Question on a idea

[cmabb]

Ok I have two does that are due this Sunday "fingers crossed" It is still hot outside like 100's and 90's. My question is, can I take the nest box and babies inside the house and also bring in the mother but she stays in a carrier. Is it ok to separate mother from babies during the days but of course reunite them for feeding. Will that upset the mother and will she unwant them ? This is the first time I'm dealing with litters and Sunday will be the last time we hit the tripe digits. 90's from here on out. Sorry my head is hurting from all the questions I have.

 

[Kevin S.]

A guy I follow had to do that several times this year. My understanding (but I warn you, I am new at this) is that the does feed in the mornings, and leave the kits alone most of the rest of the day, so taking them in for a few hours in mid day should be fine. One thing to be careful about, don't shock them by taking them straight from the heat, to the cool inside. You want to be gradual about it, same goes for returning them to the heat.

Here is a video that may help. http://www.youtube.com/user/JRSKICK1#p/ ... tiMqEvusM8

 

[cmabb]

Ok I can do that. I also was told to wear gloves and have a bottle of vanilla on hand. I dont want to have to do it but I cant have dead babies/mom. Frustrating as it is.<br /><br />__________ Tue Sep 20, 2011 9:52 pm __________<br /><br />Kevin S. thanks so much for telling me about that video. I already have my does inside the house in carriers during the hotest part of the day. So if I just stay to routines, they wont notice the differ.

 

[akane]

You can take kits out to does once or twice a day with usually no problems. I'm not so sure you'll have luck with moving a doe right around when she is due or right after she has kits. They quite dislike change during that time and may refuse to feed at all. The one time a doe had kits a week early and we didn't find the single kit in a hay pile in her cage before completing a massive cleaning operation and moving everything around she was highly upset. Despite being in the same cage still she went a bit nuts running around digging at everything. Threw the kit and all bedding and nest material out of the box we tried to put it in. I ended up having to pull the kit out for 24hrs until she had calmed down and then hold her over the nest box to get her to start feeding. It did end up working out but that was one of my most laid back does. I can't imagine if that happened with one of the more high strung ones. Odds are the whole litter would be lost if I tried a major cage change right around the time they gave birth.

 

[Legacy]

I have had to bring babies in many times. Don't put the kits in a very cool place though. Leave them in the warmest part of the house.

I think moving the doe is very risky will make her more agitated. I wouldn't do it. You don't have to wear gloves. Rabbits won't disown their babies if you have touched them. That only applies to wild rabbits if it exists at all. They usually feed at dusk/dawn. Just make sure the babies are with her all night and they will be good. Bringing them in the middle of the day will be no problem at all.

 

[ottersatin]

What I do when it is atrociously HOT or extremely COLD is:
Bring the nestbox full of kits in the house.
This is where they stay until I go out in the morning to Feed and Water the herd.
The box or boxes go in with their Dam and stay there until I am done with my chores.
Then they are taken back into the house unless it is unseasonably warm/cold out.
It only takes 5 min or less for the Dams to finish feeding, so there is no reason
to leave the kits with their dam if the weather says not to.
The Dam will not refuse to feed their kits if you remove them, in fact she can't
wait to feed them as she is full of milk that needs to be expressed.
I NEVER use vanilla or gloves or any other unnecessary devise.
Your rabbits know your scent and will not harm their kits because they
smell like you. As always, JMPO.
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[MaggieJ]

Other members have pretty much covered your questions, but I do want to agree with Ottersatin that you do not need the vanilla and gloves. In fact, they are more likely to upset the doe than help. After all, she knows your scent... It is on her feed, cage, her... so why would it upset her on the kits?

 

[cmabb]

Ok I will definatly (sp?) remember that. First litters are hard cause you dont known what to expect. thanks for all your help. We will just see what happens. I'm excited and nervous at the same time. So fingers crossed we have babies this time!!!

 

[LilFish_JWQueen(:]

Yep ive many many times when it gets very cold or hot take them in the house then take em out to be fed by their mother once a day. I also know someone who had a bad experience with a doe killin her babies so she takes every nestbox in her house and takes em all out to nurse once a day...seems like a lot of work to me but its what works for her and she has more live babies now so. Also your smell should not be a problem

 

[hoodat]

You can never be sure what a change in the routine will do to a rabbits behavior but when the alternative is dead kits I don't see that there is much choice.