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Baby rabbits suddenly turn stiff and scream

D

darkbreed

New Kit
I have 3 baby rabbits, they were six but 3 of them died. They are 6 days old, the first one died the same day they were born, probably from being too cold, the second died 2 days ago and was a very small one that seemed sick, and today the third one died.

The way the third one died is what I am concerned about, as it suddenly turned stiff while I held it in my hand about to feed it. It was crawling around and looked fine, but out of nowhere it just got all stiff and completely froze in its position, and first I thought it died but when touching it it screamed and started screaming for a while and still being stiff before it got more back to normal and was moving around again. Its back legs seemed to be paralyzed at this moment and it was pulling itself around with its forelegs. A moment after it got all stiff again and this time it simply died in my hands and got all soft.

The same thing happened with 2 of the other 3 that are still alive, they suddenly got all stiff just like that, screamed loudly, and I rubbed them gently not knowing what to do until they seemed to be ok and normal again.

What is happening with them and why do they turn stiff like that?

They are currently living in a box with a lamp for heat and it is covered in a nice warm and furry blanket. At the moment of writing they are sleeping and seem to be all fine.

The food I give them is a mix I found online on an animal site, it consists of milk (cow milk) mixed with honny, vitamins and egg.

I was worried that it had something to do with the food so I have not given them more to eat now today as the guy I bought them from thought it could be the liver and that the milk may be too strong?

Thanks to anyone whom can help me here!
 
darkbreed said:
I have 3 baby rabbits, they were six but 3 of them died. They are 6 days old, the first one died the same day they were born, probably from being too cold, the second died 2 days ago and was a very small one that seemed sick, and today the third one died.

The way the third one died is what I am concerned about, as it suddenly turned stiff while I held it in my hand about to feed it. It was crawling around and looked fine, but out of nowhere it just got all stiff and completely froze in its position, and first I thought it died but when touching it it screamed and started screaming for a while and still being stiff before it got more back to normal and was moving around again. Its back legs seemed to be paralyzed at this moment and it was pulling itself around with its forelegs. A moment after it got all stiff again and this time it simply died in my hands and got all soft.

The same thing happened with 2 of the other 3 that are still alive, they suddenly got all stiff just like that, screamed loudly, and I rubbed them gently not knowing what to do until they seemed to be ok and normal again.

What is happening with them and why do they turn stiff like that?

They are currently living in a box with a lamp for heat and it is covered in a nice warm and furry blanket. At the moment of writing they are sleeping and seem to be all fine.

The food I give them is a mix I found online on an animal site, it consists of milk (cow milk) mixed with honny, vitamins and egg.

I was worried that it had something to do with the food so I have not given them more to eat now today as the guy I bought them from thought it could be the liver and that the milk may be too strong?

Thanks to anyone whom can help me here!
Click to expand...

Cow's milk is toxic, they're can't have egg and deffinitely a no no to honey.
Why on EARTH are you feeding them this?
Are they still with their mother?
 
Aww poor babies :( What's happened to mum? Do you know what breed they are (from the point of view that the amount of milk to give them may vary depending on their size).

Don't know what country you're in but there are a couple of options - the 'best' option may be to find a breeder who can try and introduce them to an existing young litter with a mum rabbit who can feed them. Realistically this is their best chance of survival. Failing that, you can get preparations for baby kittens, I think there's one called cimicat or something like that, or as a last resort, goats milk. I definitely wouldn't feed any more of what you have been feeding them, their guts won't be able to process that and it's much too sugary and in all honesty aside from the fact that handrearing bunnies generally is tricky, it might well be the thing that's been giving them these problems :(

Is there a vet near you who can give you a preparation of formula milk (like cimicat) to try? In the wild, baby bunnies are only fed once a day, but I know of people who have had more success with 'little and often' handrearing. They also need to be kept warm, are they indoors or outdoors at the moment? What are they living in?

In all honesty the prognosis for handrearing baby bunnies is very poor, they often don't survive - but at least it sounds like you're trying to give it your best shot and if they can be given every chance and are kept warm and comfortable, that's as good a start as they can expect. Good luck xx
 
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I give them this because thats what I was recommended to do by the guy whom breeds them and sold them to me, and it is the recipe that was on the website for animals showing milk substitutes.

So what should I give them then?

They are not with the mother because she do not seem to produce enough milk, and it is also very difficult to feed them with her.

Thanks.
-Edward
 
I am really very concerned about this - what country are you in? That breeder doesn't sound like he really knows what he is doing and needs reporting. Did he have other litters? Mum rabbits ignore their litters most of the time and only feed once daily so they often aren't seen feeding - although of course it is possible that she genuinely isn't coping. But selling 6 day old babies is out of order, in the UK the body responsible for overseeing rabbit breeding and showing (British Rabbit Council) says that rabbits shouldn't leave mum until 8 weeks old. This makes me very sad - it sounds as if you're trying your best but I'm really cross with a breeder for selling you such young rabbits, it's totally unacceptable :(

Edit: there's some good information on this site here, I suggest you follow this rather than what the breeder has told you - good luck xx

http://www.cottontails-rescue.org.uk/handrear.asp
 
Sorry for my late reply, another one died and I went to the vet with the 2 that are still alive :(

The vet told me I should just give them normal milk from the store with nothing added. But here you are telling me I should not do that , and I have nothing else either, is it ok if I mix the milk out with some water? I have never had rabbits before so I have no idea on how to take care of them.

One of them have been completely fine all day and did not have any problems so far, the other one that's still alive have been completely lifeless so to speak, I have been sitting with it in my hand for several hours trying to "revive" it and it finally started to move around and squeek alittle and seem to be doing better again now.

I live in Argentina btw, and the seller did not give me the baby rabbits, I bought two older rabbits that mated and the female got these babies 6 days ago in my backyard, I found them in the grass.

Thanks for the tips and help, I will check out the website as well!
 
Thanks but its difficult to get goats milk here. Why is the cow milk bad for them ? The cow milk we have used is already "decreamed" (sorry dont know what its called in english) and "thin".

On the website previously mentioned it also say we should use "Avipro Plus (probiotic)" , is this necessary or just "recommended" ? Can I use just the catmilk substitute mentioned, or goat milk as you recommend "as it is" ?
 
Please do not use cows milk, it is toxic to bunnies and may well be the cause of death to the 4 so far.
They are unable to handle the fats and lactose in cows milk.
Use either a kitten replacement milk or goats milk.

This was on one website:

Absence of immunological hypersensitivity to dietary cow’s-milk
proteins in infant rabbits

I. Rabbits hand-reared on a diet based on cow’s milk frequently experience convulsive and sometimes
fatal reactions to their feed. These have been thought to be caused by immunological hypersensitivity to
cow’s milk.
2. This explanation has been reexamined and found to be untenable.

This is a good guild line to care for bunnies that have no mum.

http://www.rabbit.org/care/orphan.html
 
Cow's milk is toxic to rabbits, human babies shouldn't have it either. It's not got high enough fat content, particularly if it's already had the cream removed.

You need to feed goats milk or kitten formula. If the vet doesn't have kitten formula you could try calling your local pet shops and try them or call other vets and see if anyone has some.

Handrearing rabbit babies is very difficult. The breeder shouldn't have sold them until they were weaned (at least 6 weeks but preferably 8 weeks).

The cat or goats milk is good on it's own. If you can get probiotic that might help but the right milk is most important.
 
Thanks for the extra info about the milk differences, I have no choice then trying to get some of the suitable ones tomorrow then, unfortunately it is too late in the evening here to get anything today.

Hope they will be fine until then, the only thing I have here now is normal cows milk for human consumption, and water.
 
Water will keep them hydrated over night. How old are they, are their eyes open? Once they get to about 2.5 weeks they'll start eating hay.
 
They are six-seven days old now. Eyes are still shut together.

Also, I did not buy them like this, I have 2 older rabbits, one male and one female, and these little ones are the offspring of those. I found them in my garden 6 days ago, they were spread around in the grass and were pretty cold and first I thought they were dead but they started moving and crying when they were picked up.

So we have kept them inside, the two other rabbits are a couple months old and the mother is difficult to handle and she does not seem to produce much milk, we have tried several times but we cant work it out. We dont dare to let them out with the mother because it gets a bit cold in the nights and she is a bit too wild, we think she was the one that kicked them out of the cage after they were born, one had some scratches and injuries from claws when we found them.. :(
 
Sorry, I can't offer advice about the babies but please have the adult rabbits neutered as soon as possible. Have you seperated them? I would hate for this to happen again.

Good luck with the two babies.
 
Unfortunately a lot of vets don't know much at all about rabbits or how to care for them properly.

Give them water overnight, and then get some kitten formula tommorrow.

Please, no more cows milk.

Good luck!

PS - you've come to the right place for help on this British forum. A vet over here once told me "no one knows bunnies like the Brits!", lol.
 
yes the two adults are separated now, they are in a big cage in the garden that is split into sections to keep them apart from eachother.

Another baby died last night :( And it doesnt seem the vets know much about the rabbits here, the first one I went to said I should just give it cow milk, and I called a second one today and that one told me they make a milk substitute that are for dogs and it contains cows milk, sugar and egg .

Even the cat milk substitute seems difficult to find here. Is there any way I can make it myself? What exactly does this cat substitute consist of?

I only have one baby rabbit left now :( At least this one seem to be strong and fine, it has not been sick or weak at all so far and it did not have any of the seizures/convulsions that the others had that made them all stiff and screaming.

Also, what is a good way to make a "nest" for it to stay in? Now I have it in a cardboard box with a soft blanket in it. How long does it take before it can stay in room temperature? I have been using a lamp to keep it warm, and I am wondering if I can move it into my bedroom without using a lamp any more?

And thanks again for all the help!
 
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You have the mum? You could try for milk again. Hold her in a sitting position and hold the baby to her chest. You don't have to leave them together.

Do you have a health food store, they might have goats milk.
 
Yes I have the mum but she is difficult to hold, I have tried many times and she kicks and jumps and moves around, and she also seem to have very little milk because the babies have been sucking and sucking and keep searching for a new tit and it doesnt seem to come milk out.

I called a third vet just now, whom have rabbits himself, and he said I should take milk (normal cow milk from the stores) and add 10% of water and a bit of cream and a tiny bit of poop from the adult rabbits..
 
If your totally unable to get any milk other than cows I'm not sure what other option you have :? At that age they need some form of milk. You'll just have to use what you have available. The vets suggestion sounds better than egg/honey.

Handrearing rabbits is difficult. I handreared a litter of 5 and only one made it and that was on cat milk with probiotics etc.
 
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