Scratchin' my "Chin" on this one.

[grumpy]

My apologies, couldn't help but use a play on words.

Ruby's her name, a big ol' gal. Half American Chin/Half NZW. The NZW is her
sire. A first litter doe that's due today. She's a "box-pooper" and that's an
issue I've not had a whole lot of experience with.

I checked, and couldn't really tell "which" side she used. So.......in went the box,
on the right hand side 3 days ago. At a glance that evening I easily saw
she'd done her business in the box...Welp, okay. Out came the box and in
went a new one with fresh straw on the Left hand side. Good to go now,
I thought. NOPE...she dun it again...!! "She's an untidy housekeeper, for sure."

Out came the box, in went a fresh one with new straw. Only sideways this time.
So far, knock on wood, the straw's still clean and dry. Time will tell.

Anyone else? What was your solution?
Grumpy.

 

[Dood]

I have always hung my nest boxes over the cage door opening and haven't had any issues with the girls from either bloodline messing in them.

If there's room maybe give her two boxes to see if she will chose just one as a bathroom :shrug:

 

[CochinBrahmaLover]

"She's an untidy housekeeper, for sure."

Opposite. She's being clean and pooing in one spot, and you're only giving her 1 area to poo in. Give her a plastic litter box (plastic for convenience) and she'll favor one or the other. Just switch sides whichever one she doesn't favor. I would also put her food dish in it for her to eat in (or, if yours are hooked to the cage, put it under the feed opening). She'll eat and poo.

 

[grumpy]

"She's an untidy housekeeper, for sure."

Opposite. She's being clean and pooing in one spot, and you're only giving her 1 area to poo in. Give her a plastic litter box (plastic for convenience) and she'll favor one or the other. Just switch sides whichever one she doesn't favor. I would also put her food dish in it for her to eat in (or, if yours are hooked to the cage, put it under the feed opening). She'll eat and poo.

I kinda sorta did that already...LOL. I've kept "snuggle-boxes" for kits that
have left the nest but still need some warmth at night. They're about 3.5
inches tall with a footprint about 2/3's the size of my regular nest boxes.

I placed it in the predominate corner Ruby uses and thus far she's not
pooped in her box. We'll see what happens. I fully expect she's kindled
during the night. She looked like a little soccer-ball last night when I finished
up chores. She's just one of those "odd" does with some quirky habits
that I need to learn about and make the proper adjustments. Once I can
do that, she and I will get along fine.

Grumpy. <br /><br /> -- Sat Nov 15, 2014 9:55 pm -- <br /><br /> Well,
Ruby kindled...but NOT in a fashion that would be called "normal". :x

I placed a clean nest box mid-center of the cage away from both back
corners...But, Ruby didn't like my arrangement. Instead, she chose to do
some remodeling herself.

There was a "gap" between the side of the box and the back of the cage
about 10 inches wide. Ruby took every single length of straw out of the
box and piled it in the gap. She pulled a healthy amount of hair, made
a pocket atop her pile of straw and kindled 11 squigglies. I was amazed.

I watched her for a while and finally realized what was wrong. She does
not like the shape of my regular nest box. The way she manipulated the
straw and put her nest into a far corner gave me a pretty good idea of
what she wanted. She preferred her own "design" over mine...LOL.

"All right! You old blister. Give me about 15 minutes and I'll be right back."
Off to the shop I went. But, I was wrong. It took me 20 minutes. :x
An open-topped box, shorter in height, shorter in length, but wider in width
with a shorter front board sloped up to the back.....was exactly what she wanted.

I put her in a replacement pen while I cleaned hers out and placed the
kits in the new box ""near the farthest back corner"" fluffed up her nesting
hair over the babies with about 3 to 4 inches of crushed straw underneath.

I cursed, "There!! Now, you old Bat!! If'n this don't suit ya, I'll pitch your
butt in a stew pot!!" Ruby slipped softly out of my arms, went straight over
to the box, took one SNIFF and plopped down on her side....content.

She glanced at me as if to say, "What's for dinner, Pop?" :lol: :lol: :lol:

Grumpy.

 

[Zass]

Grumpy, did you go against your own advice and actually purchase a MATURE brood doe?
Already set in her ways? :lol:

At least you know all her kits will be accostomed to YOUR rabbitry. :razz:

 

[grumpy]

Grumpy, did you go against your own advice and actually purchase a MATURE brood doe?
Already set in her ways? :lol:

At least you know all her kits will be accostomed to YOUR rabbitry. :razz:

NO WAY..!! LOL. I did not.

I've had Ruby since she was about 12-14 weeks old. I got her in a trade.
She's surely got a "different" personality than my other meat rabbits.
She's a bit bossy. Somewhat cranky but not overly so. I like her a bunch.

grumpy.

 

[Zass]

Grumpy, did you go against your own advice and actually purchase a MATURE brood doe?
Already set in her ways? :lol:

At least you know all her kits will be accostomed to YOUR rabbitry. :razz:

NO WAY..!! LOL. I did not.

I've had Ruby since she was about 12-14 weeks old. I got her in a trade.
She's surely got a "different" personality than my other meat rabbits.
She's a bit bossy. Somewhat cranky but not overly so. I like her a bunch.

grumpy.

Had I looked carefully, I would have seen you mention it's her first litter.

It's neat to see how an experienced "rabbit person" can guess just what that animal might be thinking and troubleshoot in a way that someone new to the species wouldn't ever guess.

Good job figuring out just what was on that doe's mind!!!! :cheer1: :cheer2:

 

[grumpy]

I was lucky a little. I could tell she wasn't content with the way things were.
Her "message" although subtle let me know she wasn't happy with her digs.

I glanced in on her before coming to the house and she'd already fed the kits.
The hair was opened at the top and I could see little white Ping-Pong ball
bellies down in there.

Grumpy

 

[Miss M]

:lol: This is just too funny!

 

[3mina]

Go figure. A rugged indiviualist raising a rugged invidualist :twisted:

 

[Rabbitdog]

Camera workin???
Come on, we gotta have pics!

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Boy, Grumpy, I think you're gettin' a mite soft. :hmm:

Big, tough, commercial rabbit breeder like yourself building made-to-order custom houses for his does? okeeye:

Seriously, though, you have a lucky herd of rabbits, to be in the care of a "thinker" like yourself.

But I have to wonder- what is your first passion? Writing, wabbits, or woodshop? Seems like you just can't stay away from the power tools for long...

 

[grumpy]

Boy, Grumpy, I think you're gettin' a mite soft. :hmm:

Big, tough, commercial rabbit breeder like yourself building made-to-order custom houses for his does? okeeye:

Seriously, though, you have a lucky herd of rabbits, to be in the care of a "thinker" like yourself.

But I have to wonder- what is your first passion? Writing, wabbits, or woodshop? Seems like you just can't stay away from the power tools for long...

MSD: That's a good question. LOL.. I've asked myself that for longer than
I care to remember. I can confidently say, "I've worn many hats." I've
always kept myself busy with one thing or another. It would be tough to
choose only one pastime and be content. I'm "wound" a little different,
I suppose.

From trapping renegade bobcats to writing a love story encompasses the
range of my interests. It's a bit diverse....that's for sure. I've always
taxed myself to do more, to learn more, to experience more. I've never
stopped wanting to learn all that I can about many varied subjects.

I've never wished to travel, preferring to "stay-put". Yet, I've set foot in
every state West of the Mississippi and Canada, along with Mexico. I've
never been East of the Big River. Kinda weird...

I "sit" and I "watch" and I "learn" when I do so. Just like Ruby. I eventually
learned what she "didn't" want. I was lucky insofar as I got her box right
the first time. Otherwise, I'd still be down there hammerin' away.

I attempted to locate my camera....I just forgot the last place I put it.
Once I remember, pics will be on the way.

Ya'll have a pleasant evening. Got 26 head goin' to market @5:30 in the
morning. Another long day....who would have guessed.

Grumpy