Calling all rabbit breeders....we need some assistance

[Learningstill]

@Learningstill
 I have heard from one lady that she keeps the kits and nestbox in a seperate cage and takes momma there once or twice a day to feed the kits and thats it. Rabbits aren't like cats, they only return to feed their young once or twice than stay away (predator thing). She probably did squish them all... I think my doe did too (first time mother also), although with her I'm not sure if she also ate one and started on the next or killed them then was cleaning them up to avoid predators.

Yeah, we are pretty positive she was stepping on them. She did not have the predator instincts; she kept laying on her kits and returning to the nest constantly after leaving it. We have the babies against her cage, so she can see into the nest box and she keeps coming to the nest box and digs the bottom of the cage and bites the bars attempting to get to them. We can tell she loves them, but I think too much.

 

[Learningstill]

Question...has anyone noticed their baby bunnies feet shedding skin or darker in color suddenly?

Sorry the baby would not sit still, but you can see the darker area which is darker than her natural dark skin. That area is the area I thought was maybe poo stuck and when I cleaned the area, I peeled skin and now it is raw like.

 

[Learningstill]

I am going to try and get photos tomorrow of the little baby's foot, but it is dead I think. The foot had been with what looks like a scab surrounding it since the last day I noticed and wrote about it. The other paw is growing and the one with the scab like thing is almost a shriveled up paw. It is basically straight, no paw. I am wondering if I should try to take the scab thing off or if I should take it to the vet.... What does everyone think? Has anyone seen anything similar before? I will post photos.

 

[Bunnylady]

Leave the scab alone - you can only make things worse.

I think you are right; some trauma damaged the blood flow to the foot, and the black part is dead. Sometimes a doe may bite a foot while she is cleaning it, but not bite it clean off. When the area has healed, the dead part will fall off with the rest of the scab.

 

[Learningstill]

Here are the photos.

Thanks Bunnylady. I was wondering if the scab was removed if the paw would grow? It sounds like, no.... We are so upset over our experience. The baby with the hurt foot is the best as far as show . The other baby seems like it is not growing. The one is almost twice the size of the sibling. And their mom is not eating any pellets since she had them. She will only eat alfalfa hay, dandelions, and carrots. She is not acting weak or sick, but it is strange. This whole process is overwhelming!

Thanks again.

 

[Learningstill]

Also, the little bunny is not growing, but eating. It is very active and I know it is getting milk because the other one gets a big belly at each feeding and the little one gets a little thicker, but never a plump belly. It always stops eating on its own. (We are manually feeding them on mom)

Will the little one die or will it live and be smaller than it is supposed to be?

 

[Learningstill]

Leave the scab alone - you can only make things worse.

I think you are right; some trauma damaged the blood flow to the foot, and the black part is dead. Sometimes a doe may bite a foot while she is cleaning it, but not bite it clean off. When the area has healed, the dead part will fall off with the rest of the scab.

You were right! The paw fell off....

Off topic, what would you recommend for our nursing doe to eat for rapid weight gain? Also, our buck needs to pack on some weight, what for him?
My kids show their rabbits at fair in less than a month. The doe is a pound under the minimum and the buck is a half pound. Last year, our doe was at the maximum weight and our buck went into fair at the minimum and fell below by show day and was DQ. Please, anything that would be helpful share.

Thanks!

P.S. We were told to feed them oats, Cheerios, and add flax seed oil to their feed. We have not done this yet, besides the oats. They currently eat LOTS of fresh greens (dandelions, clovers, grass, spinach), alfalfa mix hay, carrots, and feed. They also get apple tree twigs. We tried calf manna and they will not touch it.

 

[aprille218]

What kind of feed are you feeding them? For show rabbits and breeding rabbits their diet should be mostly rabbit pellets with only some other treats. Or they fill up on what they like and don't eat what they need. You can add some (1 Tablespoon or so) black oil sunflower seeds to their pellets to up the weight gain too.
Aprille

 

[Learningstill]

Oops, I forgot to add we feed them the BOSS too! I think the feed was the purina show, but they also get complete, because they are mixed together right now. I have never heard that their diets should mainly consist of their pellets unless the other high protein among other nutrients are not provided through their hays and other food sources. Everything I have read stresses the hay the most. Mmmmmm?

Anyhow, they have access to feed at all times. The buck eats the pellets and hay the most. The doe used to eat lots of pellets, but right before kindling she went off her pellets and just now has began to eat them regularly again. That is the reason for the two feeds, we thought she was being picky about the feed and bought another. That is also the reason she lost all the weight. I was going to take her in for the amount of weight loss, but then she started to put weight back on. However, she is under her weight by a pound. The buck gets treats once a day, usually in the evening. However, he has access to alfalfa mix hay at all times too. The doe gets a ton of treats since having her babies mostly dandelion leaves galore and spinach. I will reduce the treats drastically since you think she is not getting enough pellets. Should I restrict constant access to her hay? How much feed should she eat daily? She is an American Chinchilla their normal weight for the does is 10-12lbs.

Also, have you ever given them Cheerios? Her leader recommends plain Cheerios to put weight on quickly.

Thanks!