Kit fine until yesterday and was stiff but alive today died

[dipence71]

Holland Lopp doe had 3 kits 2 were born dead.
This one seemed just fine and getting fat and healthy looking until yesterday. DD said bunny was stiff ish, but alive.
Today went and checked on baby and was stiff but alive. I massaged it and it loosened up some put it back in nest and checked on it again and it was dead. The kit was 8 days old today.

What could have caused this? Does it sound like it got sick? or injured?

My DD13 is going to be heart broke. But I don't want to re breed and have same thing happen if it was a disease or can be prevented.

Thanks in advance!!

 

[debilorrah]

I'd like to see some answers too, I am new to rabbits.

 

[dewey]

Sometimes single kits don't survive, or entire litters perish and it's hard to say why without more info (or it can remain a mystery forever, too). It could have gotten cold, making it feel stiff. Kits should always feel warm to the touch. It's just hard to say why it died. So sorry for your daughter.

 

[Sachasmom]

I'd go ahead and rebreed the doe, do you have other does to breed along with her? Hollands can have peanuts, which will not survive, and they usually have pretty small litters.

It sounds to me like the kit was dying, hence the stiffening up. They sorta tense all their muscles and will bend their necks back too, not much you can do once they get that way except put them down, I don't think I have ever saved anything that far gone, sorry!

As to why it died, could be loads of things, too hot, too cold, not enough milk, too much milk, enteritis (probably too young for that) or it could just be a fader. Usually single kits won't make it because they need other kits to help keep them warm. Sometimes the does will lay down in the nestbox and smother or scatter them, If I see I have a "lounger" I usually pull the box and just put it in there for her to feed them.

 

[bobwhitelover]

It could of had trauma syndrom my doe gave birth to a HUGE litter of 11 mini lops sadly 1 died in birth and then the 2 runts died and then 4 more died of trauma syndrom from the doe either stepping on them or sitting in the nest box

Now there are only 3 left a Broken B&W a broken Chestnut A solid chestnut and a solid black Oh BTW was this your does first litter? HL are generally hard to breed and their first litter almost ALWAYS dies
Heres pics:
The nest when they all were alive

A broken chestnut color baby?

The broken chestnut again:

And i think the solid chestnut

Good luck with the bunn bunns and R.I.P to all the kits that died in both litters :rip:

 

[dipence71]

Quote:
Thank you,
The lady I got her from said she had a good litter before. But then again told me she was bred when I got her and she wasn't.
The kit was always toasty warm when we checked on it. Always had a full round tummy as well.
Guess it is just one of those things.
Will re breed her and try again.