So very sad. :-(

[nachoqtpie]

So... we had bred our rabbit Robin to Barney, and she was due to kindle her first litter last night. Well, yesterday we moved her into a new cage with a next box and all the things that she was going to need to kindle and raise babies for the next 8 weeks.

I was so certain that last night was going to be the night! She had pulled a lot of fur (which we moved with her and put in the nest box), we put a slice of bacon in there to hopefully prevent her from eating the babies, hay, water, feed, brand new resting platform... everything! I was so excited that I couldn't even hardly sleep last night and I even woke before my alarm at 5:30 and got up to go see!!

I walked out to a not so good scene.

Robin had kindled 10 kits, but they were all over the cage floor!

Two of them were still alive, but 1 was barely moving. I put those 2 in the nest box with her, hoping that maybe they will make it. I'm trying not to get my hopes up tho in case they don't.

How can I prevent this from happening again? Did I do something wrong that she kindled on the floor instead of the box? Do you think she will take care of them? She was out there moving nesting material around and still pulling fur after I put the babies in there, is that a good sign?

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Just a guess. But does are very territorial about their den and maybe when you moved her to new surroundings she felt lost and possibly threatened. I don't think I would ever move one of my gals during or after gestation. I usually fill a nestbox with straw, hay, and some of that doe's hair (from previous kindles) and slide it into "her" cage two days before she's supposed to have her babies. This has worked for me for many years and I have never experienced what you did.

 

[nachoqtpie]

Well... the only bad part about that was, she was sharing a cage while we finished our rabbitry. I didn't want her to kindle in with another rabbit. :/

Everything is done now, except we have to get the roof finished and the tarps put on (which will have to be done today because we have a tropical storm headed this way).

I put the 2 that were alive in the nest box, and she has been in there with them pretty much ever since. She's pulled some more fur and even moved some fur and straw around in there. Is that a good sign you think?

** ETA: We hadn't INTENDED to breed yet, but, one of the kids had put Robin in with Barney instead of Nora where she belonged (while we were building) and that's how she was bred. I wasn't that clear when I said "we bred her"

 

[Nyboy]

Is this her first litter? sorry

 

[bj taylor]

sorry you and her experience went so wrong. hope the babies she's got will make it.

 

[Stubbornhillfarm]

Sorry nacho. It really just stinks when stuff like this happens. I hope the remaining two make it for you.

 

[Jared77]

Is this her first litter?

Exactly what I was wondering. I'm really sorry Nacho

 

[nachoqtpie]

This was her first litter. It was a pretty big litter for her first one too!!

Sadly, the other 2 didn't make it.

I'm going to chalk this one up to inexperience on both our parts and rebreed her probably this weekend, then she can have the rest of the summer off until fall. A friend is coming to pick up my Californian and breed her to her Cali buck tonight. I feel really bad about it, but, I'm trying to remind myself that we're both learning. Too bad for the little kits that we both had to learn this lesson the hard way.

 

[Gardening with Rabbits]

So sorry. It would rattle your nerves for sure to go through that. I am sure it will go better the next time.

 

[897tgigvib]

Try to feel better and give loves to the mama bunny too.