and was all ready to have her babies. Well I had staid the night at a friends last night and I came home about noonish to check on my rabbits and make sure everyone had water (Mom fed for me this morning). Well I peeked in her cage and there were about 5 dead baby bunnies all over the bottom of her cage. Not even in the nesting box. I was in a hurry and I got pretty upset and I kind of ran out of the house. (I know.. shouldn't have done it but it had been a crappy day) I came home maybe 3-4 hours later and every last baby was gone. There was pulled bloody fur all in the cage and she was in the corner sulking, but that's not an abnormal behavior for this particular doe. The only thing I can assume is that she ate them. They weren't on the floor around the cage or stuck under something and she wasn't sitting on them. I'm honestly pretty stumped on as what I should do with her. Should I try again or keep/sell her as a pet? Any advice on a horrendous event like this would be greatly appreciated...
She ate all the babies...?
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so she was bred 23 days ago and had her litter, all born dead, with a nest made.
it sounds like she "did her job" in that she had kits and made a nest. BUT that the kit were born dead and potentially early (unless the date is a typo).
If this is her first litter I'd give her another go. Give her a day to recover and then rebreed her.
it sounds like she "did her job" in that she had kits and made a nest. BUT that the kit were born dead and potentially early (unless the date is a typo).
If this is her first litter I'd give her another go. Give her a day to recover and then rebreed her.
Many does - perhaps even most does - will clean up a nest of dead kits by eating them. It sounds gruesome but think what would happen if they didn't -- decay and disease for any kits that managed to survive. (The doe cannot know that you would clean them up.)
At 23 days, it is most unlikely that the kits could survive. They were too premature. The doe did her best: made the nest and bore the kits. Not her fault that it was too early.
I would not hold this against her at all, particularly if this is her first litter. If it happens again, it could be that there is a reason that she does not carry the kits to full term. In that case, finding a pet home for her might be best, but make sure whoever takes her understands that she cannot bear full-term kits.
At 23 days, it is most unlikely that the kits could survive. They were too premature. The doe did her best: made the nest and bore the kits. Not her fault that it was too early.
I would not hold this against her at all, particularly if this is her first litter. If it happens again, it could be that there is a reason that she does not carry the kits to full term. In that case, finding a pet home for her might be best, but make sure whoever takes her understands that she cannot bear full-term kits.
A doe will eat dead babies in an effort to hide the bodies from predators. It helps to save any remaining kits in the nest.
Was this her first litter? Is she a fairly young doe? Does give birth quickly - if it's her first litter, they may have surprised her. (Ever see a news story about a woman having her baby on the way to the hospital rather than waiting until she gets to a nice, clean delivery room?)
If your dates are correct, then she had her litter about a week early. If this isn't her first litter, then I'd be wondering what caused her to deliver early.
It concerns me that your way of dealing with the dead kits was to leave for 3 or 4 hours. Is this your first litter? Dealing with mortality is a big part of raising rabbits. Caring for other living things is a big responsibility and requires a certain level of maturity.
Give her lots of water to drink the next 4 or 5 days. Keep it fresh and clean - meaning change it often. Give her plenty of hay to eat if she doesn't get that already.
Was this her first litter? Is she a fairly young doe? Does give birth quickly - if it's her first litter, they may have surprised her. (Ever see a news story about a woman having her baby on the way to the hospital rather than waiting until she gets to a nice, clean delivery room?)
If your dates are correct, then she had her litter about a week early. If this isn't her first litter, then I'd be wondering what caused her to deliver early.
It concerns me that your way of dealing with the dead kits was to leave for 3 or 4 hours. Is this your first litter? Dealing with mortality is a big part of raising rabbits. Caring for other living things is a big responsibility and requires a certain level of maturity.
Give her lots of water to drink the next 4 or 5 days. Keep it fresh and clean - meaning change it often. Give her plenty of hay to eat if she doesn't get that already.
macksmom98
Well-known member
I am sorry to hear this was your luck today, but what everyone is saying is true. And while we have been very lucky at our house to have not dealt much with death, the few times we have it has left a lasting impression. Its not easy but it is a part of having animals. If you didn't feel like you could deal with it today, its something to learn from for next time. You may be learning as you go, but now you will be more aware of what could happen. Rabbits are very interesting, cute, loveable, but very delicate animals. They are made to reproduce a lot and not built for longevity, so lots of things can and will come up. Best wishes as you move forward, hope you have a nest full of wigglers soon!
Thanks for all of the good words. And SuburbanHomesteader it isn't my first litter and I know what I did was kind of selfish but I just couldn't handle the dead little babies.. I actually had to have my mom come out and help me clean the fur that was stomped into the wire part of her cage. I will most likely just breed her this weekend (So I have more time) and if she gets sick or anything like that at all then I will take her straight to.. ya know actually none of the vets around here will even touch rabbits. It's really ridiculous.
if you can't deal with dead babies than can I make a strong suggestion... DO NOT breed her again. Seriously... dealing with dead babies is part of raising rabbits, and if you can't clean up a nestbox or have to leave over dead babies.. then perhaps the maternal end of rabbit raising simply isn't for you. What if your mom isn't around to help you out next time?
Well, now you know one more thing that can happen. Actually, that's just life.
Think about what to do next time something bad happens, have a plan - even a simple first step helps, like, when it's too much, go, drink a glass of cold water, calm down and think, and then do what has to be done. MP3-player and gloves may help too.
In my opinion raising rabbits is an opportunity to learn a lot, many things about yourself, and how to handle things that are overwhelming at the start. Not everyone is born to master everything right away, I had my share of bad situations - and bad or slow decisions, and every time I learned something.
And I would do many things different now.
Last year a fox killed some of my rabbits, I was somewhat paralyzed and scared.
This year, I killed the fox.
Think about what to do next time something bad happens, have a plan - even a simple first step helps, like, when it's too much, go, drink a glass of cold water, calm down and think, and then do what has to be done. MP3-player and gloves may help too.
In my opinion raising rabbits is an opportunity to learn a lot, many things about yourself, and how to handle things that are overwhelming at the start. Not everyone is born to master everything right away, I had my share of bad situations - and bad or slow decisions, and every time I learned something.
And I would do many things different now.
Last year a fox killed some of my rabbits, I was somewhat paralyzed and scared.
This year, I killed the fox.
I had this happen in dec. and on the coldest day of the month. I went to the store and came back and they were all over the place. All frozen poor things. I blame myself for breeding her at six months. I gathered them up and warmed them, but it was to late.
From now on no breeding for mine will they are 8 months old. She had a litter of 9 three weeks ago and is acting like its old hat to raise babies. Lesson learned. You do need to help the doe by cleaning up the babies as soon as you can when this happens. I am sure it was upsetting for her too.
From now on no breeding for mine will they are 8 months old. She had a litter of 9 three weeks ago and is acting like its old hat to raise babies. Lesson learned. You do need to help the doe by cleaning up the babies as soon as you can when this happens. I am sure it was upsetting for her too.
Sorry to hear of your story, but it's part of the deal of breeding rabbits (and it sucks!).
We have 10 does (Holland Lop, Fuzzy Lop, Lionhead, Mini Rex, Mini Lop). In the past year we have bred 26 times - Here's what we ended up with.....
8 false pregnancies
3 pregnancies with 1 kit born that died at birth
15 pregnancies with multiple kits - but only 5 of these pregnancies where all the kits lived. So 10 of them had death of 1 or more at some point.
Sometimes death occurs at 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks of age. I'll tell you this.... at 4 weeks old when they are cute and fuzzy and you have loved and taken care of them and then they die. That sucks! And I'm a 40-something year old man!
Death is part of the deal. It will happen. That's just how it is, but you have to go on.
Out of all our pregnancies listed above 56 cute little baby bunnies where adopted from us by families. Many of these families have stayed in contact and will send pictures and updates from time to time.
Lift up your chin and go on.............. It will happen again........ You will get through it.
We have 10 does (Holland Lop, Fuzzy Lop, Lionhead, Mini Rex, Mini Lop). In the past year we have bred 26 times - Here's what we ended up with.....
8 false pregnancies
3 pregnancies with 1 kit born that died at birth
15 pregnancies with multiple kits - but only 5 of these pregnancies where all the kits lived. So 10 of them had death of 1 or more at some point.
Sometimes death occurs at 1, 2, 3, or 4 weeks of age. I'll tell you this.... at 4 weeks old when they are cute and fuzzy and you have loved and taken care of them and then they die. That sucks! And I'm a 40-something year old man!
Death is part of the deal. It will happen. That's just how it is, but you have to go on.
Out of all our pregnancies listed above 56 cute little baby bunnies where adopted from us by families. Many of these families have stayed in contact and will send pictures and updates from time to time.
Lift up your chin and go on.............. It will happen again........ You will get through it.
macksmom98
Well-known member
What is the deal with the kits dying at 4 weeks? I know there are some crutial gut things happening around that time.....I have little experience (only 3rd set of litters ever) but we have yet to loose one at that age. I know you probably can't prevent whatever it is, and I have heard stories about kits acting really healthy then going downhill fast....some of these comments are making me think we are probably due! I guess with 18 babies we will still have plenty to love on, but I don't want to loose any!
The couple times we have lost 1 or 2 at three to four weeks is because they are eating regular food and nursing less. We have ones that seem healthy as can be, but were the runts of the litter and they start loosing weight and then just pass away. It's really sad when that happens. Fortunately it's only happened to us a couple times. But that's how it goes I guess.
