Aggressive rabbit-4 kits but 2 died

My rabbit had 4 kits but two died, and she doesn't seem to be taking care of the other two. Also she keeps stepping on the two still living. It's really cold and the kits are outside of the nest what do I do?


****Karen Sez****
Oh dear, doesn't sound good. Quick, put the kits back into the nest, and pull some more of the doe's fur so they'll stay warm. Arrange the nest so the kits are in a hollow and can't just crawl out. Your doe is acting like she doesn't realize those are her kits. My fear is that the doe's instincts have not kicked in, and you may lose all the kits. There's also the chance the doe did not inherit enough maternal instincts.

You can only do what you can do -- let nature take its course and rebreed the doe if the kits die, or you can try hand-feeding the remaining kits, supposing the doe doesn't figure it out in the next 24-36 hours.

Good luck,
K

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Oct 26, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		5 WEEKS OLD
by: Anonymous

5 of my bunnies have died everything was fine found them dead but really flat like someone as flattened them could the mother do this.

****Karen Sez****
At five weeks old, sudden death in kits is almost certainly due to enterotoxemia -- diarrhea from unbalanced gut bacteria. Your kits likely died, and so didn't move when the doe decided to rest in the spot where they were. Enterotoxemia can be sudden, and all you see are the dead bunnies.

Also, check the feed for mold. Mold can kill kits and big rabbits alike.

I'm sorry for your sake. For the remaining kits, please remove all food immediately, except for water and grass hay. You may lose a couple more kits, but hopefully in the next 24 - 48 hours everything will normalize, and you can give the kits their (non-moldy) food back.

Good luck, and God bless you,
K
Oct 25, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		Aggressive rabbit-4 kits but 2 died
by: VICTORIA

Hi,

I think if you really are worried about the doe, get her some other kits (from the market or from another Doe), so she would be satisfied and also the kit would get a mum as well.

But make sure, you keep a check on the Doe and the baby, as the doe might reject the baby as well (generally not the case).

Hope would help.

Regards

Victoria
Oct 25, 2011
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starstarstarstarstar 		So sorry!
by: Moderator

Sorry you lost all the kits. We've felt that disappointment more than once. You can rebreed the doe right away.

You called the doe an aggressive rabbit; are you sure you want offspring from her? just asking.

You can also try to figure out why the doe rejected her babies, and if there's anything in your control you can change next time to help your doe.

If litter 2 goes like litter 1, you might want to conclude that you need different breeding stock.

Good luck, and God bless you,
K
Oct 25, 2011
Rating
starstarstarstarstar 		All 4 kits are now dead
by: Anonymous

It's too late, the last two of my rabbit's kits died. My doe now seems very upset and sad that all four of her newest kits died. What should I do? She's my only breeding rabbit at the moment.
Oct 24, 2011
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starstarstarstar 		Aggressive rabbit-4 kits but 2 died
by: Victoria

Hi,

I am Victoria.

I had my rabbits kits died, so what I did is I gave her a pair of kits about 2 weeks old and she is fostering them.

The idea is, if in case the mom is not feeding the kits, you could take your rabbit on your lap, cover her eyes, and put her in a way so that her legs are upwards, and then put the kits on her litter, and that's how they will at least get the milk.

Hope this will help.

Regards

Victoria

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