Okay, take two, next time?

I'm assuming Lillian is expecting another litter as dad was with her after she gave birth.

I have three hutches now, one outdoors, HUGE double storey, with an outdoor run. This has nesting boxes built in with spaces underneath for heat sources. It's so huge it won't fit in the outhouse.

One in an outhouse, single storey, quiet but not that warm inside. And lastly, a dog crate indoors which is out of the way and in the warm.

Temps are still very low here at night.

Throw me all the info you can. How I can prepare her, what i should be feeding, what i need to buy, what sort of nesting box. What sort of bedding. Everything please!

I'm determined to get it right so that I don't lose the whole litter next time and so mum is happy and content.

Dad is booked in to have his man bits sorted next week

I'm sorry, my advice is as I said. I think that because there is a suspicion her previous litter were flawed and the emotional toll it takes on her, and the welfare of the kits, it is fairer to get her spayed as an emergency. In about a week or so.

If you don't I would get her settled in one place now and don't move her. The more settled she is the more likely she will be to look after her kits.

I don't understand the suspicion that they were flawed? I compared photos on the net of kits their age from day one and they looked perfectly normal.

The last one's eyes were at the very beginning of starting to open (all the others were fused when they died) which isn't that abnormal for a week old? From what i've read of MF's the eyes are open at birth and / or there's deformity. None were deformed in any way.

Eyes should not open at 5 days old. I only mentioned MF because that is a gene that does that (but also other things). But yes, it is unusual for eyes to start opening at 5 days, and I would expect that if a bunny has its eyes open at 5 days, it will be blind. A healthy rabbit will open iots eyes around 10-14 days, but normally days 11 or 12.

That said, if you're going to do this, get mummy into an indoor cage. Get her onto a good pellet (if she isn't already). Get a nest box that is low enough for mummy bunny to jump in, but high enough for kits to not come out, needs to be open topped. Make a nest in there and put that in in about two weeks. If she makes a nest elsewhere, then move it into there.

Provide her with masses and masses of hay to make a good nest with.

If you get to day 35 if you count on from the last day they were together, then you will know you won't have any.

From the day she kindles gradually increase her food so she is free feeding within 4 days or so so she can produce milk.

Make sure you have a vet that is rabbit savvy and is on call all the time. Have the number somewhere easy access. On the times she is due you are going to need to check regularly because the small rabbits are prone to stuck kits, and then there is the risk of foetal giants and pencil kits which can also pose problems. If she doesn't kindle fully within 20 mins then you will need to take her to the emergency vets.

*thinks* Can't think of anything else right now.

lillian03 said:

I'm assuming Lillian is expecting another litter as dad was with her after she gave birth.

I have three hutches now, one outdoors, HUGE double storey, with an outdoor run. This has nesting boxes built in with spaces underneath for heat sources. It's so huge it won't fit in the outhouse.

One in an outhouse, single storey, quiet but not that warm inside. And lastly, a dog crate indoors which is out of the way and in the warm.

Temps are still very low here at night.

Throw me all the info you can. How I can prepare her, what i should be feeding, what i need to buy, what sort of nesting box. What sort of bedding. Everything please!

I'm determined to get it right so that I don't lose the whole litter next time and so mum is happy and content.

Dad is booked in to have his man bits sorted next week

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I don't know the whole story but, on what your saying/asking regarding accomodation - I'd probably go for the double storey and put a tarpaulin or duvet under a tarpaulin on it at night (allowing ventilation) lots of straw topped with lots of hay and extra food for mum, initally feed her away from the kits so that they don't try to eat it till they are old enough, she will do the rest, minimal intervention is best I believe, I think most people check for dead kits and then leave well alone for a few weeks checking that the babies are progressing but, without handling as such and not touching the kits until you've rubbed your hands in the mothers bedding or on her first for scent purposes - Lots of fresh water, plenty of extra grub for mum and hay and I'm sure she'd prefer to be outside, it will be less stressful for her, they like privacy being prey animals their instinct is almost to hide their babies to protect them I think. Best of luck do you have homes lined up or are you keeping them ?