Move her back outside???

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lyndseyrk

lyndseyrk

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I posted this on HT, but haven't gotten any advice.

I have a doe due in 2 weeks. She's a first timer, and I was unable to get any of my other does bred. So, I'm trying to make things easier on her when she kindles. I moved her from her outdoor hutch to a cage in the garage. It's less drafty and I will be able to access her and her kits more easily. She's been in the garage 2 days, and is VERY skittish now. Not acting her normal self at all. She normally enhales feed/hay, but now she just hides in her box and has only at 3/4 of one meal. She's afraid of the garage door, our cars, everything. I figured I'd move her while she was 2 weeks out so she'd have time to adjust before delivering. However, things are not going well. Should I let her be and let her adjust or just move her back outside where she's more comfortable??? I just don't want her to stress out. I've bred litters in the winter before, but they were always in a shed, not in an outdoor hutch. The hutch is covered on 4 sides, and she has a box stuffed with hay.

She's now went 2 days without eating and barely drinking. Here we go again!
 
if she isn't eating and drinking I'd say you need to put her where she can be comfortable - glad you were smart enough to think of doing this early enough to adapt if needed ...

i would move her back to where she is comfortable if she doesn't settle after 3 days -
 
So, I had decided that if no one had a better idea, I was going to move her back outside. Brody agreed. So at about 9:30am I put her back outside. I wasn't able to return her to her normal hole, as I had played "musical rabbits" the day I put her in the garage. Set up her new cage the same as the old one. This evening, fed and watered as normal, and she inhaled her feed and hay. SHE JUST DID NOT LIKE THE GARAGE! I've NEVER changed a rabbit's cage and keep everything else the same and have them basically shut down like this on me. I guess there's a first time for everything! Just hope she's a good mama and keeps her babies warm when the time comes!
 
EXCELLENT

so glad our instincts were right

rabbits can be such stressy creatures ...
 
Glad you made the change back. And good for you seeing that she was unhappy before she harmed herself.

It is not so very surprising that the garage upset her... the different smells and the feeling of being closed in would be enough to do it for many rabbits.
 
I'd make a point with her babies if you are keeping any, to move them around abit when they are little (juniors) so that hopefully you can reduce any "stressy" behaviours that they might develop (based on mom's history).
 

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