This is the story of my very first litter of Holland Lops. For various reasons, it's something that I've never shared on our website or on Facebook before. Even though it ended up being a devastating thing, I learned some important lessons from the experience, and I've decided to share in hopes that it might be of some encouragement other breeders. :)
When I first began breeding rabbits, I started out with a trio: a junior doe, a senior buck, and a senior doe, Annalee. When the time came to breed her, I was so excited for my first litter! I researched. I planned. I watched in delight as Annalee prepared to become a mother. She built her nest. The babies kicked. I imagined what colors they might be, what I would name them. I did everything right.
When I first began breeding rabbits, I started out with a trio: a junior doe, a senior buck, and a senior doe, Annalee. When the time came to breed her, I was so excited for my first litter! I researched. I planned. I watched in delight as Annalee prepared to become a mother. She built her nest. The babies kicked. I imagined what colors they might be, what I would name them. I did everything right.
Annalee did too. When I entered the rabbitry early in the morning on day 32 of her pregnancy, I happily found that her nest contained a wiggling mass of soft fur. Annalee was resting in her cage next to the nestbox. What a good mama! Only as I came closer, I realized that she wasn’t resting; she was dead.
At first, I was in utter shock. This couldn’t have happened, right? My first litter and I was already faced with death? Annalee had been healthy. We had both done everything right. A mere 6 hours before, she had been eating contently in her cage. As the reality of what had happened began to sink in, it occurred to me that I hadn’t even looked in the nestbox yet. A quick peek under the fur revealed two tiny, precious little babies, perfectly warm and wiggly. My first baby bunnies ever. I couldn’t quite believe how small they were! My excitement was, of course, greatly dampened by Annalee’s death, but I was still hopeful. Even though I was well aware that kits hand-raised from birth almost never survive, I couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit optimistic. Surely I couldn’t lose Annalee AND her babies.
At first, I was in utter shock. This couldn’t have happened, right? My first litter and I was already faced with death? Annalee had been healthy. We had both done everything right. A mere 6 hours before, she had been eating contently in her cage. As the reality of what had happened began to sink in, it occurred to me that I hadn’t even looked in the nestbox yet. A quick peek under the fur revealed two tiny, precious little babies, perfectly warm and wiggly. My first baby bunnies ever. I couldn’t quite believe how small they were! My excitement was, of course, greatly dampened by Annalee’s death, but I was still hopeful. Even though I was well aware that kits hand-raised from birth almost never survive, I couldn’t help but feel a tiny bit optimistic. Surely I couldn’t lose Annalee AND her babies.
So, we entered baby-saving mode. The new arrivals were moved up to a special place in my bedroom. I purchased tiny bottles and syringes and eye droppers, cans of goats milk and sweetened condensed milk and pumpkin. I read through recipe after recipe, trying to figure out how to make the best baby bunny formula possible. I set a timer for every 4 hours, and began feeding the kits around the clock.
On the first day, they seemed to be doing ok. On the second day, we were having issues with them aspirating and getting them to take enough formula. By the third day, things were starting to look pretty hopeless. On the fourth day, I lost them both.
Later on, I would learn the "science" behind the losses I had experienced.
The kits were indeed both peanuts – look closely at the pictures, and notice their tiny ears. At the time I did know what peanuts were, but since these were my first babies, I had nothing to compare them to and the possibility had never crossed my mind. When a kind breeder who I showed my pictures to informed me that they had both been peanuts, I was actually relieved. Even though I was deeply saddened by losing the kits, I welcomed the knowledge that I could not have possibly saved them.
Annalee, I now believe, suffered from a ruptured uterus. I’ll spare you the details as it was graphic, but feel free to contact me if you’d like to know more. I did examine her body when I first found her, but it wasn’t until maybe a year or two later that I did more research and came to that conclusion. I struggled for much longer with Annalee’s death. What if I had checked on her in the middle of the night? Could I have done anything to help? What if I hadn’t even bred her in the first place? Eventually I came to realize that even if I had been present for the birth, I still couldn’t have done anything to save her. These things just happen - they happen in nature and they happen in captivity. Sometimes, we have to let it go and accept that it's beyond our control.
What did I learn from this? (I promise, it’s more than just a sad story!)
If you've made it this far, congratulations! Thanks for sticking with me though this long post. When I first lost Annalee and her babies, I searched for breeders who might have had similar experiences, but didn't really find any. So, I decided to share the story of Annalee in hopes that it might be able to encourage others in some way. We love raising bunnies and there are certainly many joyful moments I get to experience as a breeder, but there is heartbreak too. Each and every litter with healthy babies and a happy bunny-mama is a blessing!
On the first day, they seemed to be doing ok. On the second day, we were having issues with them aspirating and getting them to take enough formula. By the third day, things were starting to look pretty hopeless. On the fourth day, I lost them both.
Later on, I would learn the "science" behind the losses I had experienced.
The kits were indeed both peanuts – look closely at the pictures, and notice their tiny ears. At the time I did know what peanuts were, but since these were my first babies, I had nothing to compare them to and the possibility had never crossed my mind. When a kind breeder who I showed my pictures to informed me that they had both been peanuts, I was actually relieved. Even though I was deeply saddened by losing the kits, I welcomed the knowledge that I could not have possibly saved them.
Annalee, I now believe, suffered from a ruptured uterus. I’ll spare you the details as it was graphic, but feel free to contact me if you’d like to know more. I did examine her body when I first found her, but it wasn’t until maybe a year or two later that I did more research and came to that conclusion. I struggled for much longer with Annalee’s death. What if I had checked on her in the middle of the night? Could I have done anything to help? What if I hadn’t even bred her in the first place? Eventually I came to realize that even if I had been present for the birth, I still couldn’t have done anything to save her. These things just happen - they happen in nature and they happen in captivity. Sometimes, we have to let it go and accept that it's beyond our control.
What did I learn from this? (I promise, it’s more than just a sad story!)
- Breeding rabbits isn’t easy. With a breed like Hollands, complications are inevitable. It was unfortunate that I had to experience something like this for my first litter, but it happens.
- Such tragic complications are RARE. I was extremely hesitant to breed after this, but every single breeder I talked to assured me that it is very uncommon to lose a doe like that. Only one other person had ever had anything similar happen over years of breeding. Less than three months later, I had my first successful litter of baby bunnies (Coby was one of these babies), and things couldn't have gone more smoothly. I have not lost a doe since.
- Even during trials, God orchestrates things for the better. Truthfully, if I hadn’t lost Annalee, I never would have bought Lilah, and I wouldn’t have Coby or any of the other Hollands I have today. My herd would be totally different!
If you've made it this far, congratulations! Thanks for sticking with me though this long post. When I first lost Annalee and her babies, I searched for breeders who might have had similar experiences, but didn't really find any. So, I decided to share the story of Annalee in hopes that it might be able to encourage others in some way. We love raising bunnies and there are certainly many joyful moments I get to experience as a breeder, but there is heartbreak too. Each and every litter with healthy babies and a happy bunny-mama is a blessing!