Will the babies be ok with dad??

Hi

Sorry to start a new thread but I need some help urgently.

I have put the poorly baby rabbit in with mum at the top of the hutch and the babies and dad out in the run and in his part of the hutch which is the bottom, they have always met through the hutch/run when they have been out.

Because of the circumstances I have now put all 5 of the babies in the bottom of the hutch with him, is this wrong? My gut feeling tells me it is? They are all fine and he is licking them and they are all licking each other, he was neutured 4 weeks ago and they are 7 weeks old.

They have been together for a few hours and I have shut the hutch up now but can see from the window where I am, I also stayed out there for a while after I shut them in the hutch. There is no stamping feet going on.

Am I wrong to do this? I feel I am and need to do something else with them but dont know what. Should I bring them in the utility room, we have a puppy now so that would be harder but if better I will get by and do this.

Thanks in anticipation, please advise me what to do???

I'd say that its probably not a good idea, they are probably safer in the utility room.

Right OK, I'll try and sort something out. I have just been down there again, the poorly bun is just sitting in the bedroom and has loads of hay and some greens by him but is not interested at all.

The dad and babies seem absolutely fine, but I'll try something else then before it gets dark.

I've ran out of hutches

Awww has poorly bun been to the vets?

Dad might be ok at the moment, but it would be awful if he turned on them at night time, when your not there to help them.

I know, thats what my gut feeling is and to be honest I wouldnt be able to sleep the worry of what might happen and I could have stopped it. So you just confirmed my thoughts and thats what will not be able to happen as I will sort something but need to do it quick before it gets dark.

I took all the babies to the vets today to be sexed so this (hopefully) doesnt happen again. The 2 nurses couldnt decide on a couple of them so took them through to the vets and got a third and fourth opinion from the vets.

They then weighed them all and the smallest one is very small and is 100g lighter (in a different thread I said 150g but on checking back it is 100g) than the next smallest, weighing just 227g. So they advised me to keep him separate from all the others so I can see what he is eating and has access to food 24/7 by himself in case of bullying. But they all have access to food 24/7 anyway as I always make sure they are all hayed up and food bowls full, they dont have set feeding times.

I kept him out for a few hours and he had some greens, a little hay and a couple of pellets, and he poos and wees normally.

On an earlier thread Jane advised to put him in with mum on his own and I thought this was a good idea so have done, but now need to put his 5 brothers and sisters somewhere and am stuck but I will get over this little hurdle somehow!

Bathroom might work, with a box in so the can hide, an old towel on the floor and all their hay and stuff, just till you get something sorted. Its a bit of a pain in the bottom, but I'd say thats the best place for tonight at least, as (most) bathrooms are already bunny proof as long as shampoos, cleaning stuff etc are well out of the way. They also wont be able to make such a mess with wee's.

Cant shut them in the bathroom because of the kids getting up and going for a wee, etc, they are 8, 6 and 4 so couldnt guarantee they'd remember and may get a shock and then wouldnt close the door etc, :lol: could be funny though :lol:

Our utility room is bunny proof and is quarry tiled floor so wees and poos are no probs in there anyway, just if it rains tomorrow and they cant go in the run. We've got a carrier so they can use that as well as a box in there.

Am going to sort it now.

Lovely idea, and you'll get some sleep knowing that they are safe. And yes I can imagin a 4yr old needing a wee at night and finding the bathroom full of rabbits :lol::lol::shock:

Thanks for all your help :wave:

Just swapped everyone around like I said I was going to, and then had a change of plan! Bet there all sick of me tonight and cant wait to see the back of me :lol: Instead of running to me, they'll be running the other way prolly thinking now whats she gonna do with us :roll:

I have moved the 5 babies into the hutch together at the top, all alone and have moved mum and skinny son into the utility room, that way I can keep checking every 5 minutes! I keep calling him poorly but I dont think he is, although he's not interested in his food much.

Thanks for your help, please everyone keep everything crossed that he pulls through.

Thanks

Sending vibes to you and mummy, daddy, and all the babies!

sending loads of vibes keep us updated xXx

If you have a litte'r one (maybe the runt) i always put them back with mum she is the best career the baby can have even his her milk has dried up. I have one once that was fine and was weaned and then a week later went down hill so back she went with mum and whithin a few dasy she was back to normal

I rescued a pair of 'female' buns when i was younger and one turned out to be male, found out when the other had babies, when we found them in the morning 3 had been killed by dad and 2 injured. Never leave them in with dad!

Good luck