DOE peeing in nest box with babies

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

How can I stop a doe peeing in the nest box.. she didn't do it before and now the babies a week old and she started dirting in the next box... under the babies were all wet from pee and she poops in there to... I don't have a smaller box to put in there... any ideas to stop this

 

[ckcs]

Hopefully someone will answer this. I have a doe right now doing the same thing. She hasn't in the past.

 

[Zass]

Yeah, one SF doe I had did that.

All I could do was clean the bedding constantly. The nest boxes were the right size, the same size I use for all of them, and she was one of my larger rabbits.

Poor kits were all stained up the first litter I had on her, before I knew she had that particular problem. Replaced her as soon as I could, too, cause she never did stop.

If anyone has any tips I'd be really grateful in case it happens again!

 

[skysthelimit]

I haven't figured it out either, but now I put wire nests in with those that pee. I don't know if they are doing it while feeding or whether they are marking?

 

[BlueMoods]

I have yet to stop that either. I usually end up bringing the kits in and taking them to the "pissy" doe for feeding, then back in to clean and refresh the nest myself. Those does would have to be very high production to last more than two litters here. I raise meat and, really don't enjoy babysitting for less than stellar mother rabbits.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Ok. thanks everyone.. I will just keep cleaning until they leave the nest or she stops...

 

[michaels4gardens]

I have yet to stop that either. I usually end up bringing the kits in and taking them to the "pissy" doe for feeding, then back in to clean and refresh the nest myself. Those does would have to be very high production to last more than two litters here. I raise meat and, really don't enjoy babysitting for less than stellar mother rabbits.

I have the "baseball" rule for rabbits like that--[ 3 strikes and your-"OUT" ]
sometimes it is a one time nasty habbit, and sometimes it is a "from now on" habbit, -- but-- I can't babysit either, -- I try to check and then clean wet/dirty nest boxes, -- but-- if they ween too few, or if the kits die because of the mess, the does will "strike out" and be replaced.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I agree with your Michaels4gardens... but this doe is really nice type and really good dense coat and good line.. I have to keep her until I grow out some of her does...I am getting pretty thin in my herd .. I am keeping allot of my babies ... then if she does it again in the next litter or if the babies dies ect.. She will be put in the freezer. Seems I only have one good doe in the angoras that isn't doing some wrong. It is so maddening to have them mess in their box like :evil: I am having problems with doe doing things to there babies.. One eats a whole litter.. another one eats one baby and the other mess in the box.. :x

 

[michaels4gardens]

sometimes I have more trouble in the winter when it is real cold out-[ below 0 f ] -- I think some does get cold and get in the nest box, -- and then start to pee and poop in there, -- I have experimented with making a cardbord box full of straw for the doe to "sleep" in out of the cold-- and it seemed to help some-[ but made the cage too crowded]-so--- now I make a covered /enclosed area in the top shelf of the cage in the winter for them to hide in-out of the wind [but away from the nest box, - it seems to work pretty well.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

there is no wind where my rabbits are.. so I know that isn't the case.. and right now it is not that cold here in the pass week when she started .. so I know it wasn't the cold. I think she is just a lazy rabbit and goes where she pleases.. .. but she dosnt do it in there all the time.. It seems only when she is feeding them.. I wonder if she is marking them as hers? because when I check on them she gets annoyed and jumps in the box and starts checking them to make sure they are still there.

 

[michaels4gardens]

good luck-- sometimes it is just a doe who is worried / nervous, who gets bad habbits and messes in the box or starts to get aggressive