We awoke in north Bama to being virtually snow and iced in...

So my pink eyed big white English Angora doe had babies last night! One was dead by the cage door but there are at least two other little wiggling bundles under the fur and straw in the next box!

I was shocked because I didn't even know she was expecting...plus I thought she was a buck not a doe!!! So was I ever shocked!!!

They are in the rabbit barn which is unheated so I don't know if they will make it or not. It will go down to 10 degrees outside again tonight. But she is staying in the nesting box with them and every time I've checked today the babies were warm.

So say a little prayer for the little bunny kittens!

She must have mated with BLue-Eyes when we put them on the porch for a short while about a month ago because we were cutting some tin down near the rabbit barn and they are scared of the saw!

-- Suzy in 'Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), January 01, 2001

Answers

I would bring them inside and put up with it while this cold is on us. Hate to see you lose any more.

-- Jay Blair in N. AL (jayblair678@yahoo.com), January 01, 2001.

I would bring them inside too. If absolutely nothing else, how about supplemental heat with a 100 watt lightbulb inside of a large juice can in the box? I don't know if that would be enough for such tiny rabbits, friends of mine used to use that for the chickens in winter. The juice can kept the bulb from breaking and from hurting their eyes (small coop). I also have kept 200 watt infrared bulbs for heating animals in reflectors, and electric dairy barn heaters for emergency care.

-- Julie Froelich (firefly1@nnex.net), January 01, 2001.

Suzy my advice would be to bring them in the house. They are not really a problem as they do not do anything much untill they get fur and start exploring. The doe will usually only feed them once a day and normally will jump right into the box to feed them when you put it in her cage. When she is done she will come out and you can take them in the house again. You can tell if they have been fed by gently picking them up and seeing if their bellys are full.

I have raised rabbits in Montana for about 4 years and in the coldest of nights have occasionaly taken litters in the house. If it does not get too cold they are usually fine out side. But to be on the safe side I usually bring them in.

If you have any thing else you want an anwser to feel free to email me.

good luck...suzanne

-- suzanne wilson (mtsuz@hotmail.com), January 01, 2001.