If anyone has any advice to offer, please do. The pictures might be removed later, but since they are important for determining the health of the kit, I’ve kept them up for now.

Bam

I agree that the tummy should start getting round with feeding, but the kit doesn’t look ematiated to me here. Maybe a bit slow to grow. Do you have a vet you can go to?
I expect that if it is not thriving you will know in the next 48 hours. Eating, pee and poop is all encouraging. Keep warm and let us know how it goes. My vet accepts emailed questions so maybe yours would, too.
Bam is right that we will have to take down the pix eventually, but they are relevant to your question for now so we might hold off on that for a few days.

You could call a vet and ask. The best thing is of course to not transport a bunny that young. Sometimes a runt won’t thrive due to some internal malformation, sometimes a runt is just tiny and will make it just fine with proper feeding and fattening up. His color is beautifully pink and healthy, and since he has a hearty appetite and pees and poops, I’d say you’re doing a great job.

Sending good vibes your way! Wick is a runt, so he’s cheering for the lil’ baby as well.

I’m sure Bam is right about not risking travelling with him. But you may need a vet soon, so look up Exotics Vets in your area or online, and also check with any local bird vets (mine is one who specializes in birds and small animals) to see if you can locate a closer one with rabbit experience. You can call then, and ask if you may email the pix, or updated ones, for an opinion.

Hope he’s a little better as of this writing. (fingers & paws crossed.)

Definitely call the vet and see if they can help and if they can offer any advice. Keep feeding him and toileting him the way that you have been, and keep watch to make sure mama bun is taking care of him also. If she is rejecting him, and the ants rejected him, he could have been born with an illness or other abnormality. If that is the case, a vet will be able to help you with advice and possible treatments (when hes older).

Edit to add, his skin looks healthy and although his tummy isnt rounded out very much, it is rounded out a little bit so it does look like he has eaten. If you try to feed him more, does he take it? Have you seem mama bun feed him at all, or does it seem like you are the only one feeding? Do his poops look normal for his age? Is he peeing a normal amount?

Sorry, I wasn’t being very clear. What I meant was it’s best to call the vet and ask first, not go out on a 3 hour drive with him unless the vet tells you to The pix would give them a good idea of his health status.

Continue feeding and helping him toilet like you have been then and things should be alright. I dont think he could have eaten any ants, and he looks untouched from ant bites which is also a good sign It is possible that mama bun just doesnt care about kits she has. Its not common, but its not impossible either. As long as you can continue to care for him and be his surrogate mama, he should be ok given how his health sounds

Mama bun can be a little tired and physically worn out from having had one litter so near in time. She was also lactating and feeding the first litter while this little guy was in her womb, so maybe he didn’t get as much nourishment as he would’ve otherwise? Make sure mama bun gets extra food, if you don’t already, lactating takes a toll.

That sounds great! =)

From the sound of things and your level of care, my hopes are up.

Are the older kits still with her most of the time?
If they still feed on occasion, that would help keep her lactating. But you don’t want them taking too much either, or causing her any stress.

Do you know of anyone else that has a rabbit feeding a litter at the moment? You could try see if another Doe would accept him, or at least get a few additional feeds from her.

Can you get hold of some alfalfa (lucerne) hay for the Mum? It is higher in protein which she would need to produce decent milk. She is probably quite depleted. The more protein she gets, the more will be transferred to the baby.
Could you get some goats milk to give him?

Posted By Sharmila on 4/14/2017 6:36 AM

The older kits are completely weaned. But they do try to feed occasionally. Is there a possibility that he might be genetically thin? Like his body structure is like that? Because he has longer legs and body than that of the older kits. He also grew in fur within 48 hrs whereas the older kits had the first furs after 96 hours. There’s some difference between the two litters.

He may be longer limbed purely because of genetics, but he should be gaining (especially being the only one) and the tummy should be plump after the feeds. Do you see him suckle? 

The timing of the fur coming in may again be due to the protein the mother has. As you weren’t aware she was pregnant the first time, Im guessing she was on her regular diet right up until you discovered she had the kits? 

But there is an update now. The mother has started caring for the baby on her own. And finally, I see a little satisfaction. He does have a better sized tummy now. Before this, the rib cage was clearly peeking. But now, I see a belly.  I just hope she continues this feeding and all problems get solved. But if it’s not, should I use the Beaphar Lactol with whipping cream in addition to mother’s milk?

Hooray! That is great to read. Fingers crossed she continues to give him a good feeds. She’s in a better position this time since you suspected she was pregnant and she had a different diet.
The Beaphar Lactol could be used if her milk dries up. I think the trick is mixing it up thicker then you would for kitten or puppy. Rabbit milk is supposed to be very rich. The cream would help to make it richer too.
If you have calf-manna there, it’s something that could be good for the Mum. The Manna Pro website indicates to give a tablespoon a day to lactating Does. I do remember someone on here years ago that was able to get a malnourished rabbit to improve using calf-manna, but it wasn’t a rabbit this young.

Thats a good tummy to have! Glad mama has started to take care of him more, and Im glad to hear he has been doing a lot better with eating

It’s just lovely news Fingers crossed mama bun will keep this up!