# Help!!! I have 7 baby bunnies not sure if they are getting fed



## smpratte (Aug 16, 2009)

Alright the title and description says it all really, I have 7 newborn baby bunnies that I need help as soon as possible figuring out if the mom is feeding them. They were born two nights ago and I can not tell if they are being fed by the mom because if it is happening its happening when i am asleep.

If anyone could give me any advice I would appreciate it tremendously, and the more detail the better.


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## Flashy (Aug 16, 2009)

Have you looked at the babies? If they have been fed they will look like they have swallowed ping pong balls.

Mum will only feed them once or twice a day and she will just stand over them for 5 or so minutes and that will be it.

I'm also going to move this to the Rabbitry forum so you get some more specialised help.

Welcome to the forum


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## smpratte (Aug 16, 2009)

thank you that is very helpful, and no they do not look swollen, they look like they did the day before so i guess they are not being fed yet. I have a heating pad on top of the cage so they stay toasty but as of now i have not seen any growth in their stomachs :nerves1


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## Flashy (Aug 16, 2009)

Ok, have you fully checked the nest and all the babies? Are they in a nest box?

How is the mum acting? Is this her first litter? How old is she?

You can help her feed.

The first way is to try standing her over the nest, keep her relaxed, feed her treats and hopefully the kits will come and feed from her.

If that doesn't work then try with someones help to hold her and then hold each kit up to her in turn.

It may be she doesn't know what to do, or she may not have mothering instincts, or she may not be getting her milk come in. Hopefully you can help her feed though.


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## smpratte (Aug 16, 2009)

thank you for that as well, yes they are in a nest box that i made, and i have the heating pad so they stay warm along with a towel cotton and bedding. I was thinking of holding her over them which i will try.

If that does not work should i consider using the formula from the stores?


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## Flashy (Aug 16, 2009)

Do everything you can to get her to feed before feeding them formula because that has such a low success rate and no formula really gives them all they need.

Whereabouts is the heating pad?

Do you have hay in the nest box? The towel can sometimes cause them to wriggle and get separated and lost and not able to find their way back so be aware of that.


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## smpratte (Aug 16, 2009)

I have a bit of hay in there, most of my timothy hey is sharp so i just have some small softer pieces and they are all cuddled up right now, and have not strayed too far off. I will try to get her to feed though, and put the formula as a last resort.


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## Flashy (Aug 16, 2009)

Have you already got formula? If you have, what have you got?


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## smpratte (Aug 16, 2009)

No i have not yet, i went to petsmart yesterday and asked the worker who specializes in rabbits, and she did not know much but recomended the only formula they really had for bunnies which was generic and for smaller animals, i dont remember the name i was too busy thinking about how much time i wasted with the worker.


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## Flashy (Aug 16, 2009)

I would suggest scrolling through this thread http://www.rabbitsonline.net/view_topic.php?id=47887&forum_id=8&highlight=puppy+formula and reading the replies, paying extra attention to ra7751's post.


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## BSAR (Aug 16, 2009)

If she just had themvery recently, within a couple days,than she may not feed them right away. Some mommas won't get their milk in until a day or two after having the babies.


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## smpratte (Aug 16, 2009)

ah okay thank you flashy for all your help it is much appreciated, and thank you bsar for that comment it puts me at ease for now


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## BlueGiants (Aug 16, 2009)

If the babies are in a nestbox, and it is not freezing out, they do not need a heating pad. If they get too warm, they might not eat and the mother may not be willing to enter the nest. I'd remove the heating pad.

It can take 48 hours for a does milk to drop (come in). If you want to see if she is feeding them, remove the nestbox from the cage at night and put the babies someplace safe. Bring the nestbox back to her in the morning and see if she jumps in to check them. She should feed them right away. 

If the babies have not been fed within 48 hours of birth, they will appear to be shriveled and wrinkled... their skin will look loose. Then you will need to supplement. If they look smooth and sleek, they are getting fed.


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## murph72 (Aug 16, 2009)

I absolutely agree with everything Blue Giants has told you. The only thing I want to add is that most does will feed their young. They will often do so when you are not around. This is quite normal. I have several does that I have never seen nursing, but I know that they do because their babies thrive. 

Have patience with her. You'll be able to see their bellies are a bit round after they eat. Unless they are shriveled up, as Blue Giants also described, you don't have much to worry about. Most does will nurse in the morning and at night. Many of my does will wait until dark or right before. I give them a treat in the evening and many of them will wait until after the treat to feed. I've also noticed them feeding only when I returned some time later. Some look like they're caught when you find them in the nest. It's neat to see their instinctual like a wild animal. 

If it makes you feel any better, I've never had a single doe not feed her young. Not one. Relax a bit and let her do her job.


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## pamnock (Aug 16, 2009)

*BSAR wrote: *


> If she just had themvery recently, within a couple days,than she may not feed them right away. Some mommas won't get their milk in until a day or two after having the babies.



The babies nurse very soon after birth - the colostrum is in at this time. The normal milk supply comes in a couple days after giving birth.

Pam


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## smpratte (Aug 16, 2009)

thank you and i did hold her over the babies and them eventually held her laying down and she stayed there and all seven got to feed. I am concerned though because her attitude is as if they are not even in the cage. The nest that i made is out of a cardboard box 12x8 and i just put a small towel with cotton and bedding with some of her fur.

She walks in there and does not notice them, she usually just takes the cotton to add to her nest that she has made for herself on the opposite end of the cage. I am thinking that i might just take the babies out and just remove her when they should feed, because her behavior seems to show that she does not know they are there.

if anyone could give me advice on this i would appreciate it, i am sorry if this is annoying but i am worried because i have never had babies, and did not even know how/when she got pregnant, but i might remove the babies and just keep them in their nest box is this a good idea? Even if she does not aknowledge their presence at times?


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## Flashy (Aug 16, 2009)

That is normal for her to ignore them a lot of the time. It goes back to being in the wild and how she doesn't want to draw prey to her young.


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## smpratte (Aug 16, 2009)

ahh okay so then i should keep them in there? what if she walks on them at times, or at least very close to them? if it was a week later i would not worry but they are still too young with no fur


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## BlueGiants (Aug 16, 2009)

If she is building a nest in another part of the cage, try putting the nestbox in that spot. Lift up all the material she put down, put the nestbox in that spot and put her material at the front of the box. She may just prefer that spot. 

In nature, the doe will feed early in the morning, then leave the babies alone all day. This is to prevent any predators from following her scent to the nest and endangering the babies. Then she will return again at night. It's really for their protection.

She will not reject them if you touch them or move them. Did she have them in the nestbox or did you put them there? She may just prefer the babies in a different spot. Leave them in the box until they are at least 2 weeks old. It's really better for them.


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## BSAR (Aug 16, 2009)

*pamnock wrote: *


> *BSAR wrote: *
> 
> 
> > If she just had themvery recently, within a couple days,than she may not feed them right away. Some mommas won't get their milk in until a day or two after having the babies.
> ...


Yes that is what I meant. Just as Blue Giants said.


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## smpratte (Aug 16, 2009)

thanks bluegiants, and i had to move the babies into the box, she had them in the cage just in the middle well when i woke up and saw them that is where they were. Also the section where she carried all the cotton is very small and is only big enough for her, it is a small addition that was made to the cage that is maybe 12x7 and she just relaxes in it most of the time.

As of now i have the babies in the cage in the box and they are on the opposite side of the cage from her little room she made. I will just leave them in their box for now and i also had to hold her to feed them, but i will take them out tonight and put them back in when i wake up and see if she feeds them.


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## murph72 (Aug 16, 2009)

I think you're definitely suffering from first time Mom's jitters. You'll learn the little ones are tougher than you'd think. I've seen my babies get stepped on by mom and they are just fine. They're pretty strong, even if they don't look it.

It is completely normal for her to ignore the babies unless she's feeding them. In fact, I only have one doe that doesn't ignore her babies during the day. She, however, is very much *not* the norm. 

Do you know that mom wasn't feeding them? Or did you just decide "better safe than sorry" in trying to force her to feed them? I'd hate to see you stress her out if she's a new mom. It's much better to just let her do her job. With new moms I assume they're doing their job unless I see evidence otherwise.

Did she pull any hair for the nest, or is it all man-made materials? You mentioned a towel on the bottom. Please be careful to watch your bunny with the towel. Some bunnies will do fine with towels while others will try to eat them. I know a woman whose bunny was bedded down on a towel and it tried to eat it leading to blockage from the long fibers it ingested, and it died within the day. Just be careful if you've never had her around towels as I'd hate to see something like that happen to her.


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## smpratte (Aug 16, 2009)

Yes we are, my girlfriend started the post and we both have been responding throughout the day, but yes we are both very nervous because we did not expect her to be pregnant, and just want all 7 to survive and be healthy.

Anyway about them being fed, they looked thin and i read multiple sites before i got on here that they should have a pingpong ball like stomach, or at least a bit larger than normal but it didnt seem like that was happening. I was thinking of taking the babbies out tonight and keeping them in their nest and then putting them back in the morning so i can see if they are being fed by the mother.

Also yes i do have a small hand towel but it is at the bottom of their nest. That is covered almost entirely by beding and bits of timothy hay, also cotton is on top as well. The mom did not seperate her fur, i had to cut it and place it in the nest. The mom has not messed with the towel as of yet, she has had one under her before on a section of teh cage and bit it overtime but i might remove it and just fill the bottom with beding/hay, and cotton.


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## BlueGiants (Aug 16, 2009)

Could you put your location in your I? It would give us an idea of where you are and if anyone is nearby to help.


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## smpratte (Aug 16, 2009)

there i just updated it, edwardsville Illnois 20 minutes from st louis.


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## BlueGiants (Aug 17, 2009)

How do the babies look this morning? Did she feed them? How's momma doing?


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## Flashy (Aug 18, 2009)

Any updates?


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## smpratte (Aug 19, 2009)

yes the mom seems to be feeding them. I check on them and a few are fed and some are not. I just took her out and she let them latch and was more calm than before.

I noticed that a few of the kits have some yellow crust on their noses, is this something i should be concerned about?


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## BlueGiants (Aug 19, 2009)

I'm very relieved that mom is doing what she is suppose to! 

It's possible that mom isn't cleaning them as well as she should. You can take a cotton ball and warm water and wash their lil faces. (Don't make the cotton ball too wet, you don't want any water getting up their nose.)

You know, it would be lovely if you could share a few photo's with us. :camera Gives us a "cuteness fix" for the day to see babies! :hearts


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## smpratte (Aug 20, 2009)

http://s728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/smpratte/?action=view&current=IMG_1055.jpg

http://s728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/smpratte/?action=view&current=IMG_1054.jpg

There are two links to the babies, they are about 5 days old now and have grown a bit, you can see the fur coming in on some of them!


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## aurora369 (Aug 20, 2009)

Those babies look very well fed! All have nice round bellies.

Their fur will start coming in fast now. Before you know it they will be little miniature bunnies.

--Dawn


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## BlueGiants (Aug 20, 2009)

They are WAY cute!!! All plump lil bellies and soft velvet fur! Thanks for the cuteness overload for the day! :biggrin2:


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## smpratte (Aug 24, 2009)

http://s728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/smpratte/?action=view&current=IMG_1040.jpg

http://s728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/smpratte/?action=view&current=IMG_1044.jpg

http://s728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/smpratte/?action=view&current=IMG_1038.jpg

here are three more pics they are a week old now well 9 days almost time to open their eyes!


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## smpratte (Aug 28, 2009)

Alright the kits just opened their eyes yesterday/today and i was wondering how much longer do they have to stay in their nest? sometimes one or two creep out then return, but just curious to when they don't need it anymore. Also i can post mroe pictures if that would help.


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## BlueGiants (Aug 28, 2009)

As long as the nest is clean, I leave it in until they are 3 weeks old. You can empty it and turn it on it's side so they can sit inside as well as on the top. Gives them a little security to hide in, but gives them (or Momma) room to get up and away from the others.


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## Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears (Aug 28, 2009)

We would love pictures


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## smpratte (Aug 30, 2009)

Okay here are a couple pictures of them with their eyes open

http://s728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/smpratte/?action=view&current=IMG_1060.jpg

http://s728.photobucket.com/albums/ww282/smpratte/?action=view&current=IMG_1043.jpg


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## Luvr of Wabbits and Polar Bears (Aug 30, 2009)

:inlove::faint:


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