Wire Nest Boxes

[CarsLops]

I'm in need of new nest boxes and would like to make some wire ones to replace my wooden ones. I have the wire and the plans from Bob Bennett's Book, but now I've heard a few people saying that cardboard lined wire boxes aren't sufficient for the winter, as they are not insulated enough. My rabbits are in a non-heated building that is protected from the elements. Does anyone use wire nest boxes and have problems in the winter? I feel that the fur that the doe pulls has more to do with insulation than the nest box material.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I use wire boxes. Cutting cardboard gets tedious after a while, so I bought a sheet of the plastic wallboard commonly used in commercial restrooms, and Hubs cut pieces to fit which I ziptie to the wire. I have varying heights for the side panels so they can have more ventilation if it is hot, and less when it is cold.

I recently had a litter that kept scooting the bedding off of the floor and sleeping on the plastic itself. They developed splay leg as a result, so now I attach the bottom panels to the bottom of the box instead of placing it inside. The floor wire should provide enough traction to prevent a repeat of the splay leg disaster.

It rarely gets as low as the teens here, but we do get pretty frequent overnight temps in the thirties. I did lose one litter to the cold last year, but my rabbits are not in a fully enclosed area.

Here is a picture showing Queen with a "winterized" nest:

 

[Piper]

My first winter with wire boxes, but last winter I had four rabbits that did not use their nest boxes, and made a hay nest on the wire, and keep their whole litters alive, though single digit temperatures. They would cover up the top of the litter, with hay too.

I had one rabbit deliver during a single digit temperature night, found them when I checked the next day, warm and well fed. I normally give a full flake of coastal Bermuda hay, and allow the rabbit to decide how to use it, and I have been lucky in that the does have the nest boxes densely packed, too.

What I have noticed, about those nests, is that the rabbits pack the hay densely. I was curious as to how densely, and I have been able to lift out a whole nest (after the babies left it), and it was almost like it was woven, and lifted out in one piece.

I have managed to do almost the same thing, when I had to move a litter (from one wooden nest box to another), by packing in the maximum amount of hay that I could, then slowly hollowing about an small, semi deep area to put the fur and babies in, then gave it a roof of hay.

There is a downside with doing this, there ends up being a lot of hay under the cage, at first. I have been taking that hay (before it gets too many rabbit pellets), and putting it in the chicken coop, for the chickens to scratch around in.

Will be seeing if the same holds true, about the rabbits packing the hay in, for wire nest boxes this winter.
Best of luck.

Both these litters were born 3 days ago, on the 19th, and night time temps have been around 40F. I tried to get a good photo, of where it looks woven, right behind the Dutch's blue food bowl, but...

The red mini Rex, has the nest box, that I was referring to, that had to be packed.

I added some images, to my album, here
gallery/album.php?album_id=137

 

[wsmoak]

I use the wire nest boxes from Bass Equipment and their waxed cardboard liners. We get into the teens here and I haven't had any problems. (They are outdoors in hanging cages.) I put a couple inches of shavings in the bottom, pack the rest with straw, and let them redecorate as desired.

I think you'll be fine.

 

[bobqdevon]

I build my own wire nest boxes out of 1/2" x 1/2" wire. Never had a problem. We just use regular cardboard that we ALWAYS have laying around, and cut a "U" that fits in the walls and floor, all one piece. Since we have our boxes attached to the front of the cages, we can easily peek in and see without disturbing things too much.

 

[CarsLops]

I'm really glad to hear that no one has had problems! I figured that the people I was hearing from were just stuck in their wooden box ways, so I though I'd be safe and ask the brain trust

MSD, I'll be sure to attach my bottom cardboard underneath so that I don't get splay leg. I very often have litters who insist on pushing the bedding aside and being on the bottom. I was also trying to think of something reusable I could use for liners, and of course someone here has the answer! I'll have to pick some wallboard up.

Piper, I had thought about how tightly packed nests are (which is pretty neat!) and figured that that did a lot to insulate the nest. I'm glad that you've had success with your litters!

Once again, the wonderful people of RT have put my mind at ease! My does are due December 5th and, of course, I'll be sure to post pictures. These are my Ohio mini convention juniors, so fingers crossed for pretty babies!

 

[SatinsRule]

I use the wire nest boxes from Bass Equipment and their waxed cardboard liners. We get into the teens here and I haven't had any problems. (They are outdoors in hanging cages.) I put a couple inches of shavings in the bottom, pack the rest with straw, and let them redecorate as desired.

I think you'll be fine.

This is good to hear. I just bought 4 of them and need to put them together soon. I have another couple of litters due (red and black/cal).

 

[ilovehome]

I have one wire nest box, and I really like it as far as it staying cleaner than the other boxes. However, I had to remove it from one of my elops because she successfully tipped before the kits were born, and she kept trying to tip it over the first couple of days after she delivered. It would probably still work, but needs to be wired to the floor for that particular doe.

 

[CarsLops]

I had thought about a way to secure the box since the wire ones are so light compared to the wooden ones. My first thought was to ziptie it, but that would be a pain to cut them off ever time I wanted to take the box out, so I think I might get some of those tiny carabiners and use those to attach the box to the side and back of the cage.

 

[bobqdevon]

I had thought about a way to secure the box since the wire ones are so light compared to the wooden ones. My first thought was to ziptie it, but that would be a pain to cut them off ever time I wanted to take the box out, so I think I might get some of those tiny carabiners and use those to attach the box to the side and back of the cage.

I use strips cut from my scrap 2 x 4 wire. I cut 2 pieces, and attach one to each back corner of the box. Run them through the cage wire, and bend them to hold the box in place. Removable, reusable, and cheap.

 

[CarsLops]

I use strips cut from my scrap 2 x 4 wire. I cut 2 pieces, and attach one to each back corner of the box. Run them through the cage wire, and bend them to hold the box in place. Removable, reusable, and cheap.

That's an even better idea! Cheap but functional is my faviorite

 

[bobqdevon]

I can post a picture of it if you need it

 

[GBov]

I have six cages with built in wire nest cages that hang from the bottoms of the cages. When its cold I put in card board or, if the cold surprises me, I can wrap the entire nest cage with a towel or hay or feed bags and tie it on.

Need to make some wire nest cages for the rest of the herd, its so nice to have them always in with the does.