Our first litter

Hello everyone,

Would like to say what a great place you have here, it is wonderful to see a thriving community so dedicated to a common interest. Come here often to read up, don't post as much as we could, sorry

We have two dwarf mini lops, Lilly is 15 months and Fred 7 months, both are much loved family pets. they live in seperate cages in the kitchen and spend a lot of time happily hoping around the house together.

Lilly gave birth to her first litter last night, 7 kits one of which did not make it, now removed so leaves 6. Mum and kits appear to be doing well, Lilly has made a lovely nest in the corner of her cage all appears well and we are busy looking for good homes.

A few things, we understand, extra food, keep mum and dad apart,nice and warm in the kitchen. we are a liitle concerned about hygiene in the cage, is cleaning around the nest and doing the rest of the cage sufficent for the next couple of weeks or is more required, like moving the kits to clean under the nest? Also sould i make a box from plywood and move the kits and nest into there and put that in Lillys cage?

Any advice gratfully recieved

P.S
Promise i will post pics, once the kits are have fur and look really cute, know how you ladies on here love cute bunnie pics




thanks
Keith, Jackie, Lauren and Alice

I wouldn't bother cleaning the nest out, but the rest of the hutch can be done, avoiding the area around the nest and the nest so that it stills smells the same. Generally make sure you stroke mum or her dirty corner before touching the nest, and make sure you remove mum when checking on babies/cleaning out. Good luck with the little ones.

my advice is to get Fred neutered, and keep him away from Lilly for 6 weeks after neutering, or you will have another litter to find homes for before you've placed the first lot :shock:

That's assuming you can find homes for them - do you have a plan B for if you have to keep them? Bearing in mind they will start breeding with mum and sisters at the age of about 4 or 5 months.

Personally I find pics of baby bunnies sad, as there are over 30,000 adult bunnies, equally cute and in need of good homes, in rescues all over this country - and only a very small number of good, permanent homes available, bearing in mind rabbits can live for 15yrs and are a big commitment.

I'm kinda confused. Did you plan for Lilly to have babies? You said that she and Fred live in seperate cages so I'm just guessing that the kits were not planned.

Please, if you dont want more babies get Fred neutered and do as Elve has suggested.

I hope mum and babies are doing well.

Thankyou for the replys

Yes Rosie we did plan for a litter, kept them in seperate cages as they fight sometimes, think fred gives lilly too much unwanted attention. We were worried about what would happen if they were together in the cage and fell out with each other.

We are very aware of the commitment to our pets and plan to love and care for them for as long as is needed. Fred will be neutered and good homes found for the kits.

Any more advice is gratfully received and we are still concerned about hygiene in the cage

Thanks

Can i just ask why you decided to breed if you didn`t want to keep any of the babies? Even cute fluffy baby bunnies can be hard to rehome and if you still have them at 12 wks they`ll need seperating, have you allowed for this?

Su.x

You shouldn't disturb the nest for several weeks and certainly don't move it. If she has a toilet corner away from the nest you may clean that in a few days time if going near her doesn't upset her.

Tam

cannonwoman said:

Can i just ask why you decided to breed if you didn`t want to keep any of the babies? Even cute fluffy baby bunnies can be hard to rehome and if you still have them at 12 wks they`ll need seperating, have you allowed for this?

Su.x

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Call me harsh and/or cynical but its coming up for Easter, finding homes for ickle wickle baby bunnies wont be a problem, will it?. Then in a couple of months rescues can just take them in when the cuties become bigger and start showing teenage behaviour. Cos its that simple we all know that....

I spoke to the SSPCA this afternoon to update them on Kizzi, they are in the process of converting another shed because they have so many Easter Bunnies. It just is so beyond me.


The question of hygiene in the cage... I'm not an expert by any stretch of the imagination but could you just clean out the toilet corner without disturbing mum and the babies?

Thankyou for the replys about hygiene in the cage, you have helped reassure us of the correct action to take.

Hello cannonwoman, didn't say we didn't want to keep any of the kits, we may well do. Please be assured we will make every effort to assure good homes for our pets.

rosie, don't like your tone at all!!!!! Not everyone new to bunnies is a monster, we are responsible people and take exception to your emplied comments!!!!

Thankyou

keith & Jackie

I never said or implied that you are a "monster".

I was simply saying that at this time of year it should be relatively easy to find homes for the kits.

It was not you I was saying was irresponsible, re-read it.

I was saying that people will take on an "easter bunny" then realise a few months later what a big mistake they've made and attempt to get it rehomed.

Very sorry rosie, i read that wrong, thought you were implying we were cynical in our approach to having kits at this time of year, Sorry. We will make every effort to ensure whoever takes the bunnies understands, as we do, the commitment they are taking on. As well as the fun and pleasure that can be had from owning such great pets.

thanks

A pic for you

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Bald little babies, bless they look like fat sausages :shock: :shock:
Goodluck with them, will be nice to see them grow and change from sausages to bunnies

Awww, cute babies.

No-one is attacking you, but you have to bear in mind that many people here run rabbit rescue centres and see thousands of rabbits a year who need homes - many of which don't stand a chance in comparison to the cute little baby bunnies people who breed are producing, many of which will end up back in a rescue themselves before long. To be honest, considering what they see and do, I'd say their cynicism is absolutely well-founded.

I have no doubt that you will provide good homes for your new arrivals when the time comes, and that your motives aren't bad, but that's still less homes that could have gone to a rescue bunny if the people who take your kits wanted rabbits that badly. Like I said, no-one is attacking you and I don't mean to cause any offense, but I'm sure you realise that one litter is the thin end of the wedge. Anyway, good luck with the babies, keep us updated about their progress .

Arrr bless those little pink babies.

I understand people's concerns. There are so many unwanted animals, not just rabbits, and it's very sad.

I'm glad you have decided to have your bunnies neutered.

We sometimes get a bit 'sharp' on here but we all do mean well and only want what's best for the rabbits.

Keep visiting the site, you will find out lots about rabbit care, I did.

Rabswood

Thanks for the kind comments, we can fully understand the feelings of those who are involved with the rescue and rehomeing of rabbits. before we got Lilly we were going to get a rescued bunnie. After reading on here and taking advice from here we decided a baby bunnie was better for us and the children, sad but true. She and fred are great pets, very affectionate and very tame, increibly tolerant of the kids.

Will post more pics and keep you updated on there progress

/

<< have been looking for a smiley with a zip across it's mouth!

sorry double post

ForMyDaughter said:

Thanks for the kind comments, we can fully understand the feelings of those who are involved with the rescue and rehomeing of rabbits. before we got Lilly we were going to get a rescued bunnie. After reading on here and taking advice from here we decided a baby bunnie was better for us and the children, sad but true. She and fred are great pets, very affectionate and very tame, increibly tolerant of the kids.

Will post more pics and keep you updated on there progress

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Rescues have thousands of baby rabbits too! Dexter was just a baby when i had him from Honeybunnys rescue
Good luck with all your babies, i hope they all find loving responsible homes

ForMyDaughter said:

we are a liitle concerned about hygiene in the cage, is cleaning around the nest and doing the rest of the cage sufficent for the next couple of weeks or is more required, like moving the kits to clean under the nest? Also sould i make a box from plywood and move the kits and nest into there and put that in Lillys cage?

Any advice gratfully recieved

Click to expand...

We mine had her accidental litter I touched the nest as little as possible. I just cleaned round it really without disturbing them. It wasn't until they were leaving the nest at around 3/4 weeks that I gave it a good clean but I still left as much of the fur as I could so that the babes could still feel safe.

HTH