Getting frustrated

Okay this is her second litter. The first were about two month old when we lost them, they were born on the ground, and one got pink eye and it spead like wild fire even while treating it. Now her second only three kits are dead after a month.... I don't know what happened to the first to die it just vanishedand the other two I found this morning cover in fire ants. This litter was born in a cage above ground..i am going to give her a few weeks then rebreed I am also going to spray around her cage for ants.hopefully my other doe has a better out come.

I understand your frustration. I wouldn't use an ant spray anywhere near my rabbits, there are other ways to kill ants that would have risk to your rabbits and yourself than a spray.

Just another thought....having her kindle in a cage off the ground now does not ensure that the doe did not contract something while on the ground that is not really causing her any issues, but to which the kits have little immunity.

If your cages are enclosed you can try putting DE (diatomaceous earth) down to try and cut back the fire ants.

I suspect you may be beginning to understand why I say that anyone who believes in the expression "breeds like rabbits" has never tried it.

Nobody uses the term "pink eye" in rabbits; it's just not something they say. And realistically, it's just a symptom anyway, not an actual disease (there being many causes for a weepy, reddened eye). Considering that your young rabbits all developed it, and eventually died, makes me suspect that the eye infections were caused by a particularly nasty bacterium, probably Pasteurella (the usual causative agent in "snuffles").

It's hard to say whether the fire ants killed the kits or the kits were already deceased when the ants found them - having been bitten by foraging fire ants in my own house, I'd say either is possible. If you treat for the ants, be sure that what you are using is safe for pets and people, and keep it as far from the rabbits as reasonably possible.

Bunnylady said:

I suspect you may be beginning to understand why I say that anyone who believes in the expression "breeds like rabbits" has never tried it.

Click to expand...

Truer words have never been spoken.

sorry for the losses.
Definitely isn't buck + doe = kits....

I am leaning towards the ants as a cause because when I found the kits they looked like they had been sleeping and they had large welps. The ants on this property we know to kill small mammals ect. But honestly who knows. Her cage has four pliers that hold it off the ground.