Question About Pregnant Does

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Epic

Epic

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I have a two floor hutch, it's pretty decent in size. It has a little house on the top floor & on the bottom I put a nesting box, the does were bred the exact same day & they live together.

Will they build seperate nests? Will they be okay together? :O

Thoughts & tips would be great.
The does do get along fine, this is their first litters due. :eek:
 
Yeah, but how wide? How can we advise you when you are so stingy with the details? Most does prefer to make their own nests, well away from others. Since these two get along well together, they may choose to nest together (Anntann has has 3 does use the same nest tunnel in her colony) but you can't count on it. Do you have any alternatives? Another cage? If they do both successfully raise kits, it's going to be very crowded in there before long.
 
my new zealands used the same nesttunnel, too...but they are extremely close, like the angoras. if the tunnel is 12" high and wide, and then a meter long, you should be fine for 2 does..but like Maggie says I'd put in 2 nestboxes so they have a choice. Just a simple nestbox along with the tunnel would be great. Or a second, shorter tunnel.

BTW, I suggest putting a lip or door sill on the tunnel entrance. I just had 3 kits dragged out of the tunnel when the doe fed. odd..they were dragged an entire meter, but it happened. :( I lost one, but the other 2 seem to be recovering now that they're back in the warm nest.
 
Currently all of mine are using the same tunnel they made in the straw. Even the 4 month old doe I added and 2, 5week olds that I put out there with their mother are hiding and keeping warm in the straw nest. I have no idea how many young kits there are. My arm reaches just far enough to start feeling warmth and that's it. I put out 2 large nest boxes and a cat litter box filled with straw but the champagnes just made their own nest and the mini rex joined in. I love the champagnes' personality. They just kinda shrug everything off and completely ignore any territorial disputes the mini rex start. If it weren't for the champagnes acting as a buffer I'm not sure the mini rex does would share anything.
 
Are you positive that one Doe did not KILL the kits
belonging to the other and simply take over the nest?
It is very rare that two or more Does will share the same nest.
I hope that everything works out the way you are thinking.
You have to find a way to check the nest, just so that you know
that everything is alright.
Ottersatin.
 
i have raised pairs of does in cages.
this is what I learned

Does raised together will often nest in the same box. Caveat: make sure the box is big enough for two litters. and check them frequently. That many kits in one box makes it easy for small kits to get into trouble.
Does introduced as youngsters MIGHT share the same box, but will often choose not to and will raise them side by side.
Does introduced as adults will choose their own nestbox away from the other one and will defend it.

this was in a caged environment, not colony.
 
Lots of people with colonies are unable to check the nests. They just wait until the kits appear or don't appear. Particularly those that allow the rabbits to dig there own nest. So while it would be nice to be able to check it I know several people who successfully raise a lot of meat rabbits just fine with nests they can't check and most of the does sharing the tunnel.
 

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