Heather Wallace HELP !! or any bunny owners

[ilovehounds]

Well I had another drop off bunny, I caught it and just tree days ago she had 11 babies :eek: well she is half as@ taking care of them and she now has four left. I don't know whats happening to the babies, I found four dead the first morning outside of her nest and three dead in the nest since, one had blood coming from his nose. I have hand raised bunnies this young before should I take the remaining four away from her, is she killing them or is something else wrong ???

Any suggestions would be great thanks

[zippy-kat]

Goodness!

Sophie was small but not that small when I got her!

I think I would call a vet ASAP--even if it's just to ask for suggestions. I would also seriously consider taking them away from their mommy. It sounds like she's a first time mom herself --but the blood coming out of the nose sounds like there is something else going on.

Fingers crossed for you, Momma Bun, and the little ones.
Please keep us up to date!!

[zippy-kat]

I emailed someone who may be able to help.

Daisylover is very involved in rabbit rescue--maybe she has some ideas.

[Bunnicula05]

Well, I don't know what to tell you because I've never had baby buns before. But I will say this, you should get suggestions from a vet professional.

[Karen]

Absolutely, call the vet right away. That's a lot of bunnies, and maybe she's not sure how to care for them!

[Daisylover]

I responded to Zippy's email..... I would get them to, or call, a rabbit specialist vet ASAP and separate them from mom on the offchance mom might have injured the baby that had a bloody nose. I've never heard of 1 bunny having 11 babies! That's amazing in itself. If the babies are pink in color they are fine. If they are blue or grey they are in serious trouble.

What makes you think mom is not taking care of the babies? In the wild, mom feeds them only 2 times a day/at dawn and at dusk. Mom's milk is very high in everything they need. She will leave the nest during the day to draw predators away from the nest..... I'm not so sure what you see as neglect is really neglect on her part. As Karen says, if she is a first time mom and taken away from her mother at too early of an age, she may not know how to take care of her babies....so I'd call a rabbit vet, or Humane Society and ask if they have advice/for a wildlife rehabber that can advise you. I know some abandoned babies have been successfully raised on kitten formula and done quite well. Unfortunately I don't know how often they need to be fed and how much...it's my guess it's probably more often since kitten formula is not a natural produce for them to have. I wish I could be more specific.

You are to be congratulated for rescuing mom. Regardless of the outcome you deserve a great big THANKS for being such a caring person. Good luck!

[Heather Wallace]

It is very much a case of letting nature take its course with mum and babies. My bun gave birth to 6 babies and luckily all survived. The vets told me that if the nest is touch the mother will feel threatened so she often kills the babies for their own protection. In the wild rabbits should probably be left alone.

I also agree that a vets should be called, theats the best advice I think

Good luck and let us know how things go.

[ilovehounds]

Thanks guys for the suggestions, I did call a vet and he pretty much said what Heather said. Just leave them be and let nature happen. If they are going to live they will live if no they won't ??? I was somewhat upset by that but thought who am I to say he's wrong.

Well she had the babies and didn't make a nest, they were just laying in on the cage floor all day squirming around, finally I couldn't take it anymore and made them a nest with a box and the shavings from her house. Then the next morning four dead babies were found outside of the nest and three after that in the nest.

She is now taking care of three of the four remaning babies, she has pulled some of her hair out and added it to the nest the three babies are doing great growing. But the fourth bunny is less then half the size of the others and she is always throwing it out of the nest. Its was always dirty with its own pee and poop.

So guess who is looking after the baby now ????? ........

Take a look at the new mommy

Our New Baby (http://www.geocities.com/the_hound_house/thebaby.html)

any suggestions for names ??? I was thinking something like Hope or Faith ??

[Karen]

So so sweet! What a good dog to let that bitty baby bunny snuggle with her!

Maybe she should be named Persistance for surviving this long! And you could call her/him Perry for short (and after a certain hero dog we all know!)

[zippy-kat]

Those have to be some of THE sweetest photos I've ever seen!! I love them!!

[Heather Wallace]

Oh, I remember my baby bunnies at that age, they are so sweet.

Glad some of the babies are doing well.

[ilovehounds]

Well they are not doing well anymore. Two of the three babies momma bunny was taken care of died yesterday ?????? They were dead in the nest. I took the last one so now we are raising two bunnies.

Perry as Im calling him (great name Karen lets hope he is as strong and brave as his namesake) is doing well, eating like a pig ..lol.. and the new little guy we are calling Pooh bear is not eating very much but enough to keep me happy.

Im going to get the mother spayed so this doesn't happen again, she is such a sweet rabbit and I have had two people wanting her but I want her spayed first I would hate for someone to try breeding her again and have this happen.

My brother wants Perry for his daughter but I don't think I will be able to part with him.

I have a pic of Perry and Pooh Bear together I'll upload it later to show you the size difference.

Fingers crossed these two babies stay healthy