odd doe behavior

[DBA]

One of my mini lop does is expected to have a litter in the next couple of days. I put a nest box in with her this afternoon.
It was immediatly clear she didn't like this new contraption in her space. She started clawing and scratching at the sides of it. Now she is in it, trying like hell to dig to China through the bottom.

This will be her first litter since I have had her. I've never seen a rabbit do that before.

Is this just natural instinct coming out? Trying to dig a burrow for a nesting area?

If it matters, its a metal TSC nest box, with a layer of cardboard for the floor of it.

 

[katiebear]

My does dig a lot..in the corners of the cage before I give the nest box and in the nest box...put a couple of handfuls of hay in it so she can start to arrange it..But yeah, she is acting normal.

 

[DBA]

Ok, thanks. Yeah, I have hay in it. I put a big handful of pine shavings in the bottom, then loosely filled with hay, then I give her a small pile of hay outside of the nest box so she can carry more in as she sees fit.

 

[macksmom98]

Ours has been doing this a lot lately, and I have also just tried to appease her by giving her hay and a grass mat to dig and chew on.....

 

[Zass]

Yep, burrowing.

 

[Marinea]

And don't be surprised to see the shavings or even the cardboard dug out of the box. They can get intense with the digging...and the rearranging...and the digging.

 

[DBA]

Wow, you called that right, there isn't a whole lot left of the cardboard now.

 

[Silver Cloud]

Put a couple tp (toilet paper) rollers in there for her to chew on it helps some times and they love them. lol <br /><br /> -- Fri Mar 13, 2015 4:07 pm -- <br /><br /> Not the paper towel rollers that have glue all over them or blue in color (not sure if the blue ones are colored with any thing that might hurt them).

 

[ladysown]

sounds like EVERY single one of my does except mousewhisker...she just sets in for the first night to make a dent. Then ignores it till she has her kits. They go in the dent and she covers them with a whole mound of hair. (and empty grain bowl if I stupidly leave in there).

 

[DBA]

And now she is pulling fur, she might have the kits tonight rather than Sunday.

 

[Celice]

congrats!! lets hope she dose well with them!!!!

 

[DBA]

I probably won't get much sleep tonight. Thinking back to a conversation I had with the previous owner of my doe. She had a litter with them, but, if memory serves, she had them on the wire, none survived. But, it was her first litter and she was quite young.
I have had her for a couple of months now, and next week she will only be 10 months old. So, hopefully she will do better this time, but I will keep an eye on her, just incase.

 

[alforddm]

They go in the dent and she covers them with a whole mound of hair. (and empty grain bowl if I stupidly leave in there).

She covered them with the empty grain bowl? :lol: :lol:

 

[Celice]

They go in the dent and she covers them with a whole mound of hair. (and empty grain bowl if I stupidly leave in there).

This has happened to me before! it's why I don't put bowls in the hutch anymore!

 

[DBA]

Well, she fooled me, no new babies yet.

 

[Susie570]

They go in the dent and she covers them with a whole mound of hair. (and empty grain bowl if I stupidly leave in there).

This has happened to me before! it's why I don't put bowls in the hutch anymore!

I mentioned this in another thread, but my doe tried to carry a shoe into her nest. :roll:

Silly rabbits.

 

[DBA]

Silly rabbits.......




Trix are for kids. <br /><br /> -- Sun Mar 15, 2015 4:49 am -- <br /><br /> Ok, I don't think mini lops like having babies. I don't think they get pregnant, I think they just like to make us think they are pregnant. Put on a good show, and then laugh at us when we continually check on them and never find any kits.

 

[ilovehome]

I so appreciate the does who have them while I am out there feeding or cleaning. However 95% of them keep me up all night checking on them...lol

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Nothing yet, huh? What day is she on?

Some does go a little longer in the cooler months. I've also seen them go longer with smaller litters.

Hopefully you will have popples soon! :good-luck:

 

[DBA]

Today is day 31, she was bred on February 12. <br /><br /> -- Sun Mar 15, 2015 11:43 am -- <br /><br /> And she was bred quite well I hope. The buck, Turbo, had some stamina. 4 fall offs in about 10 minutes.