Do you use dryer lint for your nest boxes?

[jimmywalt]

We have read that dryer lint can be used in addition to the does fur for nest boxes. Especially for does that have short hair like Mini Rex's.

Today we had our BEW Mini Rex give birth to 3 very healthy looking babies. The doe was pulling fur like crazy during the 2 hours leading up to birth.

Unfortunately within about 6 hours we found 2 of them dead in the nest box. They were scattered in the box. Our cages are kept in our attached 2 car garage here in Michigan. The temp inside our garage today is in the upper 30's to low 40's. It's unfortunate that 2 died but fortunately we have 1 that is still alive. We have decided to move the one remaining kit into another nest with four other 1 day old Lionheads. We also have decided to keep the nest box in the house and just take it out twice per day for feedings until the kits are a couple weeks old and have fur.

So my question................... What is the best way to use dryer lint? Do you put it in the cage with the doe a few days early and let her carry it in the nest box? Do you put it in the nest box yourself? When?

Thank you.

 

[Zass]

If kits are found dead scattered about a box, watch your doe closely to make sure she isn't napping in the nestbox. Especially if they are scattered about with full tummies.

I found 5 kits born outside the fur of the nest in my last litter, they were tightly packed together to keep warm. They must have been so intent on staying close to each others heat that it never occurred to them to crawl three inches over to fur pile. :shock:
Thankfully, they were still alive when I found them. Some were pretty chilled, but "all came back to life" when I brought them inside and warmed them up.

I think you could add dryer lint to a nestbox anytime. Just place it right overtop the kits. My own dryer lint tends to have long coated dog fur mixed in. I'm afraid that it could tangle the kits.

I suppose if I really wanted to use it I could clip it up into short lengths with scissors before adding to a nestbox.

 

[Miss M]

I have used dryer lint. You do have to be careful to remove long hair from it. It also can vanish into the hay, or compact into unhelpful balls, so you may have to replenish it.

You can tease cotton balls and use them, as well.

 

[Marinea]

I have used dryer lint. I try to use the doe's fur under the kits and just put the lint on top of the kits. I find that it does get mixed up wit the hay in the box, but still keeps the kits warm. I do replace it every few days if it gets damp from urine.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I'm not sure if I have ever resorted to dryer lint or not. :? I know that I have used fur from other does in the past, but I no longer bother with any "foreign" material- I just pull fur from the mama doe. I raise mainly Rex and their short fur isn't a problem, you (or her) just need to pull plenty of it.

Do leave a nest box with the doe despite the fact that you fostered her kit. Her nesting instincts may kick in a bit late, so if she has access to a nest she will be able to at least practice her nest building skills.

 

[Miss M]

We keep fur from both does and bucks, with no issues at all. When we have a rabbit start molting in clumps, we pull out the baggie and start plucking fur.

 

[Sagebrush]

I just got this image of you and Shay out there with fur flying plucking all those molting rabbits.... :twisted:

 

[Zass]

We keep fur from both does and bucks, with no issues at all. When we have a rabbit start molting in clumps, we pull out the baggie and start plucking fur.

I've done this as well.
I'm thinking about shearing fresh pelts.
My does usually pull plenty of fur, but I wouldn't mind having more on hand just in case.