How to resuscitate kits?

by Rach
(USA)

My rabbit had 4 babies sometime Wednesday night however all were dead when we went out. I have heard if you hold them with their nose and mouth out of warm water you can bring them back but I was wondering if there is another way and how long should I do it for or how to tell if they are alive again. Please respond A.S.A.P thanks, and anyone's comments are greatly appreciated.


***** Karen Sez *****

There is no way to revive kits that have died. If the toenails are reddened in the quick, the kits are likely already dead. (It doesn't hurt to attempt a resuscitation; just know that it might not work.)

If kits are chilled, they might look and act dead, but still be alive. How to tell? Toenails that are clear, or still seeing some sluggish movements. In this case, there are two ways that we know of to resuscitate kits:

1) Place the kit against your own skin for an extended length of time, long enough for it to regain heat from your body. Just know that normal for you is 98.6 degrees F; normal for rabbits is 102 degrees F. It might take a few hours to revive the kit to the point of movement. Once the kit is moving, however sluggishly, placing it back into a warm nest with littermates will finish warming the kit.

2) Submerging the kit's body in tepid water (not head) works wonders much more quickly. Keep it in the warm water long enough for the heat to penetrate into the kit's core - maybe 7-10 minutes or so. You should see some signs of life, if any is left, by then. Once it is moving fairly vigorously, dry it off completely and return it to its snug warm nest and littermates.

Be very careful about using heating pads etc. to warm kits, unless you can ensure a temperature not exceeding 102F.

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Sep 25, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		I resuscitated one of my kits
by: Lisa

When I tried to get the mum to feed her kit she pushed her belly down on it. I watched her and the longer she did it the less I saw the kit move. I didn't realise what she was doing at first, but when the kit stopped moving, I moved the mum out of the way, I held the baby in my hand and rubbed two fingers up and down its tummy and chest. the kit came back to life, and I still have him now, he's 6 months. but I was there watching what mum was doing, so I got lucky that I saved him.
Sep 22, 2012
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starstarstarstarstar 		R.I.P. sweetest kits
by: Anonymous

I fear i was just too late. She had her babies sometime in the middle of the night and they were outside and of course the temperatures dropped to about 30 degrees. Sadly to say none of them made it but we tried to resuscitate all. They had some strange visible deformities (one had a long neck, and its head fell back a lot because of it). Another had one large ear one small ear. And 2 were smaller than the other 2. It's sad because I was very excited to meet them (I named one Alexius the first minute I saw her).

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