Single Kit Question

[kotapony]

Hi all! I'm still around, lurking daily, just never have time to post. But I return to the RabitTalk gurus for some quick advice.

I'm on my phone so the quick version is I found this guy huddled by the hay feeder. His two siblings were dead in the nest, looks like they got squished (my colony currently has 3 adult does, the buck, and four 5 week old kits from another litter). I don't know how long he's been alone, but the dead kits weren't too stiff yet (although they were very, very squished) so I don't think very long. With the cold weather here the last few days I've only been checking the nest every couple days. It's not too bad today but we're about to hit another cold snap.

I don't want to remove his mother from the colony as last time I did, there was some decent fighting when she went back in. She made it back, but I'd like to avoid that if I can.

I assume it is too cold to leave the little guy in the nest by himself. Does he look old enough to make it from here without milk if I took him into the house? I colony raise for meat so don't keep records. I'm not sure how old he really is. If so, kitchen oats, hay, and water crock would be most appropriate, right? Or is there a better option?

Right now the little guy is stuffed down my shirt. He's getting pretty wiggly in there so I figure he'll be fine, just need to decide what to do with him now.

Oh, and he does look like he was fed this morning.

Thanks!!

 

[jessie15273]

looks lit his eyes have just opened, I would put him in to 10-13 day old range. Would it be possible for you to divide the colony, so the mom is still in there, and just put him in there in the morning, and keep him in when its really cold?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Hi Kotapony!

Nice to see you here!

I had to cull a doe recently with two young kits like that, and I was unable to get them to take more than a tiny bit of milk. I figured they must be photosynthesizing :happysun: because I didn't really see them eat the oats or hay for the first few days, but amazingly they are still alive and very bouncy little bunnies now.

You might want to try taking him out to the colony for a morning and nightly feeding- I bet if you just set him down near the doe he will scramble over for a drink.

Good luck! :clover:

 

[kotapony]

Thank you both for the ideas. What worried me about taking him back to the colony was the sudden temperature difference. The 10-day forecast here is highs in the upper 20's to low 30's with lows in the teens. If he gets used to being in the house (around 65, a little higher if I keep him by the wood stove {our only source of heat}) is it going to be too much for him to suddenly go out in the 30s?

His mama is not the best mother. As rabbits go, she's sweet but dumb as a post. She's been on my cull list, and I just keep not getting to it. I honestly didn't think she was bred - she kindled around 3 weeks after my other two (which the buck added to the colony when all three does were open). She only had 4, one froze early on when he hung on out of the nest. The other three seemed to be hanging in there and doing pretty good. I raise for meat, so there's nothing magic or otherwise keep-able about this little guy (or girl, I actually haven't checked) other than he's just so darn cute right now.

When my other two girls kindled one had 6, the other just had one giant baby. I almost posted then asking for advice, but went with my gut and put two other kits in with the giant. The first night all seemed well, I missed checking them the following night, and the next morning all 3 were stiff. Usually that doe is a really good mother, but she dropped the ball. In hind sight, I wish I'd just stuck the big one in with the litter of 6. That litter was my original doe, who is the best super-mom ever. Had I asked for advice, that's probably what I would've gotten. Oh, well. Everything is crystal clear in hind sight, isn't it? But given I made the wrong call before, I thought I'd better get some thoughts from those more experienced than I this time.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Hmm... I'm not sure about the drastic temperature change. Hopefully someone else will have some experience with that aspect.

Maybe you could transport the doe to the house instead? Even once daily would help. I doubt the temp change would affect her as much, and if it does... well, you say she has been on the FC list anyway...

 

[Miss M]

Maybe you could transport the doe to the house instead?

That should work. Put her in a box with him.

Not too long, he should be able to take rolled oats soaked in goat's milk (canned, from the store, next to the evaporated milk, will work just fine... if you're willing to spend it on him).

 

[kotapony]

Now that you say that, don't I feel silly? If I'm going to cull her anyway, what does it matter if she gets along to go back in the colony? I'll see what I can rig up for the pair to get then in the house.

 

[jessie15273]

Maybe you could transport the doe to the house instead?.

Why did I never think of that!

 

[MaggieJ]

I would bring them both in and when the kit is weaned send mom to camp. When you return the youngster to the colony for grow out there should be no problem (rabbits are usually very tolerant of young bunnies) but you could put in in a cage in the colony for the first day so they can get acquainted through wire.