Advice for Moving Kits from Bathroom to Outdoors?

[Miss M]

We're at the end of our Bathroom Bunnies time; the porch construction is finished, and it's time to move the bunnies back out to the porch. All I'm unsure of is the temperature change and how much of it bunnies can handle. I guess the two adults can take it well enough, but I've got eight 1.5-week-old babies. They've furred out about 1/3 of an inch now, more or less. (and they're growing like WEEDS! ...but I digress)

(and they're so soft... our DS will get one to curl up in his hands, and then he'll rub it all over his face like it's a Buf Puf.)

Okay. The temperature inside here is 68-70*F. Here's the local forecast for the next week:

Monday: 58* Monday night: 43*
Tuesday: 50* Tuesday night: 34*
Wednesday: 54* Wednesday night: 32*
Thursday: 56* Thursday night: 34*
Friday: 61* Friday night: 40*
Saturday: mid 60s Saturday night: upper 40s
Sunday: upper 60s

Is it okay to move the little buns out there tomorrow into a nice, hay-filled (and fresh fur) nesting box that has only a hole in it for entrance? Or will the temperature difference over the next couple of days be just too much?

 

[MaggieJ]

The problem as I see it is that they will soon begin popping out of the nest and, at first, may not be able to get back into the warmth. Is there any way you can keep them in the bathroom for another week or two until they are more mobile?

 

[Miss M]

Oh... I thought the real danger of them hopping out of the nest happened after they were 2 1/2 - 3 weeks old; I didn't realize it started this early.

I'm also concerned about what happens when they start hopping out of the box they are in in the bathroom. Of course, the sides for that are even higher than the hole in the nesting box outside... I just don't want one to get stepped on.

It's a little bit of a frustrating quandary... I'd really like Thumper back on the porch today. He's trying to mate with everything that moves -- your knee or back if you're trying to clean his litter, your foot and leg while you try to use the toilet or brush your teeth, even your hand when you try to pet him. I've really got to get Thumper out of the bathroom.

At the same time, our porch is done, but the porch next to us is being worked on now. But once that's done, other porches nearby will be replaced, and I can't shield the bunnies from the noise forever. It takes 1.5 - 2 weeks to replace a porch. At least it isn't right outside our sliding glass door now.

Maybe I can keep Pearl and the babies in here a bit longer, I'll discuss it with my hubby. Thumper can go out today, right?

 

[lyndseyrk]

If it was me, I'd move Thumper outside now. Depending on how low the front of your outdoor nestbox is, I'd wait until they are 2 weeks, then put them outside. I remove my nestbox at 2 weeks. In the winter, I replace it with a winter box (basically the same thing, but with lower front, making it much easier for them to get in/out.<br /><br />__________ Mon Mar 01, 2010 12:59 pm __________<br /><br />When you do move them outside, do it in the warmest part of the day. That way, as the day goes on and it slowly starts getting colder, they can adapt.

 

[MaggieJ]

The lower winter nest box is a good idea, Lyndseyrk. I use a brick next to the nest box to give the kits a step to get back into the nest box. It seems to help. The main thing, Miss M, is to make sure that the kits can get back into their cozy nest when they start popping out. The age this happens seems to vary from about 10 days to about 3 weeks. I'd say 2 - 2.5 weeks is about average.

 

[Miss M]

Right, okay, I've seen mention of your winter box, Lyndsey, and the bricks you use, Maggie. Our nesting boxes are permanently attached to the back of the hutch. There is a small space that separates the two, and there's a light bulb in there to warm the wood and take the edge of the chill off.

With the divider in, there's really very little room for a separate winter box. My husband is going to fashion a separate cage for Thumper, and we'll be able to take the divider out. Then I could put a little box in there.

The inside dimensions are about 9.5"x16", with the hole 4.25" up. Add hay, and they can get closer to the hole. They're already climbing all over the hay in the nest box as it is, the little boogers! Tunneling I had seen; climbing on top of it is new as of this morning. 11 days old now. Getting some opening eyes, too.

From the cage side, once through the hole, the litter is 1-2 inches below. From the lip of the litter box to the floor of the cage is 4 inches, wherever they go over. I can put a brick or two on one side of the litter box to make it easy to get into.

I'll put Thumper out there in about a half hour. It's really nice out right now, so the change should be easy, and he can adjust as the temp falls tonight.

He's a very sweet bun; he's just very ready for action... which makes it difficult to get things done... brushing your teeth while shaking a determined buck off your leg gets a little old... :x :lol:

I'll keep Pearl and the babies inside as long as I can... I'd like to move her out as soon as I reasonably can, though, because she's still nibbling at the water line a little here and there, in spite of the soap. I have filled the bathroom with things for her to chew on; it helps keep her off of it too. I just don't want a flooded bathroom!

Ugh... pollen... allergies... blech.

 

[Devon's Mom Lauren]

Perhaps you can move them back out now and just bring the kits in during the night for a little bit longer. You are not describing a huge temp. difference especially during the day, so it should be no problem for any of them. If you think its going to get really cold or the kits do look like they are leaving the nest early , then bring them in for the night.

 

[lyndseyrk]

Miss M, I'm not sure exactly how your attached boxes are setup, but would it be easier to make the front (entrance)adjustable? For example you you make the front edge of the box removeable? You could have two front pieces: one about 5 inches tall (to keep babies in) and then another about 2 inches tall so babies can go to and from. It could be as simple as using screws to attach the piece, unscrew and switch them out as needed. Just thought this may be easier with future litters, than having to rearrange everyone whenever you have babies.

 

[Miss M]

Perhaps you can move them back out now and just bring the kits in during the night for a little bit longer. You are not describing a huge temp. difference especially during the day, so it should be no problem for any of them. If you think its going to get really cold or the kits do look like they are leaving the nest early , then bring them in for the night.

I had seen somebody talking about doing this with a litter once, and I had wondered if it was something you could pretty much do whenever, or if you only did it in certain situations. Thank you! I may do this!

Miss M, I'm not sure exactly how your attached boxes are setup, but would it be easier to make the front (entrance)adjustable? For example you you make the front edge of the box removeable? You could have two front pieces: one about 5 inches tall (to keep babies in) and then another about 2 inches tall so babies can go to and from. It could be as simple as using screws to attach the piece, unscrew and switch them out as needed. Just thought this may be easier with future litters, than having to rearrange everyone whenever you have babies.

It's pretty much just a divided wood hutch with wood nest boxes mounted to the back, and a hole for each cut through the rear panel of the hutch. The only way to change the height of the hole would really be to have my husband build new nesting boxes, so hopefully this will work out okay. We'll keep a close eye on them... which won't be hard, since they'll be right on the other side of the glass...

(Some day, we would love to not be in an apartment anymore, and we could have some of the really nice setups like we've seen on here! We dream of owning a small farm... nothing huge... just enough for a couple of goats, some chickens and rabbits, a big garden, some fruit trees, and maybe a horse.)

Well wait to put the babies out. I may have to put Pearl out there first, not only because of the water line, but also since she's finally given in to the temptation to munch on the baseboards. Can't have that in an apartment!

__________ Tue Mar 02, 2010 9:18 am __________

Lyndsey... I forgot to explain something... the only reason we're having to rearrange everyone is that our upstairs neighbor's porch got rebuilt, and we had to get everything off of the porch. The hutch went out into the grass, but we brought the bunnies inside. They've been living in the bathrooms until all the commotion was done and we had a porch again. So I'm just trying to transition them back out there... I won't have to play musical bunnies in the future when I've got a litter due!

I put Thumper back out there yesterday, and he was doing fine. We were really enjoying having one of the bathrooms back, and not having a moving obstacle to avoid! Then my husband came home from a trip to the store last night, and said it might be good to bring Thumper back in for one more night, because there was a lot of lightning out there. *sigh* So he's back in the bathroom... but not for long! Today's forcast: sunny! <br /><br />__________ Tue Mar 02, 2010 10:57 pm __________<br /><br />Well, I never got Thumper back outside today, because it stayed a full ten degrees cooler than it was supposed to be. I figured he could deal with a drop of 15-20 degrees okay, but to just throw him out into a 30 degree difference I felt was a bit much to ask his little body to do all at once. So, the next opportunity to put him outside will be Friday or Saturday. :roll:

I understood bringing him in again last night, instead of having his first night back outside be a thoroughly scary one, but I was really enjoying having a bathroom back! Oh, well.