Should I Leave Them Out?

[The_Dutchess]

All of my babies have fur and some have their eyes open, and the ones that have their eyes open simply WILL NOT stay in the nestbox. I have been putting them back in when they get out, but now that they are older and have fur and such can I let them stay out? Leaving them out would be a lot easier as I am usually gone most of the day, but will it endanger the kits?

 

[ek.blair]

Shouldn't hurt to leave them out or put something infront of the nestbox as a "step" for them to climb back in when they want to. I pulled the nestbox out with my first litter at about 12 days as they were not staying in :angry: I was tired of putting them back in only to have them be back out again the next time I went in which is only once in the morning and a few times in the evening as I am gone all day as well. They had all of there fur and most of them had at least started to open their eyes. My second litter is a week behind the first and I have only once found a kit outside the nestbox and they are at 2 weeks old tomorrow and most are starting to open their eyes but don't really show a desire to want out of the nest box. I guess they are all different

 

[ottersatin]

How old are the kits?
If they are already furred out it is likely
that they are ready to be free of the nestbox.
At four weeks it will be very hard and unnecessary to
keep them in the nestbox. If they want out, they WILL be out!
Ottersatin. ldtimer:

 

[Miss M]

As long as they can't get through the wire, and can get back into the nest box if they want to, it's okay for them to be out.

I usually put babies back in the box until they're more like two weeks old, but sometimes I just can't get them to stay. I'll do things like remove much of the nest material, remove almost all of it from the front, stuff like that... but sometimes, they just can't be kept in.

Make sure you have a brick in front of the box, or something so they have a leg up if they want back in.

 

[The_Dutchess]

I have some boards and a ramp for them to get back in but they won't. They are fully covered in fur, although the fur is short but it's pretty hot out here right now. They are 10 days old. And their segment of the hutch is on wood so I don't have to worry about wire unless they get to the main part of the hutch by mama.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Since they are in a wooden part of the hutch it is kind of like one big nestbox anyway. I worry if only one is adventurous because it can get cold without the others, but if a bunch are out they can snuggle together if they need to.

 

[The_Dutchess]

Five - six babies are out and I put some hay and fur in there for them to snuggle in. If they all get out then I probably will just take the nest box out and put a bunch of bedding and fur in there and give them something to hide in. <br /><br /> -- Thu May 29, 2014 9:14 pm -- <br /><br /> I put the nestbox on its side, and they are so far doing well. But they are everywhere! When I first took them out, I discovered that 9 babies tired me out and wreaked havoc for five minutes before settling down. I can't imagine poor Lovey, as soon as she enters their segment of the hutch they charge her and demand milk! Greedy little buggers.

 

[Miss M]

:lol:

Yep, they sound rather normal, if a bit precocious! So funny to watch. A little worrisome at such a young age, but they'll probably be fine. If they won't be kept in the nestbox, all you can do is adapt. :roll:

 

[The_Dutchess]

This morning I found them sleeping in a big puppy pile. I touch one's head, and he bolts forward, startled, causing a chain reaction and it was like a bomb exploding as kits bolted everywhere. I'm like WHAT..JUST..Happened!!??

 

[ek.blair]

This morning I found them sleeping in a big puppy pile. I touch one's head, and he bolts forward, startled, causing a chain reaction and it was like a bomb exploding as kits bolted everywhere. I'm like WHAT..JUST..Happened!!??

They probably thought you were mom coming to feed them! :lol:

 

[Miss M]

This morning I found them sleeping in a big puppy pile. I touch one's head, and he bolts forward, startled, causing a chain reaction and it was like a bomb exploding as kits bolted everywhere. I'm like WHAT..JUST..Happened!!??

They probably thought you were mom coming to feed them! :lol:

Yep, that would be why we call them "popples"... they pop like popcorn! :lol: