2 week old bunny, can't walk

[HaloRabbits]

Hey everyone, I am away from home during the week (I went back to school to finish my bachelors) and my family takes care of all the animals when I am away…

So yesterday my youngest babies turned 2 weeks old. My dad was taking out the nesting box (because a couple had hopped out). We usually take the box out between 14-18 days anyways. So he calls me to say that one of the babies wouldn’t stand, it was just laying, and the others were moving around quite nicely, most hopping and one of the smaller ones “creeping” (that’s what I call it when they walk with “sea legs”. This little bunny was as he described “kind of floppy,” I tried to look up some possible causes and could only find head tilt and paralysis.

He decided to separate the bunny in case it was some sort of bacterial infection. It died within a few hours. Does anyone know what this could have been?

 

[Bunnylady]

I'd just be guessing, but it is interesting that he chose "floppy" as a description; there actually is a diagnosis of "Floppy Bunny Syndrome":
http://www.medirabbit.com/EN/Neurology/Flop_rabbit/Floppy_rabbits.pdf

 

[HaloRabbits]

@Bunnylady Yes he kept saying it looked neurological. I wish I could have been there. Doe and the other 9 kits are all doing great.

 

[Pastor Dave]

If others lost as many calves or pigs or even just abt anything else as we do with kits up through weaning, it would really drive up costs of meat. But, we know the infant mortality rate can be high in rabbits, and some just die.

The first thing I was taught in EMT class some 18-19 yrs ago, is that you cannot save every patient, and it applies quite a bit in rabbits too.

 

[HaloRabbits]

Thanks @Pastor Dave , I think I still have that save every life mentality. I am still pretty new to rabbit kindling, I used to breed dogs, fish, and chickens but this is only my second litter of bunnies. Last time was also her first time kindling and we lost about 1/2, this time we lost 2 and have 9 going strong. I just want to make sure it isn't something that we need to change. I did a lot of research prior to starting and I remember that the mortality rate seemed high, but I tend to forget when I have the cute little things in front of me.

 

[DutchBunny03]

If was neurological, there is still one good side- it is less likely to be as contagious. So, unlike with snuffles, you won't lose your whole litter to it.

 

[Kirsten miller]

Thanks @Pastor Dave , I think I still have that save every life mentality. I am still pretty new to rabbit kindling, I used to breed dogs, fish, and chickens but this is only my second litter of bunnies. Last time was also her first time kindling and we lost about 1/2, this time we lost 2 and have 9 going strong. I just want to make sure it isn't something that we need to change. I did a lot of research prior to starting and I remember that the mortality rate seemed high, but I tend to forget when I have the cute little things in front of me.

That's totally understandable! I feel the same way I'm a fixer not a killer, unless we're hunting then that's a different story. Your not doing anything wrong! Just Mother Nature keeping the rabbit population down. I get nervous when it comes to litters and one looking off that did sound neurological like maybe some sort of internal deformity?? I had a 12 week old doe that looked dizzy all the time she could stand without loosing her balance she swayed she didn't have a head tilt but sometimes her eyes would cross she got to a point where she would poop in the food bowl all the time and stopped taking care of herself after lots of effort trying different things to get her turned around we decided to cull her for quality of life purposes. hoping the rest of the kits are doing well!!

 

[HaloRabbits]

@Kirsten miller Yes, all the rest were perfectly healthy. We sent 8 to freezer camp and kept 1 Doe.

It is good you culled her, you only want to keep the ones with traits you want.

 

[Kirsten miller]

@Kirsten miller Yes, all the rest were perfectly healthy. We sent 8 to freezer camp and kept 1 Doe.

It is good you culled her, you only want to keep the ones with traits you want.

Agreed! Glad they are well