We had a litter of two bunnies born today, (Californians) it is supposed to get down to 25 degrees tonight. Will two be able to keep warm? This is a wooden nest box with a wire bottom covered by cardboard. It is stuffed with straw and the fur the mother pulled. Thanks
how cold is too cold for a litter of two?
- Thread starter roanhorse
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A good nest might be fine at 30 but below that I'd bring them inside overnight. The mother won't stress much about it. Some people bring all their boxes in and take them out for a short time every morning and possibly evening. Most does do fine with it.
I brought them in that night and took them back out in the am. She got in and fed them when I put their box back in her cage. Last night was just supposed to get down to 32 so I left them with her and they were fine. Tonight back down in the 20s so I will bring them back to the house. Thanks for the info.
I had a litter of two last winter and a couple of days after they were born the temps went down to -25c for two nights and the two did fine. Morgan buried them deep down in the nestbox and they were snug as a bug. She uses straw from the colony floor and the nestbox is 3/4" plywood with a mesh bottom. It would probably be recommended that they be brought in at that temperature just to be safe, though.
TwoAcreDream
Well-known member
My 2 mixed does currently with litters did just fine in the cold.
NY here. We have had some brutal low temps lately.
They pulled lots of fur, and made a nice hole for them in the hay,
in the nest box. I kept checking the boxes to make sure they fur
was adequate to keep them covered. They both fostered extra babies.
Now at 2 weeks, the youngsters are starting to get interested in
checking things out. I have wooden box, think step in front of the
nestbox for them, in case they come out, they can get back in.
Well it worked for the last litter I used it on
These are in big plastic dog kennel crates. So I think that helped
a lot. A bit more cleaning, but so far, it is manageable.
I have a Holland lop due today, and I am checking her often.
Same set up for her. When I had her in the wire cage, she was
messing in the nest box, no matter where I put it. In the dog
crate, the nest box is clean. Not sure why. The floor in the
crate has sawdust. I have draped the 3 crates with a blanket
to help keep the cold out. I thinked that helps a lot also.
NY here. We have had some brutal low temps lately.
They pulled lots of fur, and made a nice hole for them in the hay,
in the nest box. I kept checking the boxes to make sure they fur
was adequate to keep them covered. They both fostered extra babies.
Now at 2 weeks, the youngsters are starting to get interested in
checking things out. I have wooden box, think step in front of the
nestbox for them, in case they come out, they can get back in.
Well it worked for the last litter I used it on
These are in big plastic dog kennel crates. So I think that helped
a lot. A bit more cleaning, but so far, it is manageable.
I have a Holland lop due today, and I am checking her often.
Same set up for her. When I had her in the wire cage, she was
messing in the nest box, no matter where I put it. In the dog
crate, the nest box is clean. Not sure why. The floor in the
crate has sawdust. I have draped the 3 crates with a blanket
to help keep the cold out. I thinked that helps a lot also.
Desert Rose Rabbits
Well-known member
Ditto on the cold. My last litter kindled in below freezing temps and did just fine. I did line the bottom of the box with a napkin or two (wire bottom), and then put a bit of hay on it. Other than that I didn't make any changes to the nestbox. Everyone survived and did just fine!
