Of all days to kindle, Pepper had her second litter on Thursday am - -9 degrees outside. They are in an enclosed barn, with hay and the box of course, but it was just tooo cold. I thought of just bringing the box inside and taking it out to her twice a day, as so many of you have suggested, but I'm at work today from 7 to 5:30, and I thought that was too long between nursings. So into a dog crate with both mom and kits and into the kitchen. She was pretty horrified, but I hope being warm offsets that. There's no one at home until I get there, so I hope she relaxes and takes care of them. I think there's 7 or 8 - it was just too cold to keep them all out to count. When I found them, 3 were at the front of the nestbox, separate from the others, THey were totally cold, and I thought dead, but after warming them up with bean bags heated in the microwave, they started wriggling and went back in the box with siblings. They must be pretty hardy sorts!
Kitchen popples!!
- Thread starter Cowbelle
- Start date
Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:
Good luck with them! It sure doesnt' take long for them to get cold, does it? beanbags warmed in a microwave...excellent idea 
I'm thinking a rice bag would work, too. I know I've used rice sewn into a long bag as a neck warmer for me....
About feedings tho...I've been watching the colony girls (and those in the pens) feed via a webcam. They feed early morning, just before dawn, and then late night. I'd thought every 12 hours, but it's more like 6am, and then again about 9 or 10pm. (for the does I've actually caught feeding) However, bringing the whole kit and kaboodle into the house, as long as the doe doesn't panic, should work beautifully
The colony angoras were a little different, I admit. Since they shared the same nest tunnel, they just took turns feeding. One early morning, another at about 10, the 3rd went in about 2pm. Then the first doe fed about 6pm, the 2nd went back in near 10pm, and the 3rd, I assume, had the 2am feeding duty. I'm pretty sure it was a sort of "okay, I'm full of milk, need relief" that keyed them to go inside and nurse.
I'm thinking a rice bag would work, too. I know I've used rice sewn into a long bag as a neck warmer for me....About feedings tho...I've been watching the colony girls (and those in the pens) feed via a webcam. They feed early morning, just before dawn, and then late night. I'd thought every 12 hours, but it's more like 6am, and then again about 9 or 10pm. (for the does I've actually caught feeding) However, bringing the whole kit and kaboodle into the house, as long as the doe doesn't panic, should work beautifully
The colony angoras were a little different, I admit. Since they shared the same nest tunnel, they just took turns feeding. One early morning, another at about 10, the 3rd went in about 2pm. Then the first doe fed about 6pm, the 2nd went back in near 10pm, and the 3rd, I assume, had the 2am feeding duty. I'm pretty sure it was a sort of "okay, I'm full of milk, need relief" that keyed them to go inside and nurse.
Daisy Doe certainly fed more than twice a day too - some rabbits seem to not read the rule books ... I like the idea of keeping doe and popples together if possible .. my does that have decided to mother have all done a much better job then I could regulating temperature in the nest and feeding
I hope it worked out ok
I hope it worked out ok
Well, they're doing well - there's 9!!! A couple are pretty small, but they are warm and mom is fine in the dog crate. She doesn't have a lot of room, but when I rotated the crates yesterday to give her clean bedding, she was relaxed and seems fine. I have seen her in feeding, so I'm pretty sure all is well. I'll keep them inside until they get some fur, and gradually work them back out. What do you think of putting mom back out for the day in her regular cage, and back in for night? I know you have suggested moving the kits back and forth, but I am concerned of how cold it is out there for them. I'm keeping them all in a back porch room, - so as not to get them too acclimated to how hot I keep my house. The beanbags I mentioned are indeed the long homemade neck warmers - I make them for gifts, and myself. I put them under the bedding, at each end of the box. It was my daughter's idea, and seemed to work well.
Devon's Mom Lauren
Well-known member
Those beanbag warmers sound very interesting!! I was wondering if you could provide some more info on how you make them and how to use them? Like what type of beans etc and how to warm them correctly. Much appreciated thanks!!!
You can use beans, dry corn, rice, flax seed - just about whatever you like the smell of as it warms. I make the inside bag out of something very closely woven, about 18" long, and probably 5" wide (so out of a 10" wide piece of cloth). I partially fill, seam and do that again a few times - so that the filling doesn't all go to one end. There's no one way to make them. I leave them loosely filled, so they can bend and contour to the part of your body you want heated. If they are filled too tightly, they are stiff, rather than comfy. Then I make the slipcover out of flannel, and I make ends on it so I can loosely tie it around my neck. I microwave them for about 2 min., but that can definitely differ with how large they are and what they are filled with, so watch the first time that you don't burn them. They feel soooo good on tight muscles - and you can include some lavendar or whatever inside to smell good too. They stay warm for quite some time. With the bunnies, I put one in each end of the nest box, under the hay/fur. Made out of different materials, they make great gifts that don't cost much at all.
