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My baby rabbits major problems.

22 10:57:39

Question
QUESTION: hi again. i am writing because today 2 of my baby rabbits died. I am worried for the other 3. I told you about Simba digging in the nest box. The other night I thought that I had found a solution to the problem. I took Simba out of her cage and she laid down beside me and was calm. so I took the nest box with the babies out and simba went right in the box and let them eat. so i thought that she just wasnt happy in her cage b/c it was small. so that night I let her sleep with me. i woke up in the middle of the night to find that the babies were everywhere. 3 were on the floor, 1 was still in the box, and 1 was on me. I put them back in the box and they warmed up pretty quickly. the next day I noticed that one wasnt looking good. i saw that Simba would let 3 of the bunnies nurse.. but not the other two. so i started hand feeding those two. they died today. now one of the surviving babies is looking very blue and not as big as the other ones. i am worried that it might die also. 2 of the babies are huge and look very healthy. but just a minute ago, Simba knocked the white baby out of the box and it fell pretty hard on the wire cage. now it is breathing weird. opening its mouth wide. i am very worried. Simba has also been making a funny noise from time to time. it sounds kind of like a sneeze or maybe a gasp. im not sure. the last time that she fed the babies was yesterday, and im worried she wont feed them anymore. it is so horrible to watch the babies die one by one and not know why. i am worried that i am doing something wrong. they are 4 days old today, which is 1 day older than my first baby bunny lived. so im hoping at least the 2 bigger ones will live. thanks for your help.
ANSWER: Oh Sarah I am so sorry about the loss of the babies.  I am curious about something.  You said you let Simba sleep with you and when you woke up the babies were scattered everywhere?  Were they where Simba could get to them?  Babies can't jump out of the nest box until they are between 2 and 3 weeks old.  If they were pulled out of the box she must have had access to them and was most likely feeding them when they were pulled out of the box.  Sometimes the babies won't let go fast enough when she is feeding them and they accidently get pulled out of the box.
Simba could very well be sick wince she is breathing funny.  If she is sick she might not feel she is capable of caring for the babies.  The baby that was pulled out and landed hard will probably not make it.  If it is having difficulty breathing and gasping for air please don't be surprised if it doesn't make it.  You may not have noticed her nursing if she did it while you were sleeping which I highly suspect since when you woke up none of them were in the box.

The little one could be a peanut and peanuts will never survive.  Its a genetic disorder in small breeds.. here is a site about peanuts it is rather complex but has pictures that you can compare.

http://www.geocities.com/mnd_rabbitry/Peanut.html

Sweetie I have to tell you honestly that raising rabbits is difficult.  More times than not the babies will die no matter what you do to help them.  I know it is very sad but it doesn't mean that Simba will never be a good mom.  I am really hoping for your sake that the 2 bigger ones make it.  Just don't assume that she isn't feeding them because for some reason they don't like to nurse when people are watching and they do only nurse once a day.

I feel so bad for you and your lost babies and I will really keep the last ones in my thoughts.  They are really to young to be taken to the vet.  I would take Simba in for a check-up after she either weans the last 2 or if they do all die.  The vet can make sure that she doesn't have an underlying cause that would make her lose the babies.

Can you please keep me informed.  I really want to help you but I just feel so helpless like there is nothing I can do for you.

Whatever you do don't give up.  Part of the reason rabbits are able to breed so frequently is because of the tremendous amount of lost kits.  I lost a whole litter of 7 2 days ago and I was devastated because I have been trying so hard and my doe is just not a good mother.

I will pray for your little babies and I will keep you in my thoughts.

Please let me know if you have anymore questions.

thank you

Pam

here is a nice site that helps you to cope with loss.  It is one of my favorites and I cry everytime I read it and listen to the beautiful song.

http://www.freewebs.com/hgrabbitry/rainbowbridge.htm



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: well one more just died... the white one that simba knocked over. but the other smaller one that i thought might be a peanut is doing ok now. he/she got really cold and was "crying" so i put it in a towel on a heating pad and it started acting normal again! and i hand fed it and its stomach looks like the other one now. i think the big baby was bullying it and not letting it get mama's milk. simba is doing better... she stopped making the noise and has been paying more attention to the 2 remaining babies. she keeps licking the smaller baby. i have a question... ive read some of your other responses to questions and you said that breeding with parents of different breeds isnt good.. well simba is a lionhead. i got chubby(the father) from an animal shelter and they told me that he was also a lionhead. even though he is the same color as simba (tan) his ears look different and i think the shelter was mistaken about his breed. his ears are always down and they look floppy, is this characteristic of another breed of rabbits? could this be why the babies are having such a hard time? the bigger baby looks very healthy and his eyes are starting to open a little bit, so i am hopeful that it will do ok even if its brother/sister doesnt make it. also, when should i take the babies to the vet? i took simba's previous baby to the vet when it was 3 days old and they told me it was fine... but it died that night. so i think i took it too early. the babies are 5 days old tonight. thanks so much for all your help and showing so much concern. i really appreciate it.

sarah

Answer
Hi Sarah

Lionheads are a newer breed here in the US, they haven't even been made an accepted breed by the American Rabbit Breeder's Association so they don't really have a standard as to what they should look like yet.  I was doing research on lionheads the other day and found that they had some lop eared lionheads in the UK.  He might be a lionhead but he is more likely a lionhead mix.  

I really don't think that is why they are having so many problems.  It takes generations of cross-breeding before they begin to develop terrible things like wolf teeth and immune system problems.  I think Simba is just a new mom and doesn't really know what to do.  She sounds like she is doing better with the remaining two.  Keep an eye on the little one and if Simba is not feeding her then do what you did before and hand feed her.  Another thing you can do if Simba won't feed her is to hold Simba on her back on your lap and have someone else hold the little one up to her nipple to get it to suckle.  Its hard and would have to be done twice a day but it does work on occasion.  It sounds like Simba is finally feeding them though so hopefully they will be ok.

There is really no use in taking wee little babies to the vet.  I would wait until they are about 5-6 weeks old.  Then they can give them a good check up and check for all the things that can be wrong.  

I am so sorry about the white baby.  Ruby eyed whites (REW) are what they are called and they are adorable but now that you know Simba is a REW carrier you might get some more out of her next litter.

I would really like to take a look at the buck so I can tell you if he is a lionhead.  Your right about cross breeding so if he isn't and you want to breed Simba again you might need to get another buck.

Can you send me another question and mark it as private.  I will tell you where to send the picture of Chubby if you want me to take a look at him for you.

I am so sorry you are having such a hard time  :(  I know how sad it is but hopefully the last 2 babies will make it.

I look forward to hearing from you again

Thank you

Pam