Beauty had her babies on Friday and Missy was due on Monday. I went to check on them this evening and Missy had her mouth full of fur and hay. It is so cute when a doe walks around with her mouth full. It looks like she has a mustache. So I did a few chores thinking she might have them early and wanted to get things done so I wont disturb her close to giving birth. Within moments she was in her box and I could tell she was having contractions. So I stopped with the chores and stuck around. I heard little peeps and knew she had at least one baby. I set up a few cameras and went back later.
When I went back she was out of her box. I could see there were babies in the box and they were all pink (white fur later). They were not under the fur very well. I decided to give her more time to see if she would have more or if she would rearrange her nest.
I went back later and seen they were not covered very well at all. I reached in to check on them and they were cold. I decided I needed to warm them. I brought them in the house and put them in a box with a heat pad under. This was not working well so I put them in my bra. I could feel their cold little bodies. After a few moments, they started to squirm around. I rearranged them a few times because it seemed a few were not warming up very well.
After about half an hour it was obvious that two were not doing well. They were actually bringing the temperatures down for the other ones. I removed the two cold ones and you could tell from their color they were dead. I placed them in the box with the heat pad just to make sure. The others three remained in my bra for another 15 minutes then I took them back out to their mother hoping now they were warm, she would feed them and all would be well.
I want to give this mom a fair shot at taking care of these little ones but part of me also wants to give the kits the best shot possible at surviving. That would mean fostering them to Beauty. I will go out and check them one more time and if they are warm, I will leave them alone. If they are cold, I will warm them, mark them and foster them to Beauty. Be back soon.
Ok Im back. I took a treat out to the rabbits and checked on Missys kits. They were cold again. Not as much but still cold and not much life left in them. I decided they would not make it till morning so I put them in with Beauty.
Good and bad to this story. Bad is obvious. Missy did not have a very good first litter experience. Bad, two died. Good is that Beauty is a good mother and she now has three more to care for. I hope that in the morning, I will check in her box and find 8 healthy kits. If not, if there are dead ones, then they were just not meant to live. If I find three smaller ones still alive I will mark them and pray they grow and all is well. I will not rebreed Missy for a while because it is cold and we have family celebrations coming up and the timing would not be good for a litter right now.
I do have one major concern. Mastitis in Missy because she will not be nursing. It is a risk I will have to take. Since she did not feed, there has not been any stimulation. If in nature she would loose them all, she would have to dry up just like she will now. I pray she is spared any pain and discomfort with both the loss of her first litter (to another doe) and that her milk production does not cause discomfort.
Well it has been an eventful evening and now I can rest knowing the three little pink angels will be given the best chance possible in with Beauty's babies. I will post more after I check on them in the morning. Thanks for hoppin by.
I went back later and seen they were not covered very well at all. I reached in to check on them and they were cold. I decided I needed to warm them. I brought them in the house and put them in a box with a heat pad under. This was not working well so I put them in my bra. I could feel their cold little bodies. After a few moments, they started to squirm around. I rearranged them a few times because it seemed a few were not warming up very well.
After about half an hour it was obvious that two were not doing well. They were actually bringing the temperatures down for the other ones. I removed the two cold ones and you could tell from their color they were dead. I placed them in the box with the heat pad just to make sure. The others three remained in my bra for another 15 minutes then I took them back out to their mother hoping now they were warm, she would feed them and all would be well.
I want to give this mom a fair shot at taking care of these little ones but part of me also wants to give the kits the best shot possible at surviving. That would mean fostering them to Beauty. I will go out and check them one more time and if they are warm, I will leave them alone. If they are cold, I will warm them, mark them and foster them to Beauty. Be back soon.
Ok Im back. I took a treat out to the rabbits and checked on Missys kits. They were cold again. Not as much but still cold and not much life left in them. I decided they would not make it till morning so I put them in with Beauty.
Good and bad to this story. Bad is obvious. Missy did not have a very good first litter experience. Bad, two died. Good is that Beauty is a good mother and she now has three more to care for. I hope that in the morning, I will check in her box and find 8 healthy kits. If not, if there are dead ones, then they were just not meant to live. If I find three smaller ones still alive I will mark them and pray they grow and all is well. I will not rebreed Missy for a while because it is cold and we have family celebrations coming up and the timing would not be good for a litter right now.
I do have one major concern. Mastitis in Missy because she will not be nursing. It is a risk I will have to take. Since she did not feed, there has not been any stimulation. If in nature she would loose them all, she would have to dry up just like she will now. I pray she is spared any pain and discomfort with both the loss of her first litter (to another doe) and that her milk production does not cause discomfort.
Well it has been an eventful evening and now I can rest knowing the three little pink angels will be given the best chance possible in with Beauty's babies. I will post more after I check on them in the morning. Thanks for hoppin by.
Very disappointing Oma. I'm sorry. This is a healthy and beautiful rabbit! next time!! she'll do better next time!
ReplyDeletePatti