When to remove the nest box?

[Shawntess]

Question I have 2 female rabbits not sure which one had the babies. I ha e 7 babies that are 3 weeks old if I remove the next box and let them wonder around will the adult bunny that is not the mother hurt them

 

[White's family farm]

Putting does together is generally frowned upon, but the one time I did it and had kits they were fine when I removed the nest box.

By 3 weeks I imagine they're hoping in and out of the box anyway.
Hope that helps

 

[Preitler]

It's not frowned upon, but it isn't the most easy way to raise rabbits, needs more space than two minimum cages, and one has to like to do it that way. There is a learning curve for sure, but for me totally worth it. A lot of the joy raising rabbit brings me comes from their interactions.

I always keep my breeding does in pairs, there never ever was a problem with the second doe and the kits, they become pretty good stepmums and take some stress off the mother. They are social animals after all.
It can be somewhat tricky if both does have a litter, making sure they use the right nestbox and that the kits don't go to and fro if they are not the same age until the smaller ones are about 3 weeks, my setup is two hutches per pair, connected with a tunnel which I can close off easily to give a doe privacy or to make her use the right nestbox, never seperate for more than 2 days, uand they get garden time together. I use 6-8" boards to block older kits from trampling the other nest and raiding the milk buffet.

I keep the box in as long as they use it, 2-3 months. Those are closed solid wood boxes, rather big with one entrance.

 

[northernnevadahollandlops]

I keep my does together too, with zero problems. Is it possible both of yours had babies? Or are they all from the same litter? If you want to know who the mama is, you can check their bellies and see if either of them pulled fur and who has enlarged nipples. I would watch to make sure the other doe has good instincts and doesn't try to hurt them, but I'd think that is a rare case...?

 

[eco2pia]

My hutches have shared walls that are adult rabbit proof, but not baby rabbit proof. When 2 does have litters at the same time, babies roam back and forth at will, which complicates pedigrees, but mine are all freezer camp bound at this point so it is ok with me. I was worried about the buck, but he was gentle and kind with them also. By the time they are big enough to breed or get territorial they are too big to fit thru the wire. I think this gradual introduction probably assures the aceptance rate. I also think this gives them more floorspace to explore and more aunties and uncles to learn from. Given that they are not going to be kept that is of limited value to me, but I imagine it is nice for them.

 

[spencedr]

old thread but still a common question ...thanks to all , it does help.

 

[RustySssunflower]

I would take out the nest box at 2-3weeks but provide either a little house for shelter, or at least a small piece of carpet to they can sleep on there

 

[ladysown]

Can I ask what your set up is like for feeding with kits in the cage? Do you just put moms food in a bowl on the cage floor, or will they eat out of the J feeder ? Anyone use a creep feeder?

I have a small bowl that I will put ONE cup of mom's food in. Just enough the mom starts eating out of it and then the kits join her. Once the kits start pooping/peeing in that small bowl I remove it and they use the j-feeder with mom. Usually takes 7-9 days for that to happen.

 

[MnCanary]

I leave the nest box in as long as the kits use it. That can be 5 weeks or longer. Since they use it, I take that to mean they want to be in a protected place where they can pile in together.

My does aren't in a cage, though, but in a 20 square foot pen (or larger) so there is lots of room for a nest box.

 

[KelleyBee]

I’ve found turning the nest box on it’s side at 2 weeks to be very useful, as that’s when little ones start jumping out of the nest, but need a way to get back in and can’t, risking death through hypothermia. Think about as if they were in the wild: Mom would have dug a burrow (hole) in the ground. Naturally, that hole would have a sloping ramp to get up out of the nest. At two weeks, eyes begin to open and curious little ones begin to explore. In the wild, that means to eventually explore that ramp and to where it leads (the equivalent of the edge of the nest box). The difference is the little ones in the wild can easily return to the warmth and safety of the nest but cannot under our care unless we turn the boxes on the side at two weeks. Even so, I have had some kits open eyes earlier than two weeks and have found them out of the box, forcing me to place the nest box on its side even earlier. Best wishes on your babies!