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Heartbreak at death of babies

L

Londonsandy

Young Bun
I went out to feed my buns tonight and found my two beautiful babies dead. My hutch is a two level one, with a 4 x 2 hutch sitting on a 4 x 4 run, with a ramp. The bottom level is on concrete. The babies would have been 4 weeks old on Monday, but have been running up and down the ramp for well over a week now.

I could not believe my eyes to see these two little bundles on their sides on the concrete.

the only thing I can possibly think of, and believe me I have been racking my brains for hours, is that there is some ivy poking through into the run and maybe it has poisoned them, but I am sure mum and dad have eaten it before with no ill effect.

Mum and Dad are absolutely fine by the way (dad is in a separate hutch as I didn't want any more babies for a while).


PLEASE has anyone got any ideas on why they died???
 
I am so sorry to hear this Andy. :cry:

I have looked on the internet and have found that ivy is poisonous to bunnies and can kill them. :(
 
Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts and comments.

I am still not absolutely convinced it was the ivy, as the ivy las very large leaves, and the mesh on the cage is quite small. I cannot see anywhere where the ivy actually goes into the cage, it just rests on it, but who knows!!!!

Ho Hum, now to tell my 8 year old daughter, who was absolutely devoted to them, and acted like a second mum. she was always scolding them and cuddling them, and giving them food and water. It was so great to see her after school, she would sit on the floor and I would get them out of the hutch and they would run to her and sit on her lap, snuggle down and go to sleep.

:oops:
 
Londonsandy said:
Thanks everyone for your kind thoughts and comments.

I am still not absolutely convinced it was the ivy, as the ivy las very large leaves, and the mesh on the cage is quite small. I cannot see anywhere where the ivy actually goes into the cage, it just rests on it, but who knows!!!!

Ho Hum, now to tell my 8 year old daughter, who was absolutely devoted to them, and acted like a second mum. she was always scolding them and cuddling them, and giving them food and water. It was so great to see her after school, she would sit on the floor and I would get them out of the hutch and they would run to her and sit on her lap, snuggle down and go to sleep.

:oops:
Click to expand...

Andy,

Sorry to hear your loss.

It is very possible that these babies died of other causes that commonly affect youngsters that are still with their mum up until just before weaning or shortly thereafter. Coccididosis is a very typical cause of this (it is a protozoan-type parasite that can cause several different symptoms). there is anticoccidial treatment you can use(Sulphadimidine available from the vets) but even then sometimes nature decides regardless!

I know from past experience when i bred exhibition rabbits & to be honest, as sad as it is, it was something that most breeders expected from time to time & happens without being anybody's fault.

Chin up & fingers crossed for the others. :wink:
 
Would love to take them to the vet, but a bit strapped for cash right now, and don't know how much it would cost.

I also have a diabetic cat that needs injecting every day, so may ask my vet when I go next week.

I have just made a nice timber coffin for the babies and we will have a burial ceremony this afternoon.
 
We are really so sorry to hear this sad news, it must have been a dreadful shock for you. :?
As Cheryl says there are several causes of Death in young bunnies, so please do not kick yourself with Why it happened, just focus on giving yourself some time to come to terms with things. :wink:
We are thinking of you
Best wishes
Adele and all the bunnies too.
 
Hi

hi sandy - its me sam

thanks for the phone call, was nice to hear from you.

Hope your all ok, my thoughts are with you

Speak to you soon

xxx
 
hi, im sorry to hear about the death like Cheryl said that is one possiblity but u sed there was a ramp, could it be possible that maybe they were running around alot and praps on the ramp they fell off. As a friend of mine had a litter and were in a 2 tier hutch and found one dead and she thinks one accidntly got knocked off and fell and broke its neck
becky
 
Hi Rebecca

I don't think that is the case here. If you can imagine the ramp comes down from far left of the hutch towards the right of the run. The babies were right in the left hand corner of the ramp, behind it on the floor. If they had fallen off I would expect to have found them at the bottom of the ramp or in the middle of the run somewhere, not tucked right behind it.

Sandy
 
hi

i very much doubt it would be because it was a two tiered hutch, when my doe had her litter, i was extremely nervous of this happening, but when they did emerge from the nest, i took them (all six) a couple of days and they had it down to a fine art, i even saw some fall of because if the rampage of dinnertime and they were never hurt, tey just seemed to breakfall :lol: :lol: .

i would be very surprised it that was the reason, when i was reading up on baby kits, there mortaily rate for the first 8 weeks is very high.
 
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