Northern California Angora Guild

Saturday, April 17, 2010

A Miracle Birth






Susie's three bunnies.









The first born was very bruised; those bruised feet were the first thing visible from the mama's vagina.


















Betty says,


"The three bunnies that worked as models in the tax form post yesterday have gone through a rough beginning during birth but now thriving.


Their mother Susie was taken inside on her due day. After dinner, hubby and I were watching TV and heard a scream. I thought it was from the TV program while hubby thought there might be a catfight outside; we went to the window to look for the fighters. Then another scream and we realized it was Susie screaming. I picked her up to turn her over, there were two little feet sticking out of her rear end; the bunny was in a breech presentation.


I put Susie on my lap, gently pulled up her skin then squeeze, the legs were gradually coming out. I repeat the motion of pulling the skin and squeezing her muscle, the bunny's body started to appear, and after another repetition the entire bunny came out. I could feel Susie was still pushing, I put her inside her well-made nestbox and almost immediately two more bunnies were pushed out.


All three bunnies were very bruised. Since both parents are REW, the bunnies should be pink; all three bunnies were black and blue. The worse one was the first one, of course.


I am happy to report that the bunnies recovered from the bruises in about 3 to 4 days. Susie is a wonderful mother, fed the bunnies every 12 hours for the first 10 days then settled into once a day nursing. All three bunnies are healthy and active; they will be going on the show circuit as soon as they are old enough to do so.


I feel that taking the pregnant doe inside is a good idea; if not done so, Susie and her bunnies may not have been alive and well today."




3 Comments:

  • At 5:17 AM, Blogger Vivelly said…

    Awwww.....so glad it was a happy ending! Poor mum, it must have hurt! The Trio look very, very cute! :-)))

     
  • At 6:33 AM, Blogger Donna M said…

    My vet taught me a trick to help with slow deliveries - KY Jelly carefully administered with a blunt, curved syringe directly into mom's birth canal. The insertion of the syringe should follow the natural curve of the birth canal - upward toward the front of mom (hard to describe). This method (lubrication) has helped a number of our Dwarf Hotot moms. My vet says you cannot over-do the KY. So glad Suzie and her babies are doing well.

     
  • At 5:43 PM, Blogger Unknown said…

    Oh Betty, what a close call! I'm so glad you brought Susie in the house on her expected delivery date and that you were able to help her and the bunnies survive their very critical entrance into this world! You were probably an obstetrician in a past life :) Olivia is thrilled to be an aunt to the new baby bunnies.

     

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