How long before a singleton kit can maintain body temp?

alforddm · Nov 22, 2016

I had a doe deliver a single kit a week ago. I've been keeping it inside and taking out for feedings but at what point should it be able to maintain it's own body temperature? It's not terribly cool here yet. We've been having high temps in the 60's-70's and lows right around freezing. This is a good doe made a wonderful nest with a ton of hair. I just let her get too fat over the summer.

Also, I've already bred her back so when should I wean this single kit. I was thinking about 3 1/2 weeks. Thoughts?

MaggieJ · Nov 22, 2016

I don't have an accurate answer for you, but in your place I'd keep it in until its eyes are open. By then it should be well-furred and able to manage at least in the daytime. You might still want to bring it in at night for a while longer, depending on the nighttime low temperatures.

Making kitchen oatmeal available to it as well as hay and pellets should help the weaning process. 3 1/2 weeks sounds okay to me given the situation. You may find the doe weans the kit herself along about that time.

alforddm · Nov 23, 2016

Thank you. That makes sense.

ButtonsPalace · Nov 23, 2016

I have a singleton kit as well, she's about 11 days old now and has grown a much more dense coat than I've ever seen on a baby, I will say she's not in the direct weather but it does get pretty chilly when the wind blows into the room. I've not had any issues with her being chilly and it did get into the 50's in their room for a few days, it gets to freezing at nights as well. Not sure how much this will help... But she's doing awesome

alforddm · Dec 7, 2016

Well, I'm a bit disappointed. I found the singleton dead this morning. The day before yesterday she had hopped out of the nest so I opened the front of the box so it could get back inside. I was gone all day yesterday and rushed through feeding when I got home just right at dark (I don't have electric out at the rabbits). I didn't actively check any of the babies yesterday like I normally do every day.

I use a bass sani nest with is doe. This morning I found the nestbox closed and the poor baby behind it dead. The only thing I can figure out is that the doe pushed the door of the box shut and it hung shut instead of swinging back open. Then when the kit jumped out it couldn't get back in and chilled. It had just turned 3 weeks old on Monday.

I hate to lose babies.