HELP! My first time mama holland lop bunny just gave birth about 10 minutes ago and had three good sized babies. She made a nest in her nest box but ended up having the babies on the floor of her cage. I should have known something was up because she put hay down on the cage and put her blankie over it and birthed on it. The poor babies were struggling around and so I scooped them up with all her fur and put them in the nest box. Mama is eating hay now and I\'m worried she doesn\'t know what to do. She\'ll know to go in there and nurse them right? Right now, she hasn\'t even looked to see where they are. My husband kept telling me to leave her alone, because she\'d know what to do. Clearly that isn\'t the case, I think I\'m going to have a heart attack, because I\'m so worried. Can someone please tell me what I need to do???? I called the breeder that I got my mama from, but she isn\'t answering her phone..... Angela
Relax...Your Holland doe should take care of the babies fine. I do just this very thing on a regular basis and so far, all the does have been excellent mothers.
I try to anticipate whether or not the doe plans to use the box. If she does not burrow out a nice cozy nest in the box by the night before she is due, I fill her entire cage with hay, leaving the box in place. If she decides to kindle on the wire, the babies are born on the hay and so far have been fine. Then I remove the doe (to avoid exciting her), and place the kits along with their \"floor nest\", into the nest box, forming as natural looking nest as possible. I then remove all the excess bedding from the cage and put the nest box in the same place the doe gave birth. I then replace the doe and give her a \"treat\" like a piece of apple.
Also, does only feed the kits once or twice a day for a few minutes at a time, so you won\'t see her getting in the nest and laying with the kits as a dog or cat might do. (It actually would be a bad thing if she did that.)
Your husband is right...just leave her alone and she and the kits should be fine.
Charlcie Gill
Zodiac Rabbitry
Astoria, OR
http://www.zodiacsatins.com
Thanks Charlcie,
I thought there were only three kits, but I went out a minute after I put them in the nest box and I found a dead one. The kits all seem to be fine, I see the fur in the nest box wiggling around. I\'m surprised at how big they are. (about 5 inches) I didn\'t know dwarf hollands had babies that big. I gave my doe a piece of banana and she seems to be her same old happy self. Thanks for the help.
You\'re welcome.
Keep us posted.
Charlcie
My doe is doing very well, better than I could have hoped. My husband went to get a glass of milk early in the morning and he spied my doe in with the kits. He quietly came back in the room so as not to disturb her. She hides behind the nest box and when we let her out of her cage, she won\'t go far from the kits. She\'s such a good mama. I give my doe a shredded wheat and spy on the kits and they all seem snuggled in and the fur on top of them is moving, so I assume they are ok. I couldn\'t be more pleased with my doe. I\'m thinking of having her bred again so my breeder can get more white haired, blue eyed lops, but I don\'t know if I\'m cut out for it. Anyway, thanks for the wonderful advice Charlcie, I\'m glad I found this website.
~Angela
You will a lot of good, really good advice on this board. And Charlcie is the best. Have you handled any of the kits yet? Our doe Honey had 6 beautiful babies on July 4th. I make sure to spend time with her and them everyday. She watches me handle, pet and cuddle them each time and then I give her a treat before I leave the barn. They\'re holland Lops as well.
Good luck with your new family!
Been away at a rabbit show, but glad the kits seem to be doing well.
Charlcie