When to clean the nestbox with new kits

[lostcreekrabbits]

Hi all, firstly, I tried searching "nestbox cleaning" and "cleaning the nestbox" but the search engine straight up stonewalled me

so my question is this, how regularly do you clean your nestboxes with a new litter, I don't want to "over-handle" the kits and have something go wrong but at the same time I don't want them wallowing in filth, and do you save the pulled fur or will the doe just haul some more out to supplement any that was lost?

Thanks, Jake

 

[MamaSheepdog]

It is recommended to do it before the kits eyes open in hopes of minimizing "nestbox eye". Rebed the nest, and put the fur blanket back in. If the doe is urinating in the nest you will have to clean as necessary to remove wet bedding. A few bunny berries are considered normal, and the doe will purposely deposit a few in the box for the kits to eat at first to establish gut flora.

Don't worry about handling the kits- the more the better is the general consensus on RT! Here is an article that will allay your fears regarding handling newborns:

gentle-handling-promotes-health-fascinating-article-t6142.html?hilit=early%20handling

 

[lostcreekrabbits]

Thank You! that was an interesting read for sure, I think I'm gonna cean up shop tonight and see how it goes, I have an extra nestbox I can put the popples in while giving the original one a gut swamping out

I can also get an exact headcount, trying to count popples in a pile is like counting snakes in a jar

 

[akane]

You can't over handle kits. You can be in the cage of a nervous doe too much but the box can be removed to handle kits if that's a problem. A doe will not reject them and they will not suffer any if you aren't rough (they are pretty durable though) and it's not real cold out. The only problem with cleaning and even frequent handling is the loss of too much fur to keep them warm, especially outdoors in cool weather.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I give my does a treat while I check the kits to keep them busy and also so they will associate my messing about with their nests as a positive thing... "Yum! A Dobby's Delight horse cookie! You kits are on your own!"

 

[lostcreekrabbits]

This is good to know, it's kindof tough walking by the rabbit cages in the morning, knowing that there's 10-ish?? kits under there and the most you can do it's part the fur back and make sure they're all still kickin

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I often count them by taking them out and putting them in my shirt next to my skin to keep them warm. It can get a bit ticklish, and sometimes you get peed on, but I worry about them getting chilled this time of year. In the warm months I just set them in a container with bedding.

 

[skysthelimit]

I just had a thread about this a week or two ago. I keep my kits in the house with me, and only take them out twice to the mother. Not once has any doe refused to nurse the kits afterwards. I was really worried about losing fur that I couldn't replace, I haven't been able to keep any extra fur until recently with the lost litters.

 

[lostcreekrabbits]

Alright, just finished up swampin out the nest box, the fur floats through the air like dandelion duff, 10 plump, healthy kits and of course forgot the camera

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Alright, just finished up swampin out the nest box, the fur floats through the air like dandelion duff, 10 plump, healthy kits and of course forgot the camera

Of course! :lol:

 

[lostcreekrabbits]

yeah, I wanted to get pics of all of the colors that there are in the nest box but just plain forgot the camera, there's 3 that are grey/white mottled (not sure if that's what's referred to as broken) 5 white, and 2 jet black (one of these is the runt)

 

[AnnClaire]

Hi LostCreek ... handle those babies! :lol: I have closed wooden nest boxes and they are easy to take out of the cage, and I just take them in the house to my work table where I have a scale, a couple of different sizes of plastic tubs to hold kits after I take them out of the box, plus a tub to weigh them in. I just take the top of the fur out and put it in the holding tub.

So, the morning after kindling, I take the nest box inside and clean up any birthing fluids, placenta's, DOAs, and lift the nest to slide newspaper up under it. If you feel the nest, there should be a bowl in the back with a "lip" in the front, and it should be packed well enough to hold together when lifted. This should last at least a week, but if you feel wet hay when you check the nest, just pull that part out and the doe will probably rearrange the nest when you put it back.

Also, if you "lose" any of the fur, she should pull more to replace what is lost.

I have one doe that rebuilds her nest every day and there is more and more fur each time :lol: And, she "plugs" the nest box too ... doesn't want me "in the nest" at all

I took a series of videos with the first litter if you are interested in looking:

Weighing MR babies:
http://youtu.be/FZFBbDis75o

Day3 weight:
http://youtu.be/B6ISwzoHnFI

Day7 weight:
http://youtu.be/aQiMVoMZInE

Playtime1:
http://youtu.be/t4fFrIid5p0

Day9 weight:
http://youtu.be/tlz-6fmoQ5A

Day10 weight:
http://youtu.be/EqYZD-KZJ5Q

Supplement Day9:
http://youtu.be/HPSk01-6xiw

Day12 weight:
http://youtu.be/5-V_a5X09uY

Day14 basket:
http://youtu.be/ai81RyQzOFs

Day16 Basket:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HISnVZzsg9M
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GSxTeFQCpFw

Day18 Basket:
http://youtu.be/1UvqsSRV5Lo

Day20 Corral:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iBr1jINUzXU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z_qFip9XOsQ
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yXxpN1B7CYs

Day22 Outside:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJpqXeFcaKg
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EUCj4yvTeXI

Day27 Corral:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08K5dWiKoJc
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hdom_ppVWL0
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIUu3TA0LHY
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8MlDqR4Iao
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6emMDdVPWtM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jID1m5bDziE

 

[Miss M]

Yes, it is very good to take out the nest box a while after the doe is finished kindling, so you can remove anything the doe did not clean up, and you can remove any dead kits. This helps keep the rest of the kits healthy, so it is an important step.

Of course, having your camera handy is also an important step, as we thrive on pictures!

Handling them regularly, even daily, helps them grow up sweet. When we have kits, there's hardly a time when my kids are outside that they aren't carrying kits around with them.

 

[lostcreekrabbits]

Nice! I want to thank everyone very much for this outpouring of valuable knowledge, it's great

 

[ShadowJudy56210]

It is recommended to do it before the kits eyes open in hopes of minimizing "nestbox eye". Rebed the nest, and put the fur blanket back in. If the doe is urinating in the nest you will have to clean as necessary to remove wet bedding. A few bunny berries are considered normal, and the doe will purposely deposit a few in the box for the kits to eat at first to establish gut flora.

Don't worry about handling the kits- the more the better is the general consensus on RT! Here is an article that will allay your fears regarding handling newborns:

gentle-handling-promotes-health-fascinating-article-t6142.html?hilit=early%20handling

I have a question. I have a doe who just gave birth to a litter of 3. They are about to be a week old but I don't know what to do about the fur. Most of it is twined with bedding and hay but I dont know if I should try and take out the hay as much as possible or if I should throw it out? I really dont know and I dont want then to get nest box eye. (This is also my first time having kits that arent a cat or dog)

 

[jaxmarblebuns]

I have a question. I have a doe who just gave birth to a litter of 3. They are about to be a week old but I don't know what to do about the fur. Most of it is twined with bedding and hay but I dont know if I should try and take out the hay as much as possible or if I should throw it out? I really dont know and I dont want then to get nest box eye. (This is also my first time having kits that arent a cat or dog)

as long as it isn't soaked in pee then you are fine to keep it. that's what i do and i my 15 years of raising i have never had nest box eye.

 

[ladysown]

people have told me for years, clean out the nestbox to prevent nestbox eye. You know what I've learned... nestbox cleanliness has NOTHING to do with nestbox eye. SERIOUSLY. I"ve had filthy does raise kits with clean eyes, strong bodies, etc. I've had spotlessly clean does produce kits with eye issues. EVERY SINGLE LITTER.

I came to the conclusion...
1. DO NOT keep or rebreed does that create kits with eye issues. Kits have eye issues ...it's a pathogen from the doe and I don't want it in my herd. THIS has removed nestbox eye problems COMPLETELY in my herd. Doesn't stop the random idiotic kit from occasionally damaging an eye... but the nestbox eye stuff... GONE. So much time saved doing this.
2. clean WET boxes. Remove the top dry layer, pull out the wet stuff, and put in new. For me that means ... since I give my does straw as their initial nesting material I pull out the wet gick and then put in a small layer of sawdust (to soak up any remaining wetness) and then relayer the straw. I normally do this around day 8-11 depending on the nest. I DO NOT give them a new nestbox as I've had does flip the box on me in the past.
3. I don't mind poop in the nestbox. It's does feeding their kits nature's way.

Day of birth I do check the box for forgotten placentas, dead kits etc. I do a daily check for life and action. Beyond that, I don't much mess with them until the cleaning day mark.... in the summer I don't give new nesting material, I merely pull out the gick and then tip the box. Kits will sleep in the box and you'll lose less from getting out of the box.

 

[MuddyFarms]

I found out about using some CareFresh natural paper bedding in the nest boxes under the straw to help absorb urine. It helps quite a bit. When I tried it without the bedding and just soft straw, I had to change it out more frequently. It doesn't take much of the bedding material to help, either. It is nice to know of multiple bedding options to help with that urine!

 

[FluffleFarm]

We used pine pellets under our straw and so far so good? It absorbs moisture and because it’s on the bottom the kits aren’t on it but the pee soaks down to it.

 

[northernnevadahollandlops]

@ladysown that makes sense that it comes from the doe.

I try to clean my nest boxes when the start opening their eyes. Keep as much of the dry fur and bedding and basically remake the nest: clean paper bedding, straw, and then hay, with the fur on top. By that point it's more for familiar smell than warmth as they are pretty fluffy by then. I don't feel clean until they are not using the nest box anymore.