uh oh! Too may babies !

[Syl in Tucson]

Our doe had THIRTEEN BABY BUNNIES! Yes 13. She usually has five and is a good mom. Coming up on 48 hours now and they are all wiggly and squirming. Not as fat as I would like.....but they are all alive and kicking.
I've syringe fed babies before, not so fun. Im thinking about supplementing just a little with goats milk and karo syrup. Anybody else do this? Anybody else have a litter of 13????
I cant believe they are doing as well as they are. I fully expected to loose the whole litter the last night.

 

[lightchick]

Wow. That's a lot of babies! Our golden retriever/lab mix was 1 out of 13 PUPPIES!!

 

[Dutchgirl]

What breed of rabbit is she? Do you have any other does who you could foster babies to?

Personally I wouldn't try hand-feeding unless it's clear the babies aren't being fed - but I've never had this happen.

 

[sophiesmith1010]

Geesh! One rabbit for us is enough!

 

[Syl in Tucson]

She is a New Zealand. My other does are pregnant, no babies right now. I've been supplementing in the morning and evening with goats milk. So far ,so good. They are a week old now. I have some HUGE babies and some peanuts.

 

[nayeli]

I actually heard that seperating the babies into two nests helps so all of them can get a nipple. She should feed both nests and all of them will get fed.

 

[Syl in Tucson]

I've thought about doing that but was concerned she would only feed one group. I had to move her from a nest box to a dog house because she just didn't have room. She's stepped on a couple babies and almost killed them. And this girl is usually so nice...not now. Last time she has babies she let us handle them and her. This time, no way. She has bit me several times. And did some kind of cow kick. It was impressive. So holding her to feed babies doesn't work. I end up looking like a bloody slice of swiss cheese
I think I will try dividing the litter and see if it works. Hopefully I survive the move : )
Thanks for the idea.

 

[nayeli]

I've thought about doing that but was concerned she would only feed one group. I had to move her from a nest box to a dog house because she just didn't have room. She's stepped on a couple babies and almost killed them. And this girl is usually so nice...not now. Last time she has babies she let us handle them and her. This time, no way. She has bit me several times. And did some kind of cow kick. It was impressive. So holding her to feed babies doesn't work. I end up looking like a bloody slice of swiss cheese
I think I will try dividing the litter and see if it works. Hopefully I survive the move : )
Thanks for the idea.

I actually read about it online, some rabbit mama's will do it on their own! Since yours didn't I think that it may help. I would clean out the cage and move both nests from the original spot so she doesn't just go to the old nest and ignore the new.

 

[Syl in Tucson]

I put in two fresh nest boxes and divided the group in half. She refused both sets. Bit the snot out of me. Its 10pm and I finally put her babies all together and she jumped into the box to feed the. I don't understand this **** rabbit. I'm hoping I can keep these guys alive long enough for them to start eating on their own.

 

[nayeli]

How do you know she refused them? Rabbit Does don't usually feed except at night and otherwise stay away from the kits (in the wild it protects them).