Lost

I have lots of rabbits living on my property and this is nesting season. I also have a bunny barn where I raise domestic rabbits. Usually the two never meet but yesterday I found a wild cottontail inside the bunny barn digging a nest hole. The screen door had swung open so the animal decided to take advantage of the soft dirt. Needless to say I'll fill it in but she certainly made progress in a short amount of time.

She's gone :(

MISS TENNER died today. She's an extraordinary cavy who is about 4 years old. When most sows have 2-4 babies as a usual litter size, MISS TENNER's first litter was 10. Eight of them survived their birth and seven survived to adulthood. Over the past few years she's produced over 25 babies;, an awesome record for any cavy.

For unknown reasons, she got a tumor in her left ear and altho I tried to treat it, nothing would work. Because of her age, and not wanting her to go through the surgery to remove it, I had her euthanized this morning. It is a very sad day for me as she's so special.

New baby

As many of you know, I raise rabbits here at IBR as a food source. I had one doe who decided all she'd do was have babies, she wouldn't feed them. Her first litter died before I found them. The second had only one survivor, this teeny baby. Right now I'm feeding it KMR, kitten milk replacement food, along with a few grains of Culturelle to help with digestion. Because he never got any of moms colostrum it's very important to have some good bacteria working away in his tummy.

So far so good. This isn't the best photo but he's a squiggly thing, I was lucky to get this one. No, he won't be a meal but a pet.

More wee babies

I just received two more baby bunnies. These are much younger than the one I recently raised and released. They were found under a pile of wood that the owners moved today. Unfortunately there was no way to replace the wood or the babies to a nest situation. I have new domestic bunny young and altho I could probably put them in one of those nests, in the long run it wouldn't work. So for now they're on KMR with a small pinch of Culturelle, the same diet I used on my last baby rabbit.

He's growing up

Little PETER is becoming bolder with age. I couldn't open the bird cage door so this photo has bars in front of him but he's now able to spring up to the top of his box/den. He's very active and altho I'm still giving him milk he's now munching on greens. He'll soon be ready for release in the back of my property where there are lots of rabbits living.

Wee baby

I got a call yesterday from The Barn here in Cody about a baby rabbit they found in their parking lot. I figured it was just a youngster out of the nest going about its business. NOT! This little one is only about as long as my first finger. The eyes are open so it's almost two weeks old but should not be out of the nest this young. I wasn't sure if it would live through the night but so far so good.

Female rabbits feed their babies at night but I'm doing it three times a day. He's stronger and more lively, perhaps he will grow up to be released at the back of my property. I have lots of rabbits around here, I'm very protective of them. Of course I can't save them from marauding raptors, fox or coyotes, they have to take their chances in life.

More new little ones

This is the latest arrival in the cavy room. Two moms had a total of eight babies, one had five the other three. Their dad is TJ and he's been one before, these little ones are just as cute as can be.

She finally fell apart

This wonderful mom-to-be finally had her babies today. The top photo was taken around 7 o'clock this morning. She looks like a squashed soccer ball with legs. It takes almost 80 days for gestation in cavys, a long time to be pregnant for a small rodent.

The second photo is about five hours later after a great deal of work on her part. Usually my mommy cavys have 3-5 young, this amazing female had 10! Only eight survived their birth, and two of them are rather small, but as of this evening all are doing just fine. What's even more amazing is that the mom only has two boobies! I guess that's why baby cavys are fully haired, eyes open and eating solid food within hours of their birth. They have to grab some pellets or hay and then stop for a quick drink of milk before the next baby is in line.

New kid on the block

Here's the newest boar in the cavy herd. His name is TWISTER as even his whiskers are kinky along with his hair. His grandfather is a Teddy variety of cavy and is also roan. He is much too young to be used for breeding but I'm sure his genes will bring a wonderful array of babies into the world.

Before & after

I have no idea what makes them do it but these photos show FABIO before he was put in with some sows and after he'd been in there for a week. For some reason the ladies don't like his long hair and barber it off. It will grow back when he's put back in his own room but for now he looks rather moth eaten albeit still a very handsome young boar.

Another puff

Okay, this is about as cute as it gets in the rabbit world. This tiny lop doe came to me from a breeder because she's not quite good enough for the show ring. She'll now spend her life as a mom and if she doesn't want to do that she'll live here gratis.

CHIP off the old block

Here's FUZZY's first born and there's no doubt who the dad is. He's only a few days old in this photo (I think it's a boar), one of three in the litter. The other two are red and white, closer to their mom in looks.

Harry

Yes, that's his name as he is just that, hairy. This very handsome adult male cavy came to IBR from a young lady who bought him in Gillette. That means he's not in any way related to those already living here so there will be some new genes in the pool. I also received a beautiful dark blond sow who is already bred to him, the babies will be outstanding.

Amazing !

Here's a first for IBR. As many of you know, I raise cavys as a food source but most of them are sold as pets. I had one that has been pregnant for what seems like forever so I finally took her in and had her x-rayed to see if she was really carrying babies or it was some medical problem that made her so huge.

As you can see in the top photo, if you look carefully, she had lots of tiny skeletons showing and Dr. Blessing assured me that they were alive. Lo and behold about four days later she popped out five babies. One was stillborn but the others are thriving and she's being a super mom.

The hairy men of IBR

These three photos are of the main breeding boars in my cavy group. The top one is STRAUSS, son of ELVIS (seen in earlier memorial post), COCOA, son of STRAUSS and FUZZY, son of who knows as he was bought down in Riverton. The first two of these handsome boys are the fathers of many, many beautiful babies and were also born here. FUZZY hasn't sired any babies yet but his harem is all together and when they're old enough they will also be producing amazing cavys of all hair coats.

It's a puffball ! ! !

No wait, it's a rabbit. This is BABY, a minilop that came out with a weird haircoat. She was used as a model at the Buffalo Bill Art Show quick draw by sculptor Pati Stajcar of CO. She was much younger then and not as hairy but still as cute. She isn't old enough to breed yet but when she is I'm sure she'll make a super mom.

Elvis has left the building.

It is a sad day here as much loved ELVIS is gone. He has lived at IBR for many, many years and produced dozens of baby cavys until just recently. I believe it was his kidneys that failed, a common problem with the elderly. He has a son and granddaughter still here and they are carrying on the family name. ELVIS has been buried in my little cemetary along with my horse, various birds, a cat and a dog so he is in good company. He will be missed but the memory of his perky personality will live long in my heart.

Great grandchildren

It's early morning. I'm all finished with chores and wanted to share the latest additions to the cavy families. ELVIS is again a great grandfather. This photo shows the newest babies born last night. Her last litter consisted of just one baby so she outdid herself this time. I now have 32 baby cavys with 9 moms and every one of them are beautiful. I do sell a lot of these animals for pets. Congrats, great grandpa !

Just so they aren't forgotten, I also have two new litters of rabbits in the bunny barn. Three more to kindle, assuming they are pregnant. They are due on Sunday and Tuesday.

Ragmop ???

Here's a photo that takes some looking at to decide just what it is. The before and after show ELVIS with his hair groomed and then moved aside so you can see his beautiful eyes. He is a Peruvian Cavy (guinea pig) that has been a dad many, many times but is now just living out his life as he's not producing babies anymore. He does have a handsome son, STRAUSS, (he's a longhair, get it...) and dozens of grandchildren also living at IBR.

The top photo shows ELVIS's granddaughter in front with three other sows and their babies. The granddaughter has yet to have her babies but she's due anytime now.