Changing nestboxes

[dayna]

So geeze. I'm really kind of learning on the fly, but thankfully my rabbits are very forgiving.

I have a week old litter and a day old litter. I was going to use cardboard as the nesting box and that was working GREAT, until I noticed a wee bit of mold on the outside of the cardboard box on the week old kits.

soooooo I went and bought two wooden nestboxes (they had no metal ones) and switched out the babies with all their straw and fur and put them in the wooden ones.

Since I put all their stuff in there do you think the mommas will have any issues? They are both first time mommas and both have had lots of changes in their lives since they got pregnant. Today I'll be moving all three rabbits to a safer, yet drier, location.

I thought having rabbits in Hawaii would be easy. We've got decent temps, but this rain we've been having is not ususal and the buns are getting wet. So my next idea is to hang their cages in our Chicken House. It's a 10 feet long by 6 foot wide "dog run" with a roof and tarps to keep the wind off on three sides. I think it'll also keep the rabbits safer from the dogs. My GSD showed a NOT GOOD interest in the rabbits and now she runs to where she knows they are as soon as I let her out. And their safety is very important to me, I'm having to keep a very very tight rein on her and I'd prefer to just let her run around.

 

[Secuono]

Changing nests should be fine, but wood can/will also mold. You need to keep it dry and out of rain as well.

 

[dayna]

I think I'm going to need to order some metal nestboxes. One big issue here in mold even inside the house! Anything in a closet that is not washed about weekly starts to mold. ALL my shoes I brought from Alaska I had to throw away because they got so moldy.

I'm going to have to figure something out to keep the rabbits healthy.

I've seen the way some keep their rabbits here... And it's not pretty.

 

[3mina]

I'd recommend wire nestboxes. MSD has pics of hers and in your climate they'll probably do well for you.

 

[MaggieJ]

Good point, 3mina. Dayna, MSD is MamaSheepdog, just in case you care still getting acquainted with us.

Hanging the cages in the chicken house should help keep the bunnies dry. Just be very careful that the chickens cannot get up on top of the cages. Their poop could cause issues for the rabbits - especially in your climate. Ventilation is very important for rabbits. You may need to remove the manure more often than in a cooler climate... but I'm sure you can tell how often it needs to be done, just by "following your nose".

 

[dayna]

I got two of the hutches hung, and they are up high enough that the chickens can't get to them. I don't have room to hang the third so I'm going to keep her somewhere else. lol

All seems well with the buck for the move, he didn't care in the least! He's pretty easy going though, he hangs with me in the macaw flight chewing on grass.