Keeping Kits Warm in C-C-C-Cold weather

[Rabbits by Accident]

Hi again

I have a doe with 6 Tamuk-cross kits, so possibly thinner fur? They are 16 days old. A few days ago the weather changed to 20-25F and I put a heating pad under their nest box, set to 95F (not sure how accurate it is, but it had to go through a layer of plastic before it even got to the hay/fur)

They love it and are spreading out as if they are warm.

Weather should be going back to 30-35 at night and 60-70 in the daytime.

I should probably remove the heating pad so it doesn't make them princesses! (and possibly less sturdy)

Question for future situations: at what temperature would you add supplemental heat? And when would you remove it? Remember we and our rabbits are thin-blooded down here in warm Texas LOL - Tamuks are bred for heat tolerance (as am I, at 50F I have to put on a jacket and hat hahaha)

Thanks for any help, info, or suggestions.

- Liz

 

[Mariah's Meadows]

When it gets below freezing and you have young kits, adding supplemental heat is always a good idea but not necessarily required as long as the area is well-insulated and has good bedding. The times I would consider it to be required is with a litter of 3ish or less, especially if they are itty bitty kits. A single kit won't be able to produce enough body heat by itself, so uses the rest of the litter to collectively keep warm. Only having 3 kits is usually when I notice a lack of sufficient body heat build-up in the nest. If I have another litter of similar age, I'll split them up so each nest has 4 or more. If I don't have enough for a good split, 1) they are combined into one nest for whichever is the more capable/caring mother doe to raise, 2) the nests are brought indoors and put in a warmed area until feeding time, or 3) supplemental heat is added. I'll remove supplemental heat sources at 5 weeks old or when we get to "warm" mid-40's/50's F temps.