handrearing rabbits

[Empath]

I wondered if anyone can help? I have been hand rearing a litter of 3 newborn domestic rabbits. I got them at around 14 hours old after mum had rejected them - the bastard owners dumped mum and new litter on me and expected everything to be well, after they had poked around in the nest and then put the whole hutch in a car and bounced them round for an hour to get to me. Poor stressed first time mum rejected her litter... so muggings here stepped in.
I had heard that rabbit kittens are difficult to rear, but I had to try. They seemed to be doing ok at first. For the first week they thrived. then one by one they became dehydrated and died.
They were getting enough milk - fed them 5-6 times a day till their tummies were round and full - so why why why did they go downhill? had I got the mixture wrong? I hadnt changed formula or quantity of the puppy milk I was giving them. They were warm, clean, toiletted....
I lost the last one during the night last night. I feel devestated - but I want to learn from my mistakes. Any ideas?

Try here Empath - http://britishwildlifehelpline.com/R...20Rabbits.html

[Empath]

Originally Posted by adi

Try here Empath - http://britishwildlifehelpline.com/R...20Rabbits.html

thanks Adi. I phoned the number at the bottom of the web page and spoke to the lady concerned. She has told me it was stress that killed the bunnies, and nothing I was doing wrong.
Its a relief to know that....

Great news

[LeeP]

Hi Empath,
I'm an animal rescuer in the US. I am experienced with bunnies, and I don't think your bunnies died of "stress" beyond the fact that most things that die (it could be said) die of stress. Do you really want to know why they died? I might be able to help you with that, but not if it will cause you to blame yourself for the deaths of these little ones. You did everything you could "spur of the moment". Everything you did was as correct as it could be in the circumstances. You could possibly have increased their chances of survival, but it would have taken preparation and items that you did not have and could not have gotten in time to save these.
If there is one thing an animal rescuer cannot afford, it is regret. Heaven knows, there are way too few of us acting for the animals. We stand against a whole world of people trying to harm them. If I spent time regretting helping those I could not save, I'd have eaten bullets by now.
Now...do you really want to know?


Lee

[Empath]

Originally Posted by LeeP

Hi Empath,
I'm an animal rescuer in the US. I am experienced with bunnies, and I don't think your bunnies died of "stress" beyond the fact that most things that die (it could be said) die of stress. Do you really want to know why they died? I might be able to help you with that, but not if it will cause you to blame yourself for the deaths of these little ones. You did everything you could "spur of the moment". Everything you did was as correct as it could be in the circumstances. You could possibly have increased their chances of survival, but it would have taken preparation and items that you did not have and could not have gotten in time to save these.
If there is one thing an animal rescuer cannot afford, it is regret. Heaven knows, there are way too few of us acting for the animals. We stand against a whole world of people trying to harm them. If I spent time regretting helping those I could not save, I'd have eaten bullets by now.
Now...do you really want to know?


Lee

Yes, of course I want to know. I NEED to know. Please.

[LeeP]

Hi Em,
I want you to know that I'm not being coy or careless or disinterested in not posting back to you quickly. I'm having some problems and am getting back as quickly as I can. They are
1. My carpel tunnel syndrome is giving me fits. I am presently having to wear braces on both wrists. This makes typing a long and arduous endeavor.
2. My computer is also giving me fits. For instance, last Wednesday and Thursday I could not get to these forums. I kept getting a Microsoft "can not find server" message.
3. My CTS is causing me to take a much longer time to care for the animals in my care so I have less time to spend on line.

This is a complicated topic and will have to be done in pieces anyway.

So to start...When you first got the bunnies, did you test for dehydration? Did you assume a moderate amount of dehydration? Did you give them a rehydrating solution (Pedialyte) before giving them formula? There's no need in my going over things you already know. Thus the questions.


Lee

[Empath]

Originally Posted by LeeP

Hi Em,
I want you to know that I'm not being coy or careless or disinterested in not posting back to you quickly. I'm having some problems and am getting back as quickly as I can. They are
1. My carpel tunnel syndrome is giving me fits. I am presently having to wear braces on both wrists. This makes typing a long and arduous endeavor.
2. My computer is also giving me fits. For instance, last Wednesday and Thursday I could not get to these forums. I kept getting a Microsoft "can not find server" message.
3. My CTS is causing me to take a much longer time to care for the animals in my care so I have less time to spend on line.

This is a complicated topic and will have to be done in pieces anyway.

So to start...When you first got the bunnies, did you test for dehydration? Did you assume a moderate amount of dehydration? Did you give them a rehydrating solution (Pedialyte) before giving them formula? There's no need in my going over things you already know. Thus the questions.


Lee

Hi lee,
Sorry to hear about your CTS - damned painful isn't it. Some of my family have had it.
As for the bunnies, yes, I tested for dehydration, their status was good, but not fantastic. I gave them Lectade (Uk equivilent to Pedialite) and got them warm and well hydrated before the first milk feed. I was assuming that like puppies kittens etc, they cannot process milk if they are dehydrated and cold.
I was wondering if I actually OVER-fed them, once they were stableized. Some web sites say 2-3 hourly, others say 6 hourly. I know that mother rabbits feed their babies only once or twice a day, but my formula was not as rich as rabbit milk.

[LeeP]

Hi Em,
I'm back again. It sounds like you did everything at the beginning just as it should be done.
Now for more questions...Did you wean them from the rehydration solution to the milk? This should be done gradually over 9 feedings. I can give you the schedule if you need it. Since the best we can do for milk is not rabbit milk, the weaning process minimizes the shock to the little ones's systems.
Before the eyes open the gut is sterile and must, as far as possible, be kept that way. Did you sterilize all food and implements including the container that you kept the milk in in the frig? Did you wash you hands well and often?
I assume you know about the aspiration problem and guarded against that.
Yes, you may have overfed them but not in the way you think. You are right. Rabbit milk is digested very much more slowly than anything we can mix up. Every 3 hours is fine in bunnies before bunny eyes open so you didn't feed them too often.
I'll have to discuss formula and overfeeding next time. That is probably where the problem is, but I've run out of time.


Lee

[Empath]

I weaned them off the rehydration fluid over 4 feeds, not 9. So this is the first thing I did wrong. I will take it more gradually next time.
Everything was sterilized, including me, and I guarded against aspiration problems.
I used Lactol, which is a puppy/kitten formula, mixed to 20% volume - similar to feeding newborn puppies. Made up with boiling water and left in fridge to cool to blood heat before feeding.
I have used this same formula successfully with newborn hares, baby mice and domestic newborns like chinchillas and chipmunks, so I guessed it would be OK for the bunnies. However, these were my first newborn rabbits...