Suggestions please re kit

[ladysown]

Four kits.
Around 2.5 weeks old.

in a tipped nestbox with a doe who sits in the nestbox with the kits. warmth is NOT an issue.

three of the kits are active, and nibbling at hay/straw whatever they can reach.
Kit number four always feels a bit cold EVEN IF it's been between the nestbox and the doe, or huddled in the middle of the group. it sits in a hunched up manner with it's head held up.

I'm considering culling it as a kit that isn't thrifty, but since I dislike doing that with a kit with unknown problems...I'm wondering what might cause this issue and see if I can resolve it before saying fitz to this I don't do suffering animals?

It's one of the litter that was born six days early. It's the smallest of the bunch NOW though initially it was the second largest.

I won't bring it in the house. I have no one to foster it to, and I'd be unwilling to do so since I'm not sure what it going on with it.

if anyone has any ideas I'd appreciate some insight into this. Thanks.

 

[MaggieJ]

Is it eating solids? The hunched posture suggests a digestive issue to me.

 

[ladysown]

i asked on the meatrabbits board as well and the general thought there was pneumonia...

It's a moot point, it died this morning anyways.

I should not have been surprised to lose one since this litter was born six days early, very weak and frail and we were totally surprised that they made it at all. The rest of the litter at this point appears to be doing well.

My guess is early birth, weak lungs, and this one just didn't have the fortitude of the others.

Disappointing none the less given our excitement that they managed to survive against the odds.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Any time a rabbit sits with its head up like that means pneumonia and its always a sign that the animal won't be around much longer. Digestive issues, the rabbit always has its head pointed down. I don't understand the need to "tip" the nest box so early, especially in this type of rapidly changing spring weather.Seeing as how they were also 'preemie" I would have delayed that for the appropriate number of days,it probably stressed it too much for its lungs to handle. We have 4 Dutch kits that age that can pop back and forth with no problems in and out of their box. I also think there may be a potential for that box to fall!I don't quite understand the reasons behind this tipping of nests before the kits naturally want to come out?

 

[MaggieJ]

Yeah, I agree... respiratory problem... I missed the bit about the head up... or at least did not interpret that as head tipped back. It's too bad, but at least the others are doing well.

As far as the nestbox tipping, I really prefer adding a brick for a step to tipping the box. That way the nest stays intact but the kits can still get back in quite easily.

 

[ladysown]

I tip the box because it helps the kits get going sooner.
The box can't fall on them.

The kits are kept warm and dry in the box. I know breeders who will simply remove the box and expect the kits to make do.

I've lost kits from getting out of the box and not able to get back in and these kits were starting to pop out. So I tip the box.. I leave plenty of bedding and the kits do just fine.

With this litter I left the box longer than I normally do. The other three are doing well. so the nest box tipping had nothing to do with it.

 

[MaggieJ]

I don't think it had anything to do with the nestbox either. I think it was more than likely simply a case of an immature respiratory system that was compromised from birth. The fact that it lost ground and went from second largest to smallest suggests it was not a sudden problem.