Wrinkly Rabbit Kits

[ElocinB]

Hi there. Three days ago, our doe had six healthy-seeming kits and now, today, two of the six look wrinkly and their bellies are darker pink rather than whitish pink. Interestingly, the two wrinkly kits are the only ones with black broken markings and their fur is coming in with some striped bald patches rather than smooth and evenly like the others (see photo below). Anyway, we could use some advice on how to get these babies fed--not sure how to go about force feeding with the mama rabbit.

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[HollowOfWisps]

While wrinkling can be a sign of dehydration the best way to tell is if their bellies budge from being full. That kit in the picture if I’m not mistaken looks like it has a little pot belly even though it’s stretched out which means it is still being fed. If I am seeing that pot belly correctly and the kit is active it’s being fed. A dehydrated kit with have no bulge and be lethargic compared to the others. If I am seeing that incorrectly and there is no bulge along with the kit acting lethargic you will need to pick up a small nippled bottle along with rabbit formula. There is no good way to force a mother to accept a kit if it is indeed being rejected.