PREGNANT!? No, Wait! Well, not anymore. Claire delivered. Claire got busy while I was making breakfast this Wednesday. There was a baby lying on the fleece in her cage; Claire stared at me asking, “OMG,What is it?” Then it happened again and again. When it was over, there were three babies. Claire was calm; I was in a panic.
Pregnant bunnies make furry nests before delivery. They have their babies when the people are asleep - people, after all, cannot remain calm and silent during deliveries. So mother bunnies have the babies in the nest, cover them with fur and clean up. By the time the people wake up, all is calm.
Not Claire. There was no furry nest. The babies were crawling all over. Claire was backed into a corner. My husband, in response to my wail of “Claire’s giving birth!” said, “Did you want me to start a college fund?”
I began circling the house looking for nest building material. A litter pan, thick fleece for the floor, a tea towel to contain the babies. Fur, I did not have any fur. BUNS volunteer, Jessie, answered my plea and gave me 3 bags full. The babies were covered in Jill’s lovely fluff. “I’ll tell Jill she’s the god mother,” said Jessie smiling.
Mother bunnies run on instinct. They build a nest, give birth, clean up the babies, cover them in mommy fur, nurse and maintain the nest. Would Claire know what to do next? What should I do next?
I called the vet, “Claire had babies! She’s taking medicine, what should I do now? They were as surprised as I was. They had reconstructed Claire’s injured toes, but they were looking at her toes and never saw her baby bump. “Continue the medicine,” they said.
I was in a dither all day. Claire sat in her corner and ate. The babies stayed in the nest. It was a stand off. At five the next morning, I could not take it any longer. I picked Claire up and put her on the nest. The babies began searching for milk. Claire looked amazed and gave them each a few licks. “OK, maybe this is going to work,” I thought.
Since that morning I have seen Claire pull fur to add to the nest and voluntarily hop on the nest to nurse. The babies look healthy and spend a lot of time sleeping.
Claire’s life is just like a soap opera. Someone cut off most of her toes and then left her on the doorstep of BUNS. Then she gives birth to triplets. What could be next. Keep up with Claire's continuing adventures on our Facebook Page.
Want to help BUNS care for Claire and other rabbits? Consider contributing to our crowdfunding campagign for Claire at www.youcaring.com/BUNS.Claire.
