Hey, im new and i have a couple questions

[Sliver_fox_lover]

So I'm just getting started with rabbits, my plan is to use them mainly for meat but I'd like to do show as well. I've been researching breeds and I've fallen in love with the sliver fox's and we found a breeder who lives not far from where I live. I've hand-made cages and I've taken a butchering class and I'm working on nesting boxes but I don't know whether to do wire bottoms or wood bottoms? Also I don't know what else I need for them like what kind of food, do they need certain minerals or vitamins? Like what else should I get?

 

[ladysown]

for the nestboxes you mean? I do solid wood bottoms, but I live in SW Ontario... winters get a tad bit cold.

 

[ladysown]

You need a regulated Temperature between 68-72 Degrees. Otherwise you are putting the kits at risk.

kits regulate themselves just fine... UNLESS the weather is super hot and they have no protection from the sun, or momma has built a horrid nest. Hot kits spread themselves out all over the box.... cold kits huddle in the fur.

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

I deal with specialty Holland Lops for pet purpose, but that is how we have done it for years and never had any issue with bunny health, weight, etc.

No offense and I don't mean to come off as rude but couldn't you of made just one or two comments instead of multiple?

 

[eco2pia]

Hi and welcome. I am in western washington, and I think our area is pretty much rabbit heaven. they do very well outside here with minimal shelter--a little shade and a roof is plenty. For nest boxes made wood ones but made the back half of the floor out of this material. Pee drains, and the kits can move to the solid floor if they are cold, the perforated one if they are hot, and mom jumps in on the wood part.

 

[Sliver_fox_lover]

Right you are in Oregon right now in the middle of a heat wave correct?

Yeah we are but it's supposed to go down soon. We are planning on picking up our rabbits near the end of September

 

[Sliver_fox_lover]

Okay I have another question are the lips on the edge of the nesting box required? Like what's the point of it

 

[Alaska Satin]

So I'm just getting started with rabbits, my plan is to use them mainly for meat but I'd like to do show as well. I've been researching breeds and I've fallen in love with the sliver fox's and we found a breeder who lives not far from where I live. I've hand-made cages and I've taken a butchering class and I'm working on nesting boxes but I don't know whether to do wire bottoms or wood bottoms? Also I don't know what else I need for them like what kind of food, do they need certain minerals or vitamins? Like what else should I get?

For food, @Matthew Paz has good advice - try to get the same diet as they were eating at their former home. You can switch over to another brand of pellets, but it's best to do it gradually, since rabbits harbor a community of microorganisms in their gut that is basically tailored to digest the particular food they eat. The microorganisms will adjust to a new diet, but it takes time, and if you change suddenly the rabbit can end up with a major belly ache (or worse).

If you are feeding a good-quality brand of rabbit pellets, that's all they technically need. Many of us also give hay and greens as well, but whatever you do, do it slowly. It's also a good idea to avoid sugary foods (e.g. lots of carrots or apples); while a little bit doesn't generally hurt, too much can cause overgrowth of less-desirable microorganisms and again, a belly ache (a lot like humans!)

Rabbits also need something to chew on to keep their teeth healthy. Pellets can fulfill this need as well, but I like to give our rabbits branches (willow, birch, aspen, spruce, tamarack, apple, etc.) which not only gives the rabbits something to chew and play with, but the bark contains additional nutrients and other healthy compounds. Willow is especially useful as its bark contains a natural analgesic which rabbits will often use to self-medicate. Anyway, your rabbits will likely chew their cages unless you give them something else to work on (and they may still chew the cages as well!).

As far as nest box bottoms, I use both solid wood bottoms and boxes with screen bottoms. I do actually prefer the wire bottoms as the boxes don't get soaked by the bunnies' urine, and I use them year-round here in Alaska without issue. The perforated material suggested by @eco2pia looks great and more sturdy than the fine wire mesh I have in my boxes - when I rebuild my boxes I may have to look into getting some of that. My does and bunnies seem to move around in the boxes a lot so I use the mesh for the whole bottom, not just the back.

Okay I have another question are the lips on the edge of the nesting box required? Like what's the point of it

It's not really necessary and it's a bit harder to build (I build wood next boxes and the lip is about 1" - 1-1/2" wide), but I do like the lip for two reasons. One is that it seems to help keep the kits from hanging onto the mother as she leaves the box - it kind of scrapes them off as she leaves, thus preventing kits laying on the wire and getting chilled to death. The other reason is that it seems to function as a sort of landing platform for them to get back into the box if they do pop out.

 

[Sliver_fox_lover]

For food, @Matthew Paz has good advice - try to get the same diet as they were eating at their former home. You can switch over to another brand of pellets, but it's best to do it gradually, since rabbits harbor a community of microorganisms in their gut that is basically tailored to digest the particular food they eat. The microorganisms will adjust to a new diet, but it takes time, and if you change suddenly the rabbit can end up with a major belly ache (or worse).

If you are feeding a good-quality brand of rabbit pellets, that's all they technically need. Many of us also give hay and greens as well, but whatever you do, do it slowly. It's also a good idea to avoid sugary foods (e.g. lots of carrots or apples); while a little bit doesn't generally hurt, too much can cause overgrowth of less-desirable microorganisms and again, a belly ache (a lot like humans!)

Rabbits also need something to chew on to keep their teeth healthy. Pellets can fulfill this need as well, but I like to give our rabbits branches (willow, birch, aspen, spruce, tamarack, apple, etc.) which not only gives the rabbits something to chew and play with, but the bark contains additional nutrients and other healthy compounds. Willow is especially useful as its bark contains a natural analgesic which rabbits will often use to self-medicate. Anyway, your rabbits will likely chew their cages unless you give them something else to work on (and they may still chew the cages as well!).

As far as nest box bottoms, I use both solid wood bottoms and boxes with screen bottoms. I do actually prefer the wire bottoms as the boxes don't get soaked by the bunnies' urine, and I use them year-round here in Alaska without issue. The perforated material suggested by @eco2pia looks great and more sturdy than the fine wire mesh I have in my boxes - when I rebuild my boxes I may have to look into getting some of that. My does and bunnies seem to move around in the boxes a lot so I use the mesh for the whole bottom, not just the back.


It's not really necessary and it's a bit harder to build (I build wood next boxes and the lip is about 1" - 1-1/2" wide), but I do like the lip for two reasons. One is that it seems to help keep the kits from hanging onto the mother as she leaves the box - it kind of scrapes them off as she leaves, thus preventing kits laying on the wire and getting chilled to death. The other reason is that it seems to function as a sort of landing platform for them to get back into the box if they do pop out.

Thank you so much yall are life savers but, what if I don't have birch or those kind of trees in my area could I give them like the pine and red Wood branches? Or would that hurt them also do you have any other suggestions? Like other things to get to be prepared? Also should I prepare to hand raise kits? I've heard that first time mothers usually eat their kits. Also if I touch them will the mother abandon them?

 

[Alaska Satin]

Thank you so much yall are life savers but, what if I don't have birch or those kind of trees in my area could I give them like the pine and red Wood branches? Or would that hurt them also do you have any other suggestions?

I'm not sure about pine or redwood, though spruce is fine. Look for some deciduous hardwoods rather than conifers, they're usually good. You can use birch, poplar, maple, alder, cottonwood, apple, pear, crabapple, etc. Avoid cedar, it's got oils that can upset stomach and damage fur.

Also should I prepare to hand raise kits? I've heard that first time mothers usually eat their kits. Also if I touch them will the mother abandon them?

I wouldn't expect to hand raise kits. Silver fox have a reputation for being good mothers.

Not true about first time mothers usually eating kits. Sometimes first-timers are kind of clueless, but most of mine do fine. Do watch for kindling so if the doe "misses" the nest box and has one or more on the wire, you can put the kits in the box yourself (the doe will find them to feed them). Also have some extra fur or cotton batting or wool or something insulative on hand, in case she doesn't pull fur timely or in great enough quantity at first.

Also not true about touching them causing abandonment. In fact many of us think it's better to handle the bunnies, see a related thread here:
https://rabbittalk.com/threads/handling-babies.36726/#post-355975

 

[Sliver_fox_lover]

I'm not sure about pine or redwood, though spruce is fine. Look for some deciduous hardwoods rather than conifers, they're usually good. You can use birch, poplar, maple, alder, cottonwood, apple, pear, crabapple, etc. Avoid cedar, it's got oils that can upset stomach and damage fur.


I wouldn't expect to hand raise kits. Silver fox have a reputation for being good mothers.

Not true about first time mothers usually eating kits. Sometimes first-timers are kind of clueless, but most of mine do fine. Do watch for kindling so if the doe "misses" the nest box and has one or more on the wire, you can put the kits in the box yourself (the doe will find them to feed them). Also have some extra fur or cotton batting or wool or something insulative on hand, in case she doesn't pull fur timely or in great enough quantity at first.

Also not true about touching them causing abandonment. In fact many of us think it's better to handle the bunnies, see a related thread here:
https://rabbittalk.com/threads/handling-babies.36726/#post-355975

Okay thanks! This might be put of the blue but how do you insure a doe is pregnant? Dose she show signs? I know they pull hair a couple days before but how do you know earlier in the pregnancy?

 

[eco2pia]

first time moms can be hard to tell. they get a little rounder about a week before. Some people can palpate and feel the kits in the mom's stomach, but that takes practice, so the best rule is to put a nest box in at 28 days and leave it until day 35 or so before you declare the doe is not pregnant.

In older does it is sometimes possible to see the kits kicking when she lays flat, and one of my does makes so much milk you can see the development of mammary glands to the point that it looks like udders--we call her our dairy rabbit and I joke about trying to make rabbit cheese.

 

[eco2pia]

The perforated material suggested by @eco2pia looks great and more sturdy than the fine wire mesh I have in my boxes - when I rebuild my boxes I may have to look into getting some of that. My does and bunnies seem to move around in the boxes a lot so I use the mesh for the whole bottom, not just the back.

Honestly, the initial reason was that the sheets came in a 12x12 square, or were prohibitively expensive in larger dimensions. My big does need an 18" box, so I just made up the difference with plywood, and the boxes have worked great that way, and were a little easier to build. But I do notice the kits pick different locations sometimes, either way they stay dry.

 

[Scooter1A]

when i built my outdoor hutches i used untreated pine. my nesting boxes have slide out bottoms. hutches are wire bottom. use the same pellets your breeder uses and get some grass hay from a local farmer. ask your horse friends. add in your natural greens that are untreated in your yard or garden. you will learn what they like. start small and have fun. rabbits are very smart and most are very sweet. keep them calm and stress free. my doe is due next saturday and we're going into a freaking heat wave so she will probably be brought into the basement to keep cool. the humidity here is what gets us.

 

[Scooter1A]

Okay thanks! This might be put of the blue but how do you insure a doe is pregnant? Dose she show signs? I know they pull hair a couple days before but how do you know earlier in the pregnancy?

she will eat more from the time of conception on and maybe be a little grunty. that's what I've found anyway.

 

[ladysown]

The advice I give people when they purchase a bunny from me (some follow, some don't) is for the first two days ONLY feed the pellets from the breeder. I give enough pellets for about a week. After that, for each scoop you take out, mix in one scoop of the feed you plan to switch them to. Mix it together and repeat. Eventually they will be completely on the new feed.

 

[Sliver_fox_lover]

The advice I give people when they purchase a bunny from me (some follow, some don't) is for the first two days ONLY feed the pellets from the breeder. I give enough pellets for about a week. After that, for each scoop you take out, mix in one scoop of the feed you plan to switch them to. Mix it together and repeat. Eventually they will be completely on the new feed.

Omg that's smart thanks!

 

[ladysown]

Okay thanks! This might be out of the blue but how do you insure a doe is pregnant? Dose she show signs? I know they pull hair a couple days before but how do you know earlier in the pregnancy?

you could choose to learn how to palpate. There are videos on-line that will teach you how to do it. Done between day 11 and 14 post breeding. Otherwise some rabbits will show a belly, others will not. Some will nest early, some will nest just as they are delivering, and some afterwards (and all at different points in-between). And they aren't always consistent from one litter to another.

I personally do not choose to feed more during pregnancy. Rabbits should be able to carry a litter without requiring extra food. And feeding them more can make them build up internal fat if they aren't pregnant. I give a nestbox when they ask which in MY herd in generally between day 10 and day 2 before delivery. You'll find rabbits are different in different herds. I don't keep ANYONE who causes me trouble. For instance... if ALL my young does are getting bred ... and I have one that refuses to breed... I won't keep that one. If all my experienced does are kindling and raising their kits just fine and one doe is being a dunce... I won't keep her. I might choose to breed her one more time WITH two other does due at the same time and simply foster her kits over.

A long time breeder told me... always keep your end goal in mind... and ALWAYS breed toward that. It's okay to have pets, but in a small herd only have one. Everything else... breed toward your goal. My goal in my herd. Small holland lops with excellent temperament that breed easy and raise kits easy. My meat rabbits need to have 8 kits per litter minimum (I can always cull down) and not be complete jerks. (my current doe is fiercely protective of her kits until they are four weeks old. I can live with that as she's easily distracted by food. my dwarfs are working toward the holland lop goals.... but they have only been with me for two years... its a work in progress.

 

[Sapphire16]

We are in Oregon, my daughter purchased small curly willow starts, they grow fast, are pretty and good privacy shields. The rabbits love them! We feed orchard hay, our rabbits much prefer it to timothy. We give free choice on hay and do not have tummy issues. As noted it is critical to add new food like fresh greens (never ice berg lettuce) a little at a time so their gut adjusts. We are in a heat trend in Oregon during summers, lasted last year into October so make plans on how you are going to keep them cool in 100 plus degree weather. We breed from October on, and our kits do well here during the winter, if the weather is very cold, we add a pressure sensitive heating pad (specifically for rabbits) under their nextbox. Many do not do the heating pads, it is a personal choice so as not to stress the kits trying to stay warm. Best wishes on your rabbit endeaver, they are wonderful! We raise pedigreed Rex and Texas A&M heritage Tamuks.

 

[Sliver_fox_lover]

We are in Oregon, my daughter purchased small curly willow starts, they grow fast, are pretty and good privacy shields. The rabbits love them! We feed orchard hay, our rabbits much prefer it to timothy. We give free choice on hay and do not have tummy issues. As noted it is critical to add new food like fresh greens (never ice berg lettuce) a little at a time so their gut adjusts. We are in a heat trend in Oregon during summers, lasted last year into October so make plans on how you are going to keep them cool in 100 plus degree weather. We breed from October on, and our kits do well here during the winter, if the weather is very cold, we add a pressure sensitive heating pad (specifically for rabbits) under their nextbox. Many do not do the heating pads, it is a personal choice so as not to stress the kits trying to stay warm. Best wishes on your rabbit endeaver, they are wonderful! We raise pedigreed Rex and Texas A&M heritage Tamuks.

We live in oregon too but that's smart how much we're the heating pads?