Any rabbit breeders or knbow about the babies???Kinda long

**mom23boyz** · 04-27-2007, 10:53 PM

Ok almost a year ago the kids got rabbits at a local pet store. 1 of them died in September but the other 2 have been doing great and have been quite good pets for the boys. WELL we discovered about a month ago we did indeed have 1 male and 1 female. She had her first baby(s) about a month ago but the male killed it(them. We only found 1 but it was dead. Anyways, I was anticipating another litter soon but not this soon I guess. She had at least 5

on Tuesday. I got her all set up in a cage with a nesting box and all. Last night her mommy instincts kicked in and she has provided quite nicely. My question is...is it ok if (1) shes burying them under her fur and (2) they aren't as warm as they were. They are actually cool to the touch but seem ok. One of them, the injured one died today. I am worrying about the other 4 now. Anyone have any advice? I have called local pet stores and even vets but noone seems to agree. I think a breeder who does this regularly would know best. Thanks in advance

**many houseapes** · 04-27-2007, 11:21 PM

I've been raising rabbits for years with my kids. I tend to spoil the bunnies. I put a nest box in the cage with the expectant momma...when she has her litter, I immediately take the babies in the house. I put rags in the bottom of an empty ice cream bucket, then transfer the babies to the bucket & cover w/ some more soft rags. The reason that I take them from the momma is b/c the does will sometimes accidentally stomp on their babies. I then bring the momma into the house 2X a day so she can feed her babies. After 2 weeks of spoiling them, I return them to their momma's cage...by then, they are already jumping out of the nest box.Some breeders don't do what I do & just let the momma do her momma thing without any intervention. Where I live, the heat is extreme & I find that I have more survival rates if I bring the babies inside. If your doe is a house rabbit, then I would think that what you're doing is fine...just make sure that she isn't constantly in the nest box with the babies ...if you notice her doing this, separate the momma & babies like I do to prevent them from being stompped. And its okay to remove some of the fur from the box...your doe will be pulling fur for about 3 days after the birth.
It is important to remember to keep your buck & doe separated unless you are breeding them. If the doe is in the same cage as the buck when she has her babies,she will kill them herself (rabbits are strange). If you have anymore questions, feel free to send me a messsage

hope this helped.

**mom23boyz** · 04-28-2007, 02:06 PM

Well I am down to one, I lost 3 more last night

The last one is real fat and can barely move his rear around. I think there is something wrong.

**many houseapes** · 04-28-2007, 02:56 PM

aw...rats. sometimes you do lose a few...there are times that I've lost entire litters

sometimes the babies will just give up trying to nurse & they die quickly....the fat one sounds okay...he's fat b/c he's eating. you will see later on as it gets more fur that when it eats,it's belly will look like a ping-pong ball...to the point where it looks as if its going to pop.. I have had first time mommas that I have had to force them to nurse their babies until their instincts kick in....but this doesn't sound like this is the case with your doe. Another thing, if the babies are too cold, pnuemonia sets in quickly & takes them..I keep my rabbits outside & have had a couple of "surprise litters" born in the cold weather & I didn't get to them in time...sometimes I'm able to turn the hair dryer on them to revive them....sometimes it works...sometimes it doesn't. If you have them in the inside, make sure that they are not near an ac vent.
Next time you think your doe is pg, you can pop a gel pill of vitamin e & squeeze it into her water tank...that helps to strengthen the babies...that's about all else that I can think of.