HELP trying to save baby rabbit

I have a prblem, My choc doe has had 2 babies and i found one dead earlier today and another small one in her bed. she has got hardly any fur in their so i put a layer of sawdust underneath to make it more of a nest left it for a about 4 hours went back and found the baby struggling on the floor. I have decided to try and help by putting him on heat as he is freezing but i don't think she is feeding it so i gave it some lactol. I know that hand reared rabbits are not very common to live more than a couple of days but i have to try for this little guy. Anyone got any advice?

How old are they?

I don't know i think born last night

Sorry not much info, but I remember when Scooch had her litter I found one crawling about until she got the nest sorted out properly but that was about an hour or two after giving birth. Sending mega vibes

kerry-123 said:

Sorry not much info, but I remember when Scooch had her litter I found one crawling about until she got the nest sorted out properly but that was about an hour or two after giving birth. Sending mega vibes

Click to expand...

ok, thanks anyway

Ok, mum's milk may not have come in yet, so be patient. They can go the first 24-36 hours without feeding. I wouldn't supplement anymore for now.

It is probably worth getting them in a nest box. The nest box needs to be open at the top, have high enoguh sides that the babies can't get out and be big enough for mum to turn around in.

Put a layer of shavings in the bottom and then loads of hay and make a hole in the middle and then move the nest they are in now into the hole. then place the nest box where the nest was originally.

If you think mum will be problematical put a drop of vanilla just above her nose and make sure you only smell of her smell (not other animals or anything strong like soap).

If she is laid back you can gently tug on the fur underneath her (around her dewlap and down her nipple line) because the hormones make the fur looser and you can maybe get enough to make the nest better.

That's probably all you need to do for now if that all works.

Yep, you really need something with sides, a cut down cardboard box will do at a pinch. Just high enough so she can easily hop in but baby can't tumble out.

Rather than substitute milk, hold the baby to mum if it's still not feeding by tomorrow. Sit mum up with a hand under her chest to support he and hold baby under to suckle.