Keep's Epiphany kindled yesterday! Unfortunately, she kindled 3 DOAs and only 1 live kit. One DOA was large, one looked underdeveloped and one was severely overcleaned. I'm wondering if the overcleaned one was the first born. It was her second litter, her first one was a DOA set.
I had brief thoughts of fostering her singleton off to another doe and rebreeding her, but decided against it for two reasons.
1.) This doe is going to be one that LOVES to be a mom. I spruced up her nest a bit and she was immediately in there checking on her baby and rearranging for it. Even as I walked by to feed, she was jumping in her nestbox to hide her baby. I feel like it would depress her to take it away.
and
2.) I don't want to set a bad example. I don't want her to get it in her head that it's ok to have the babies and then quit caring for them, because I won't always have a doe open to take another baby or babies. Even if it means losing this baby due to a first timer mistake, I WANT her to know how to care for it and get used to a baby trying to nurse. If I see that she's not producing milk or taking care of the baby, then I'll foster it. It just means a little extra time poking around in her nest daily.
-Kristen
Keep's Rabbitry
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment