advice please!

hi guys, i've been a member of the forum for over a year now but have never posted before,my key board skills are awfull! i have already learnt so much from this forum, the reason i've plucked up the courage to post now is because i really need your advice, i recently (saturday) was asked if i would take in 2 rabbits that had been left in a house when the tennents did a bunk the lady who asked me knew i was looking for another rabbit as i lost 1 last month when i arrived at the house there were 2 rabbits in a double story indoor cage, when i had a good look round the cage i noticed there was a nest with babies any way took dad out asap and brought them all home. thay have settled in fine really happy social buns. the worry i have is mums a real fussy eater, was being feed on russel rabbit so i've kept her on it but she only picks out the bits she likes, i've brought ss junior as my own rabbit is on ss adult but she eats round it:? shes very thin but i've read this is normal after a litter, my main concern is she seems to eat with her head turned sideways and does a lot of face washing at the same time, i am worried that she may have pain with her teeth, the front ones are fine i've seen them, i would really like to take her to the vet to be checked as i cant stand the thought of her being in pain. can i take her to vet if shes still feeding her babies? thay've all settled in really well in such a short space of time i dont want anything to stress them. we think the babies 3 in total are roughly 10-14 days old and i would say the mum is only a year old. also if she needs a dentel can she have an annasetic while still feeding the young also she could well be pregnant again as the dad was still in with her. im sorry to waffel on.and also sorry if i've posted in wrong section.

I have absolutely no experience with baby rabbits, but would just like to say well done for rescuing them

My bun was on Russel rabbit when I first got him and he only ate the red ones if I let him

It does sound like mum has possible dental issues, hopefully your vet can sort this for her.

Good luck and again well done

Oh and photos please

Hi not sure about Anistic but she would be ok going to vet to be checked

One of my foster rabbit had babies around the same time as yours they are 10 day old now here is pictures of them
http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?t=236056


She needs as much food as you can get into her ..Is she eatting hay or veg atall.. She porbally will be pregnent again as the buck would make her pregnent right away after the wee ones were born that what happened to Hope she was rescued the day after she had her last litter who all died and a month later she had this litter I have been told she could have another in a months time too as some does retrain so sperm :?:?

If I can help anyway please give us a shout

I would suggest getting her to the vets maybe tomorrow. I know she is already feeding, but I would discuss and emergency spay too (some vets will and some vets won't do this).

You can give her a variety of hays. Russell Rabbit is not ideal but whatever she is eating is better than nothing.

You can try Sunflower seeds and also rolled oats (not instant or quick or flavoured) to help her gain weight.

thank you for your quick replys! i have been giving her a leaf of spring green only a tiny bit coz im not sure if shes had it before and dont want to give her bad stomach etc.. she seems to eat it pretty quick so must like it, she dosent seem to be a great hay eater shes got baled hay as bedding and i've given her some oxbow western timothy but she not intrested. she seems to only eat the green bits of russel rabbit? not sure what thay are? when my older rabbit would'nt eat hay i decreased the amount of pellets she had and just persiverd she is a great hay eater now but i cant do that as this bun is feeding young.:? collie lover; your babies are beautifull! i was worried when i saw them as thay seem to be a lot bigger than mine? but my mum bun is not very big and dads a mini lop so i guess this could make a diffrence. i will put some photos on as soon as i know how to. sky-o; i am deffinatly getting these two spayed i dont hold a lot of hope for an emergancy spay as my vet wont spay my 5 year old because shes 5 and podgy.

Whereabouts in Essex are you? We might be able to recommend a good vet in your area.

If you upload your photos onto the site www.photobucket.com and then copy and paste the IMG code in, that should paste the pictures

When we got Hope she was so underweight she ..I got weight on her making porridge for her and adding carrots to it with some of the food mixed in also she left it the first couple of day and then she canrt get enough of it now she loves her food now

clacton-on-sea, and i will work on the photos. my babies are not out of the nest yet im wondering if thay are as old as i first thought? thay are coverd in fur 1 has eyes open and looks around the others dont seem to have, i havent looked at them to much coz i did'nt want to cause them any stress given thay have already had a car journey and are in a new home etc. i just feel them at night to make sure thay are warm enough.

loulabell said:

clacton-on-sea, and i will work on the photos. my babies are not out of the nest yet im wondering if thay are as old as i first thought? thay are coverd in fur 1 has eyes open and looks around the others dont seem to have, i havent looked at them to much coz i did'nt want to cause them any stress given thay have already had a car journey and are in a new home etc. i just feel them at night to make sure thay are warm enough.

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Eyes open at about 10-14 days but on average day 11 or 12. You will need to keep an eye (excuse the pun) to ensure that all eyes have opened by day 14 and that no eyes open and then close.

Once mum is settled you can and should check them every day. Just make sure your hands don't smell of anything strong and stroke her first. You need to check their eyes and back end as well as that they look fed (like they swallowed a ping pong ball). Also check the nest to ensure no kits have died and all are still in the nest and none have gone walkabout.

I don't know of any vets in Clacton on Sea (I live between Ipswich and Colchester so not too far from you), but if you post a thread asking for a decent vets, you may get some useful responses. The specific vet I use is very good, but Ipswich is probably a bit far to bring this girlie right now.

collielover; did you use dry rolled oats? and if i do the same shall i add my ss junior or horrible russel rabbit?:evil: sorry to sound so dumb i've never had a mum and babies before and i really want to do the right thing by her. thank you for your help, its nice to be able to talk to other bunny mums

sky-o your really not that far from me! to be fair to my vet i've only spoken to 1 about spaying my 5 year old when i took her for her jabs and he wasnt keen:? i asked him if thay do a lot of spaying and he said "we have a trikel of spays". may be another vet in the practice would view it diffrently? why are rabbit savey vets so few and far between? i will get the babies out tmrw and check them over that will b their 3rd day here so should be a bit more settled.

ok i've been and checked them the biggest 1 has both eyes wide open and the other 2 have 1 eye open the other eye seems 'stuck' 1 of them is a lot smaller than the other 2 but tummy is nice and round so may be thats the runt? i think i may have woken them coz thay seem to be more alert and wondering around.

I make porridge with dry rolled oats and water and then add the grated carrots and the food eg pellets then let it go cold ect it makes them softer and means she eats it more easy if you need any other help give me a shout

As for there eyes opening mine open at day 8

thank you for all your help i will try the porridge in the morning i've been to tesco and brought the oats i will let you know how i get on.

The other eye may not be ready to open. Don't prise it open. Watch it for any signs of looking crusty (if you see anything crusty then they need to see a vet). A warm, damp compress can help open them so that may be something you want to try is they have not opened by tomorrow.

5 year olds can be spayed. Ideally they should have a blood panel run first to see how healthy they are, etc, but I know of many rabbits who have been older and have done fine with a spay- provided the vet is good enough.

morning guys, just a quick update before i head to work, the babies have had a walk around the hutch this morning, all 3 have there eyes wide open except one which had one eye wide open but the other a little sticky. mum didnt seem to keen on them walking around at first and chased them back into the nest. This may have been because hubby and i were standing there? is this normal? mum has eaten nearly a hole bowl of porrige mixed with carrots and pelets, ive taken the russel rabbit food out, is that right? also, should i feed porrige when the bowl is empty or just twice a day? Thanks x