While we try to minimize disturbing the new moms and kits, we need to periodically check on the babies to ensure that all are still alive and healthy. Today’s check revealed 20 very squirmy, growing kits.
Ava has the larger litter (11), and one kit’s belly looked less full than its littermates’, so we put that one on top when we placed them back into the nest box. Rabbits only have 8 teats, so you can imagine the challenge with trying to feed 11 at one time. Neither doe is particularly fussy about us reaching into their cages or even removing the nest boxes…but we do offer a small bribe each time. Today’s was half a juicy carrot.
Loretta’s kits were extra vocal, and we managed to get a short video of them bunching up and then springing out with a flying jump, as if they were trying to get somewhere. Their eyes aren’t even open yet. Pretty soon, though, these little ones will be getting out of their nest boxes and driving their moms batty!