Pictures of Noel's Kits

Noel's kits are now 11 days old. Their eyes have just started to open.

Pictures of Brianna's Kits

Brianna's kits are now 13 days old. They are just coming into their exploring stage. They are not quite as confident as Alice's kits, yet.
Their ears are so big, compared to their bodies at this age.

Pictures of Alice's Kits

I took pictures of all of the kits this afternoon.
Alice's kits are now 16 days old. They are in their exploring stage. It is really fun to watch them all hop around the table, all going in different directions, but it is difficult to get them all in one picture!

More Kits

Alice delivered 3 more kits this morning. The three kits had crawled out of her cage and were on my rabbitry floor, chilled. I took them inside and heated them up in warm water. Two of them look great, but one of them is not doing as well. I gave one of them to Noel and the other two to Alice. That will give Alice and Noel both 10. Hopefully the kits will do okay competing with the larger and older kits for milk. I will probably take the three of the out once a day for the first few days and put them on Alice to make sure that they get milk.

Kit Updates

Alice's kits are now 13 days old, Brianna's kits are 10 days old and Noel's kits are 8 days old. Alice's kits have all opened their eyes, and so have the 4 out of Brianna's litter.

I rebred Brianna to Tyler a week ago. She kept turning her nestbox over, trying to liberate her kits. I tried taking the nestbox out at night and only putting it in with her in the morning to nurse, but sadly I lost two of them to the cold. After that I tattooed a small dot in each of the kits ears and fostered three of them to Alice and the other one to Noel. Hopefully the tattoos will not fade and I will be able to tell which ones were Brianna's by the time they are weaned.
I was worried about how Noel would do with hers. She is a first time doe with 9 kits of her own and one foster kit. She has done excellent with them though. It is amazing how FAT they are!

I have been handling each of the kits every day in the hopes that when they get bigger, they will be easier to teach to stay still and hold a pose. I have even started taking each of Alice's kits out to pose them. There are actually a few of them that will stay in their pose! The others will stay still for a second, but then start trying to explore.
It is way to early to tell which ones will be show quality, but hopefully by the time it is, they will all be able to hold a pose.

Noel Kindled

Noel kindled 9 kits at 11:00 pm April 18. All 9 of them are black. The sire is Tyler.

Brianna Kindled

Brianna kindled 6 kits at 12:00 noon. I was able to watch her deliver the last one.
She had 5 blacks and one blue. They all look healthy.

New Kits

Alice kindled a litter of 5 kits on April 12. The sire is Tyler.
I am looking forward to seeing how they turn out.

Due Dates

Hopefully I will have at least one litter of Silver Martens by the weekend! I have one doe due on the 8th, one doe due on the 10th and one doe due on the14th. The kits will all be out of my Best in Show buck, so I am really looking forward to seeing how they turn out.

Safe and Unsafe Plants for Rabbits

I have been doing a lot of research on safe and unsafe plants over the last week. This is just a list of the more common plants that I have found so far. I am in no way trying to give veterinary advice, this is just something that I find very interesting.



Safe Plants


Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) above ground parts can be used

American Sycamore (Platanus occidentalis) leaves, bark and twigs can be used

Apple (Malus domestica) leaves, branches and fruit can be used

Basil (Ocimum basilicum) above ground parts can be used

Birch - used for pain relief, anti-inflammatory and diuretic

Blackberry (Rubus villous) above ground parts can be used - used for pregnant does, summer cooling, stimulate appetite and diarrhea

Black Oil Sunflower Seeds– used to condition coats

Blueberry - leaves can be used

Borage (Borago officinalis) above ground parts can be used - used as a Laxative, increases milk flow in nursing does, helps fevers and reduce stress

Cat-tail (Typha latifolia) leaf stalks can be used

Caraway (Carum carvi)

Carrot (Daucus carota) roots and tops can be used

Chamomile (Chamomilla recutita) used for pain relief, calms nervous rabbits, can be used as an eye wash for weepy eye

Chervil (Anthriscus cerefolium)

Chickweed (Stellaria media) above ground parts can be used - used as an anti-inflammatory, progresses the healing of cuts

Chicory, wild (Cichorium intybus) Above ground parts can be used

Cilantro or Coriander (Coriandrum sativum)

Clover, red (Trifolium pratense) above ground parts can be used

Clover, white (Trifolium repens) above ground parts can be used

Comfrey, common (Symphytum officinale) leaves can be used, best dried - promotes healing, bone formation, helps ill bunnies, used for stressed and weak bunnies, can be used an a respiratory expectorant

Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) above ground parts can be used - Blood purifying, used for respiratory ailments, anti-inflammatory, bladder infections, diarrhea, increases milk flow in nursing does

Dill (Anethum graveolens)

Echinacea - can be used as an immune system stimulant and broad spectrum antibiotic

Elder Flower - can be used an a respiratory expectorant, helps fevers

Eucalyptus - can be used dried and powdered to repel fleas

Eyebright – can be used to help weepy eye

Fennel – can be used to help with bloating and gas, increases milk flow in nursing does

Garlic - can be used as an antiseptic and antibiotic, can be used to help with bloating and gas, can be used as a respiratory expectorant

Ginger – can be used to increase fertility in bucks

Goat’s Rue – increases milk flow in nursing does

Goldenrod (Solidago Canadensis) leaves can be used - can be used as an anti-inflammatory

Grape (Vitus labrusca) leaves and vines can be used

Green Amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus) above ground parts can be used

Hackberry - branches can be used

Kava Kava - can be used to calm nervous rabbits

Lady’s Smock (Cardamine pratensis)

Lamb’s Quarters (Chenopodium album) above ground parts can be used

Lavender (Lavandula officinalis) can be used to calm nervous rabbits and can be used to induce labor

Lemon Balm (Melissa officinal) above ground parts can be used - is an anti-bacterial, antiviral, helps with bloating and gas, diarrhea and reduces stress

Licorice - can be used to help gastric inflammation and coughs.

Linseed – can be used an a laxative

Lovage (Levisticum officinale)

Maple, Silver (Acer saccharinum) leaves and branches can be used

Maple, Sugar (Acer saccharin) leaves and branches can be used


Marigold - helps with bruises, contusion and strains, can be used to help slow healing wounds, ulcers, skin diseases, digestive problems and gall bladder complaints

Marjoram- helps with coughs, inflammation of mouth and throat, can be used to help digestive problems, uterine discomfort, can be used to calm nervous rabbits

Meadowsweet – helps with weepy eye

Milk Thistle - helps take ammonia from the blood and protects both the liver and the kidneys, increases milk flow in nursing does

Mint (Mentha piperita) above ground parts can be used - decrease milk flow in nursing does, helps with mastitis

Mother Wart – helps with weepy eye

Mustard Greens (Sinapis Alba)

Nasturtium - can be used as a strong antiseptic

Nettle (Urtica dioica) only use dried

Nettle, Stinging (Urtica dioica) above ground parts can be used - increases milk flow in nursing does

Oak - can be used for eczema, diarrhea, hemorrhoid, pro lapse, digestive problems and bleeding of mouth and gums

Oats - can be used to help digestive problems, diarrhea, kidney and bladder disorders and can be used to condition coats

Oregano (Origanum vulgare)

Oregon Grape Root - can be used as an anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial

Parsley (Petroselinum crispum) enriches the blood, can be used to help urinary problems - roots are used for constipation and obstruction of the intestines, inflammation of bladder & kidneys, digestive disorders, can be used to increase fertility in bucks and productivity in does

Pear (Pyrus communis) leaves, branches, fruit and seeds can be used

Peppermint (Mentha x piperita) above ground parts can be used

Plantain (Plantago major) above ground parts can be used - is antimicrobial and antispasmodic, can be used to progress the healing of cuts,

Plum - shoots can be used

Purple Coneflower- can be used to help with abscesses and slow healing wounds

Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) above ground parts can be used

Raspberry (Rubus serious) above ground parts can be used - can be used for the prevention and treatment retained afterbirth, improves condition during pregnancy and can be used to increase fertility in bucks

Redroot Pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus) above ground parts can be used

Rosemary ((Rosmarinus officinalis) above ground parts can be used - helps with weakness and exhaustion and calms nervous rabbits

Round Leafed Mallow (Malva rotundifolia) above ground parts can be used

Sage (Salvia officinalis) above ground parts can be used - can be used dried and powdered to repel fleas, can be used to decrease milk flow in does

Salad Burnet (Sanguisorba minor)

Sassafras - can be used dried and powdered to sprinkled repel fleas .

Shepherd’s Purse (Capsella bursta-pastoris) above ground parts can be used

St. Johns Wart- helps with stress and nerves but long term dosage is needed

Smooth Leaf Elm– can be used to help slow healing wounds

Sorrel - can be used to cool and calm nervous rabbits

Sow Thistle, Annual (Sonchus asper) above ground parts can be used

Sow Thistle, Perennial (Sonchus asper) above ground parts can be used

Squash - sprouts can be used

Strawberry (Fragaria vesca) above ground parts can be used - can be used as an antiseptic and helps cool rabbits, leaves are rich in iron and are supposed to help prevent miscarriage can be used to help inflamed areas, rashes and sore eyes.


Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) above ground parts can be used

Sweet Potato (Ipomoea batatas) roots can be used - feed only in small amounts

Tarragon (Artemisia dracunculoides)

Thyme (Thymus vulgaris) above ground parts can be used - can be used to help with diarrhea

Walnut - leaves can be used – can be used to help weepy eye

Willow (Salix nigra) leaves and branches can be used - has an Aspirin like affect and helps with pain and intestinal inflammation

Yarrow (Achillea mille folium) above ground parts can be used - helps to heal cuts



Unsafe Plants


Almond

Aloe Vera

Amaryllis

Andromeda

Angel's Trumpet

Apricot

Arrowgrass

Asparagus Fern

Autumn Crocus

Avacado

Azalea

Begonia

Belladonna

Bird of Paradise

Black Walnut

Bloodroot

Bluebonnet

Buttercup

Black Locust

Bloodroot

Bleeding Heart

Bottle Brush

Boxwood

Bracken fern

Buckeye

Buckthorn

Bull Nettle

Buttercup

Butterfly Weed

Caladium

Calendula

Calico Bush

Calla Lilly

Carnation

Carolina Jessamine

Castor Bean

Cherry

Chrysanthemum

Clematis

Cone Flower

Coral plant

Corn Plant

Crocus

Crown of Thorns

Daffodil

Daisy

Daphne

Day Lily

Dogbane

Easter Lilly

Eggplant

Elderberry

Elephant Ear

Foxglove

Geranium

Gladiola

Glory Lilly

Holly

Horse Chestnut

Hyacinth

Hydrangea

Indigo

Iris

Ivy

Jack-in-the-Pulpit

Juniper

Lace Fern

Lantana

Larkspur

Laurel

Lily of the Valley

Lima Bean

Lupine

Macadamia Nut

Mandrake

Marijuana

Marigold

Mesquite

Mexican Breadfruit

Milk Bush

Milkweed

Mistletoe

Monkshood

Moonflower

Morning Glory

Mushrooms

Mustard

Narcissus

Nightshade

Nutmeg

Oak

Oleander

Parsnip

Peach

Peony

Periwinkle

Peyote

Poinsettia

Poison Hemlock

Poison Ivy

Poison Oak

Poison sumac

Pokeweed

Poppy

Potato

Primrose

Primula

Queen Anne’s Lace

Rhododendron

Rhubarb

Skunk Cabbage

Sanpdragon

Stinkweed

Sweet Pea

Tansy

Thornapple

Tiger Lily

Tobacco

Tomato

Tulip

Umbrella Plant

Venus Flytrap

Violet

Walnuts

Wild Carrots

Wild Cucumber

Wild Parsnip

Wild Peas

Wisteria

Yew