NEwborn Orphan Looking Very Skinny

[matpj36]

hi folksm
i'm new here and joined primarily to find some advice.
My Teddywidder doe sadly passed away while giving birth one week ago today. She left one surviving baby that I have been syringe feeding etc since then.
So, now 7 days old, for the past few days it's been looking very skinny/bony/wrinkly.

it eats well twice a day (2.5cc/ml) with Wombaroo Rabbit Milk, some goat colostrum (for humans) and some acidophilus probiotic. It also sees very active when I pick it up. Wobbly but is already trying to move around. It also poops fine and pees when I stimulate it.

I'm confused why it is losing weight. and i'm reluctant to spend $150 at the vet as i'm not sure they will actually be able to 'DO' anything about it per se. given its so young and their survival rates are very low normally in this situation

Wondered if anyone on here had any advice on how to fatten them up.


Thanks in advance for any experience you can share. I tried searching but was not able to fin anything

Matt

 

[bunny momma]

Have you tried feeding the kit more often? Twice a day does not seem enough. Rabbit milk is rich and your substitute likely will require you to feed more often . You may want to check the 'sticky note' in the health section or search hand rearing babies since others had experience with raising babies.
I am sorry you lost your mother bunny.

 

[InspectorMorse]

The kit isn’t getting enough nutrition. No milk substitute can provide the same amount of nutrients as that from the Dam. Hand rearing usually means feeding every 2-3 hours day and night. Using a hand rearing teat is safer than just a syringe. Kits often aspirate feed from a syringe. This causes aspiration pneumonia which is fatal.

https://www.rvc.ac.uk/Media/Default/Beaumont%20Sainsbury%20Animal%20Hospital/documents/Rabbit-handrearing-RVC-guide-published-062021.pdf

 

[Shimmer]

I was going to add that you have done remarkably well to get this far. It's notoriously difficult to hand rear rabbit kits. I hope some extra feeds help.

 

[BrandonHill]

Your orphaned bunny may need more frequent feedings—2.5 ml twice a day may not be enough. Keep it warm, monitor weight daily, and consider contacting a rabbit rescue or exotic vet for tailored advice. You're doing great! Between labs, club meetings, and unexpected family stuff, I was falling way behind. I needed someone to "do my homework" fast but with real academic quality. I gave Academized a shot through https://academized.com/do-my-homework, and I was seriously impressed. The paper was accurate, followed the rubric, and arrived well before the deadline. It gave me enough time to review and even add my own touches before submitting. Life-saver is an understatement.