Taking nestbox/kits out of mom's cage & returning to nurse?

[bitterroot]

Saw this mentioned somewhere, and am interested in finding out more. I've got a couple FW does that will be kindling soon, and one of them is a complete psycho. The rabbits are kept in my garage for the time being, and every time anyone is out there moving around she goes nuts. Of course we try to keep our being out there to a minimum, but some trips through are necessary.

I'm thinking maybe I should take the nestbox out when she isn't feeding kits, to keep her from inadvertently hurting them.

I've tried a forum search, but am unsure what I should be searching for, so haven't been able to turn up anything. If anyone's got some links or some info, that'd be fantastic. Thanks!

 

[SarahMelisse]

I have a grumpy doe that I do this for. I put the nestbox in the doe's cage during the early morning from about 6am-8am, then bring the nestbox inside during the day. I take the nextbox back out for a second time from about 7pm-9pm, then bring the nestbox inside overnight.
I'm sure other people do it a different way, or not at all, but this has worked really well for me.

 

[AnnClaire]

I do this regularly ... I feed in the morning during the winter, so I take the kits out and put them in with the does while I go about feeding the other animals. Take them back in during the day and then take them back at sundown for another feeding while I water the garden or do other chores.

Mom only takes a few minutes to feed the kits ... when you see the first one sit up and lick its lips, even if it goes back for more, the doe will be "done" shortly LOL

As for the spastic doe, are you the breeder of that doe? If you are, why are you catering to her hysteria? She needs to be desensitized to your activity around her cage or you stand the chance of her dead from a broken neck/back from her antics which would be tragic. If she came from another breeder, well, check the kits to see if the nervous behavior is genetic or environmental, then decide if you want that behavior in your herd

 

[SarahMelisse]

AnnClaire has a good point. If your doe only produces psycho offspring, then she isn't worth keeping. My "grumpy" doe is only grumpy when pregnant and I tolerate it because she produces the sweetest babies with the most beautiful wool ever.
Her litter will tell you if she is worth breeding again or even worth keeping around.

 

[ladysown]

Ditto on the behaviour thing. You don't want to breed that in.

Another way to handle the psycho does is to drape something over their cage to make it more den like for them.

But yeah, i'd be taking the nestbox out until she settles down a bit.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Another thing to help to come down rabbits. Is to put in a radio. It will help with all background noise.

 

[hoodat]

Another thing to help to come down rabbits. Is to put in a radio. It will help with all background noise.

Some Yanni might be nice. Those pan pipes sound like rabbit music to me

 

[SarahMelisse]

Another thing to help to come down rabbits. Is to put in a radio. It will help with all background noise.

Some Yanni might be nice. Those pan pipes sound like rabbit music to me

:rotfl:

 

[MamaSheepdog]

every time anyone is out there moving around she goes nuts.

There may be some things you can do to solve that problem, and a little time spent now will hopefully save you the time and hassle of moving her nest in the future.

When I am approaching my BunnyBarn, I always start talking to my rabbits before I get there. Thankfully we don't have any near neighbors, or I'd be known as the crazy bunny lady, with my "Hey, bunny-bunny-bunnehs! Hi bunny, hey bunny. Bunneh-bunneh-bunnehs!!!" :roll:

Once I am there, they don't care what kind of noise I make, but if I "sneak up on them", bunny bedlam ensues, and they careen all over their cages. :x

I would recommend taking her out of her cage at least once daily for 5-10 minutes, and giving her a "bunny massage". Place her on your grooming table and scratch her rump to loosen up the fur, and firmly rub her fur towards her head and back to her rump. I usually mist my rabbits with water so the loosened fur sticks to my hand. By spending this time with her, she should come to realize that you are not a predator bent on making a meal of her, and will hopefully calm down when in her cage.

Another thing that may help is to bring her within sight of a high traffic area of the house so she becomes accustomed to seeing people go by.

Until she calms down keeping her nestbox out of the cage is the safest option for the safety of the kits.

Good luck! Hopefully you will have a calm, laid back bunny before too long!

 

[SarahMelisse]

Well said MSD!

 

[AnnClaire]

MSD - I do have close neighbors, but I generally talk to the animals when I go out the back door anyway I do notice that when I am working outside and come around the house to the back, the buns in the runout pens will all freeze until I say something ... like they are waiting to be sure I am who I seem to be :lol: Otherwise, it is bunny blender time :groooan:

 

[bitterroot]

Sorry guys, I forgot about this thread.

As for the spastic doe, are you the breeder of that doe? If you are, why are you catering to her hysteria? She needs to be desensitized to your activity around her cage or you stand the chance of her dead from a broken neck/back from her antics which would be tragic. If she came from another breeder, well, check the kits to see if the nervous behavior is genetic or environmental, then decide if you want that behavior in your herd

No, I am not the breeder of this doe. I don't think the breeder did much but feed them, and pull them out of the cages by their ears for breeding/shows/etc. She recently kindled, one kit dead on the wire. I purchased these animals for meat production, and seeing how she acts, have zero desire to hold back any of her kits. The other doe who kindled though, has been a great doe and I'll be happy to hold back at least one of her daughters from her current litter.

All of the rabbits, with the exception of miss nutso, have really calmed down. While the other two does don't exactly run for the door for pets like the buck does, they at least greet me with a "HI FOOD LADY!" and run for their bowls to sit and wait. Calf Manna is magical stuff! Nutso no longer hurls herself around the cage when I go out,she still doesn't look entirely comfortable either. She's convinced the moment she lets her guard down, I'll eat her or something. She will sneak to her bowl for a couple bites of treats if she thinks I don't see her, so I think it'll just be a matter of time.

Thanks for the help and the advice.

 

[AnnClaire]

You may need to simply take her out of the cage and hold her against your chest with her head under your chin and simply stroke her a time or two, then put her back and give her a treat (like, put it in a bowl until she will take it from your hand.) Ritz crackers (or the cheap knockoff at the dollar store) is like getting bunnies hooked on crack(ers)

 

[3mina]

I've got a doe like this but she's calming down nicely the more I handle her