Post by lil*farm*angel on Sept 13, 2012 10:25:33 GMT -5
Got a situation I'm not sure how to handle. My doe kindled this morning. She's about a 1-1/2 years old. As far as I know this is her 2nd kindling. The guy I bought her from said her first litter died because he didn't put the nesting box in. For the price, I figured I'd give her a chance - she blew it!!!! She will find herself in the freezer here pretty soon!
This morning around 6 I noticed she was making a nest - she refused to use the nesting box, and insisted on making a nest in the corner of her cage. I thought, "ok, whatever" and just started putting lots of straw in where she could get to it and would allow her to make as big a nest as she wanted. I went in to check on her a little later (around 8) to see how she was doing and how many kits she had, only to find a bloody mess! 4 bodies... only two intact, only 1 moving. I picked it up and it was cold, but alive. I quickly put it inside my jacket close to my body (continuing to hold it in my hand) and removed the other little bodies.
Now I have this little baby in my house, under a heat lamp to bring it's body temp back up, but I do not have the knowledge of how to care for an orphan...
First I need to know how to feed and keep it warm... any other suggestions are welcome, but PLEASE focus your replies on feed and warmth
I have plenty of goats milk... is that good or bad for the kit?? I found this awesome website www.mybunny.org/info/newborn.htm so I know how often to feed it, and that KMR will work, but I have dairy goats... and 3cc syringes can I make this work until DH can stop by the farm supply story on his way home from work?
What temp should I keep the box at to ensure it stays warm... does it need a heat lamp or will it produce it's own heat if I give it enough towels to nest into?
Again... PLEASE focus your replies on feed and warmth we can go into other discussion once I feel the baby is out of danger... anything off topic will be ignored until that time...
Thank you... (sorry, I don't want to sound mean, I'm scared and completely out of my comfort zone on this one!)
This morning around 6 I noticed she was making a nest - she refused to use the nesting box, and insisted on making a nest in the corner of her cage. I thought, "ok, whatever" and just started putting lots of straw in where she could get to it and would allow her to make as big a nest as she wanted. I went in to check on her a little later (around 8) to see how she was doing and how many kits she had, only to find a bloody mess! 4 bodies... only two intact, only 1 moving. I picked it up and it was cold, but alive. I quickly put it inside my jacket close to my body (continuing to hold it in my hand) and removed the other little bodies.
Now I have this little baby in my house, under a heat lamp to bring it's body temp back up, but I do not have the knowledge of how to care for an orphan...
First I need to know how to feed and keep it warm... any other suggestions are welcome, but PLEASE focus your replies on feed and warmth
I have plenty of goats milk... is that good or bad for the kit?? I found this awesome website www.mybunny.org/info/newborn.htm so I know how often to feed it, and that KMR will work, but I have dairy goats... and 3cc syringes can I make this work until DH can stop by the farm supply story on his way home from work?
What temp should I keep the box at to ensure it stays warm... does it need a heat lamp or will it produce it's own heat if I give it enough towels to nest into?
Again... PLEASE focus your replies on feed and warmth we can go into other discussion once I feel the baby is out of danger... anything off topic will be ignored until that time...
Thank you... (sorry, I don't want to sound mean, I'm scared and completely out of my comfort zone on this one!)