When things go wrong.

Wish destroyed her nest.

Oh yes. All the babies are dead. A breeding that can not be repeated- and she destroyed her nest. She ate half her hay and most of the fur. ATE.......the fur.

I have one baby left. I fostered it to Miss Muffet. Yesterday, I thought "I should move it back", but something held me back. So it stayed.

We checked on them- she's pulled more fur, made her nest better. All her kids are fat and happy. More than fat- obesely round and happy, including her mini lop foster child. Had they looked like this yesterday, I'd have been tempted to give her another one on a trial basis.

What was it I said a few posts ago? "If I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all?"

I'm considering making it the official rabbitry motto.

"Welcome to Keep's Rabbitry...if I didn't have bad luck, I'd have no luck at all. Thanks for visiting".

Has the ring of truth, doesn't it?

When I found the babies, one solid was at the front of the nestbox. No chance for that one. Another of the solids was stretched out strangely with it's mouth open. Again, no chance. The two brokens were huddled together in the back of the nestbox, still with a little stuffing around them. I snatched them up and ran in to the house.

I filled the sink up with warm water and put them in that, making sure to keep their heads above the water. Meanwhile, I was scanning the bathroom.

Dry Towel? Check.
Hair Dryer? Check.

Let's get to work.

I pulled them out of the water once the chill was taken off, toweled them off firmly, but gently, and made a little towel cocoon. Covering them with a single layer of the towel, I turned the hair dryer on and held it close to the top of the towel. After a few seconds, I shifted it to the underside of the towel. Back and forth. Back and forth. Occasionally I flipped open the towel to check the warmth and the babies- very warm, no life in the babies.

After getting the babies up to a decent warmth, I popped them in to my bra. Guys, you don't have bras, and unless you wear bros, you're gonna have to figure out a new step here. Cup your hands, spend more time with the hair dryer, put them on a heating pad or under a heat lamp- something, I dunno.

After 20 minutes, I've finally admitted defeat. I knew when I found them they weren't going to revive. I know too much for my own good, sometimes.

I've gone slightly numb now. It's an amazing breeding that CAN NOT be repeated, with the buck that was 2nd in the '06 Convention in open- and I have only one baby, just a few days old. It may not make it to opening it's eyes. It may not making it to weaning. It may not make it past weaning. It might never hit the show tables. It could never reach breeding age. I could lose the entire breeding if it draws one bad breath, one pellet goes the wrong away...

I'm not going to sleep well for 6-8 months. Starting tonight.

-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry