New Zealand mix baby rabbits

[WormLady]

I am attempting to raise meat rabbits. I have what I call my juvenile pen. It is quite large with a very big house. The house is above the pen to provide more play area. Anyway, long story short, I am losing the bunnies at about six to eight weeks of age. They are healthy and eating and playing in the morning and in the evening three or four of them will be dead or dying. They do not have diarrhea, they have plenty of good hay and water and pellets. Can anyone help me?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

How are you weaning them? Stress and dietary changes at that age can be deadly.

At that age they are also at risk for enterotoxemia, and coccidiosis.

What protein percentage is your pellets? What type of hay and how much? Roughage is very important at that age. Sometimes too high a protein pellet can cause problems.

 

[cassie]

You aren't feeding them any greens are you?

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

You aren't feeding them any greens are you?

I've been feeding my baby bunnies greens since 4 weeks. I don't have problems feeding them. I always start very small and work my way up. From my reading it's too much sugar or protein and not enough roughage that will kill quickly.

 

[cassie]

I've been feeding my baby bunnies greens since 4 weeks. I don't have problems feeding them. I always start very small and work my way up. From my reading it's too much sugar or protein and not enough roughage that will kill quickly.

I was just going by what I have read in the rabbit books. I have read that greens can (not necessarily will) kill baby rabbits. I can't speak from personal experience because in this case I don't have any. I never fed my young rabbits greens. They got pellets, and sometimes they got hay too. That's all they got fed. If the OP continues to lose rabbits she might want to have one posted to find out what is going on. I have no idea. I would contact the farm advisor's office to see if there is a state lab around that can do it for a reasonable fee.

 

[cassie]

I am attempting to raise meat rabbits. I have what I call my juvenile pen. It is quite large with a very big house. The house is above the pen to provide more play area. Anyway, long story short, I am losing the bunnies at about six to eight weeks of age. They are healthy and eating and playing in the morning and in the evening three or four of them will be dead or dying. They do not have diarrhea, they have plenty of good hay and water and pellets. Can anyone help me?

I have been thinking about your problem, Does this pen have a wire floor or is it a solid floor with bedding? If it is a solid floor cocci would be a good bet. You can occasionally see cocci with a wire floor but more often with solid floors. In any event, take a stool sample and have it checked for cocci. That would be a good first step.

 

[WormLady]

I am attempting to raise meat rabbits. I have what I call my juvenile pen. It is quite large with a very big house. The house is above the pen to provide more play area. Anyway, long story short, I am losing the bunnies at about six to eight weeks of age. They are healthy and eating and playing in the morning and in the evening three or four of them will be dead or dying. They do not have diarrhea, they have plenty of good hay and water and pellets. Can anyone help me?

I'm sorry I have taken so long to respond. You are correct, it is coccidioisis. The juveniles were on the ground in a very large area. I had previously kept chickens in this pen. I did clean it with bleach but I guess it was still in the ground. I have not used the pen since I found out. I have lost no more youngsters. Thank you for your help.