1st Timer is building nest outside nestbox...

[Frecs]

I have two does, both due to kindle --like...now. I, again, put the nestboxes in too early. I saw nesting behavior and thought they were ready and gave them their boxes two days ago. There has been much activity since then.

Jumpp (1st timer) liked the material I put in the nestbox but removed it and built a nest in the corner of the cage by the door. Today, I came home and she had fur everywhere, but mostly in the corner where she had clearly been busy all day building a nice soft nest -- next to the nestbox but not in it. When I moved the nest materials to the nestbox, she got quite indignant and began removing it and putting it back into the corner.

What can/should I do at this point? She is likely to kindle tonight or tomorrow...or so I'm thinking. Should I leave her alone until she kindles and then move the kits and nest into the box?

(Oh, the other doe, Country Mile, is a 2nd timer. She has not yet pulled fur. She seems to have shaped the nestbox but is not as intense about it as Jumpp. She failed to care for her first litter and the survivors had to be fostered out. I was hoping she'd figure it out this time.)

 

[skysthelimit]

When the mini rex did this, I just put two next box in, side to side, right where she was building her nest. If you cage is bigger than mine, put another in, she might give up ad put a nest in one of the boxes.

 

[jessie15273]

When the mini rex did this, I just put two next box in, side to side, right where she was building her nest. If you cage is bigger than mine, put another in, she might give up ad put a nest in one of the boxes.

I had a rabbit that insisted on building a nest on the wire. I gave her all of the extra nestboxes, since they werent being used. They took up the whole pen and that took care of that problem! She straightened out the next time