2 Does Per Cage

[KentuckyHare]

Hello - I have a few does that I keep together until I breed them. After weaning the kits and a week or so - I put them back together. I've been reading about leaving the does together when bred. Since the cage is confining; especially with 2 boxes; if I tried this - I have the following questions:
1) Minimum cage size for 2 "breed"(9-12lbs) does.? Do I have to use a large colony without size restriction? I have a 48"x36" - I was thinking about.
2) Need 2 reg nestboxes or ? (line entire floor w/hay)?
3) What happens if one doe misses?
Thanks In Advance,Mike

 

[MaggieJ]

My gut feeling is that it is iffy but may work. Is the 48" x 36" cage one that you can easily divide if problems occur? Door placement and door size are factors in this. It's not a huge area for two does and their kits, but it might work if the does are very bonded. You would need to be super vigilant in case something goes wrong. I think you would need two nest boxes... you don't want to encourage your does to "think outside the box" or it may be difficult to get them to use boxes another time.

 

[PulpFaction]

I think Maggie's right on. Ideally, you should try to figure out a way the cage could be divided if things go awry. I don't think for breeding purposes that you can skimp on cage area to save space. Maybe a nest box that attaches to the door would help on floor area?

 

[MaggieJ]

Exterior nest boxes would increase floor space considerably... but it would mean cutting the wire and you may not want to do that.

 

[ladysown]

when I kept does in twos I learned the following

does raised together will kindle in the same box.
does introduced will kindle in separate boxes and will tend to defend them.

IF one doe misses....tends to terminate the good relationship between the two.

 

[Anntann]

when I kept does in twos I learned the following

does raised together will kindle in the same box.
does introduced will kindle in separate boxes and will tend to defend them.

IF one doe misses....tends to terminate the good relationship between the two.

yup. What she said.

Except, it they're raised together from weaning, or before, if one misses, she'll become the babysitter most likely.

 

[akane]

I've done it with mini rex in a 3x6' cage but I don't think I'd try to build a cage large enough for multiple large breed does. It would be better to just go for a colony type setup where they are on the floor and you can devote more space. In a large area when they have a falling out they just lose some fur and avoid each other for a few days to a week. In a confined area someone could get seriously injured or killed before you notice. When I bred all the colony rabbits it went from everyone doing great one day to all out war within 12hours. Since they have 12x24' they just did some chasing, hiding, and only lost a bit of fur before they settled down again. In a cage most likely amako would have had her belly ripped wide open or her shoulder torn. She and demon rabbit got really wild tossing each other about and every so often Miyuki the champagne doe would add her say, flattening both of them. The ability to put space and items between each other is what ended each argument.