My rabbit just had babies and they all are dead..........

[MBLayfield]

I went to feed the cows, horses and my rabbits this morning and found that my lionhead doe had pulled hair, given birth on the wire floor and had half eaten one of her babies. She had five altogether...

I'm so freaking sad and shocked! I just got this doe as a gift from my mom as an early birthday present. I actually got three, two does and a buck. The breeder assured my mom that the doe's had not been with the buck.

These are my first rabbits so I hadn't bred them yet because I knew I wouldn't be prepared. I can't believe I didn't know she was pregnant and somehow prevented this.

So, I have no idea if the other doe I have is pregnant too, I quick put a box in there for her to nest in so the same thing doesn't happen again. I did try to feel to see if I could tell (found a website giving information on preg checking) and didn't feel anything, but I don't know if I did it right.

Just venting/kicking myself. Thanks for listening. I feel so irresponsible and a bad rabbit owner. Crap......

 

[hatchcrazzzy]

dont kick your self it was not your fault.never ever buy from this person again .he only hurt him self in the long run . sorry for the babies

 

[ukchickengirl]

If you can take the buck out cos they eat the babies if they feel threatened by the male, good luck with the other doe if she is pregnant

H x

 

[hcammack]

what did you do with the 4 survivors or did they all pass away?

Henry

 

[MBLayfield]

I agree I will never NEVER buy another rabbit from the breeder these ones came from. I've never let the buck in with the does. So it had to be from him.

I've been up to the barn twice now checking on them since I put the box in for the other doe. I kind of hope she isn't pregnant. I'm not ready for kits yet. I have the space, I have a 12 hole hutch with only 3 occupants, but I'm worried about the temps. Even if they are in the barn surrounded by hay, its still really cold in there. I know, I milk every morning in there and its at least 25 if not colder. I figured I'd breed them after the first of the year.

 

[MBLayfield]

Henry everyone was dead this morning when i got up to the barn. They were all very cold and not moving.

I buried them in a hole this morning where my dog couldn't get to it.

 

[picklespickles]

hugs

 

[hcammack]

oh I am sorry dosent sound like you had anything to do with it so dont beat yourself up over it Nature is somtimes cruel this happens when you keep animals.


Good Luck
Henry

 

[Farmer Kitty]

Sometimes the mother isn't ready for little ones either and in that case she would kill them. They also could have been born dead and nature's way is for mom to "take care of them" the samething occurs with cats.

If you notice the other one plucking fur you could hang a lightbulb in the hutch for warmth. Just be careful about how you hang it. We had one that had little ones at the end of January and did this. I would also recomend giving her an empty coolwhip container or something similar. Ours always dumped her water and put the dish over the little ones.

Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

I know it is terrible to have an unexpected kindling. In my experiences, kits born on the wire, unless you find them fairly soon after birth, usually don't make it.

For future reference: What we do to prevent the doe eating any of her young is to give her a marble sized ball of raw hamburger meat 2 days before her due date. Sometimes they eat it and sometimes they don't, it is said that a doe will eat her young when she is lacking something in her system. The raw meat will give her what she needs. Since doing this, we have never had a doe eat her young.

Also, if this was her first litter, she may not have been mature enough to handle it. Birth sometimes seems like it scares the doe, because they don't know what is happening to them. Her next litter should be just fine.

We have been raising rabbits for years, and sometimes we have first litter does not take care of their kits. They usually go on and raise many litters after that. It is sometimes difficult to tell if they are bred, even by experienced breeders. You did right by putting a nestbox in with your other doe just in case. We will do that when we buy a doe from a person that we are not well aquainted with, just in case. We have had many new does have a litter, that were not supposed to be bred.

Jean