Need some help

[schaefera]

this morning my girl gave birth to a kit, when I got up it was already dead. She hadn't cleaned it and it was very small, but otherwise looked fine. I cleaned everything up and just now she had her second one. It's alive and walking around.

My problem is that earlier when I was looking at my adult female, I hadn't noticed her nipples. Ive had kits before that did find, but her nipples had become prominent before they were born. I'm not sure how long I should wait before intervening and hand feed the kit. Any suggestions??

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

Sometimes the nipples aren't too noticeable. Is the kit under Mom and appear to be nursing. Start weighting the kit, the same time each day. First day or 2 the kit might lose weight but after that it should gain a couple grams a day. Sometimes milk doesn't come in the first or second day.

 

[schaefera]

Well I've been keeping an eye, checking on them every so often. Mom is taking care, cleaned it and stays by it and what not. I haven't been able to tell if it's nursing. Usually I see the baby up next to mom or under her chin. It looks like the baby has been trying to find milk, like nosing up on moms belly and sides. I did weigh baby and its small, only 35g. I was also wondering when should it open its eyes?

 

[Mt. Zion Chins]

The eyes should be opened. If they aren't get a warm (warm water) cotton ball and gently wipe the eyes and get them open. They need to be opened. As for the milk, it just might not have come in it - that happens. In the next day or 2 the milk should come int

 

[Vyxxin]

Something to note on a kit that small, if it drops below 30g it NEEDS supplemented. It should still be in with mom between your handfeedings but it WILL need handfed a bit if it drops that low. That's the problem with low birthweight kits. You just cannot let nature play out as normal. Normally we'd wait a few days for milk to come in. BUT in cases of really small kits you have to strictly monitor weight and intervene if it drops. It's a very small kit and with eyes not open it's NOT a good sign.

Also, because it's probably going to be mentioned, kits having theirs eyes open when they are born should be basic breeding knowledge. Read up in this section as it appears you may need to. Best of luck on such a small sweetie.