cleaning nest boxes

[coffeenutdesigns]

So, while checking the babies today, I am noticing some moisture from pee. The older ones are 8 days old and since there are just so many of them (10 in one box, 9 in another) it is obvious there is going to be more peeing going on. I want to clean out the nest box, but it's not like I have bags of extra fur laying around.

How do you go about cleaning solid bottomed nest boxes without losing all your nesting fur? I don't want them getting sick or cold from it. Just putting them in a towel lined basket as I pulled them out to check them, when I put them back in their box, the towel was really wet from just a couple of minutes.

 

[Secuono]

You should be able to save some fur and hay. Add a boat load of new hay, twist to make a nest, add the bit of hay/fur from the old nest and add the kits.

 

[skysthelimit]

After 8 days, I don't put any fur back in the nest when I dump it. Several of my does are really good about pulling more fur, and since I take the boxes in at night, I haven't worried about it. It's funny to come back in the morning after a temp dip at night, to find clumps of fur and hay, like the doe thought the kits might be cold, so she pulled more fur and piled up hay. Either I put it in or the doe does it when I put the box in.

 

[AnnClaire]

Also, line the bottom with a good pad of folded newspaper ... makes it much easier to lift out the old stuff and absorbs plenty of the moisture meantime.

At 8 days, I don't worry about saving the fur as the kits are fully furred at this time, and like Sky says, the doe will pull more fur if she thinks they need it. If you are really worried about it, start saving your dryer lint as that makes an acceptable substitute or can be used to augment when a doe doesn't pull enough fur.

 

[coffeenutdesigns]

Thanks! I have a bag of dryer lint I can use. I slipped some newspaper in today and pulled out the wetness that I could, but I will do a full clean out tomorrow.

 

[cathyd]

I have been using horse pelleted pine bedding in nestboxes for years along with fluffy pine shavings. (Equine Pine) I find it is super absorbant and I do not change nest boxes until eyes have opened. I layer our boxes; 1 inch of pine pellets, 1 inch of fluffy pine and then stuff hay in. Nestboxes stay nice even with big litters. I also steal pulled fur from other doe nestboxes as needed.

I check nestboxes daily to make sure babies are dry and the mothers have not done something stupid like pee in the box. Once the eyes open I change the nestboxes, take out most fur and add fresh hay to encourage babies to start nibbling on the hay.