Friday, June 17, 2011

Poor Rabbits / Poorer Babies

Mothers who savage their young ~ a phrase we were unfortunately introduced to this morning when Clare discovered that her longed-for baby rabbits had arrived, but were all dead.  Her joyous shouts quickly turned to screams of horror when she noticed severed body parts and five perfect kits huddled together, perfectly still.  Our books tell us that rabbit do eat their own kits ("savage their young") for several stress-related reasons : if their surroundings are too noisy, if they're immature, if their lactation is retarded, if the babies are weak or stillborn.  We are advised to dispose of the offending doe, as the chance of her repeating the repulsive act is too great.

Now that our household mood has quieted to sad brooding from wide-eyed freaking out  (I did attempt to find a better phrase but that's really what was happening here.), I've been turning things over in my mind.  I cannot help but draw parallels between a female rabbit savaging her young and a female human savaging her young  (abortion, of course) ~ from the stress-related reasons to the ripped up body parts.  Dead babies.  But in the animal world, the female is labeled brutal and heartless ; while in our world, the woman is called brave and pained.  Our society has so twisted the meaning of life and maturity that we are horrified at the nefarious rabbit ruled by instinct and applaud the frightened woman ruled by feelings  (instead of values).

Humanity is thus cheapened, lowered to an animalistic level. 

"What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works?  Faith of itself, if it does not have works, is dead."  James 2:14,17

So many souls lost . . . what are we doing?

Still brooding sadly over rabbits and babies,
Allison

Clare laid out the whole ones before burying them.  Poor kid.

1 comment:

  1. If I may offer (some belated) consolation about the rabbits, I would urge you to try again.

    I have known a number of mothers (not all mine) that savaged in their first litter, and never again.

    My experience indicates savaging can be related to nutritional (specifically protein) deficiencies.

    Also, if you have a bundle of perfectly formed littles that are stiff and cold (kitcicles, we call them), they can sometimes be revived. My total so far is four out of six attempts, where holding the kits, nose and mouth above water, in sinkful of water as hot as I can stand to hold my hands in.

    We've been doing rabbits for just over a year now. The learning curve has been steep and painful (One of my angoras was actually born with an exposed brain case. Lived through "surgery" but not long after).

    We currently have a litter of eight just born two days ago to a mother on her last strike (Trouble with her first two litters) and she had a *perfect* litter of eight, beautifully provided for.

    So I'd urge you to try again. Rabbits aren't "easy", but they're not impossible either.

    (I have an article or two on helmericks.net if you/she are/is interested in reading more.)

    Peace to you.

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