Doe Not caring for babies?

[Kerstenl1220]

My Holland Lop Eared doe just had a litter of 6 kits. We have the buck in a separate cage, and the doe was doing well at first. She pulled out fur and made a nesting box and appeared to have been feeding them well. After about 3 days, she started to remove some of the babies from the nesting box. One got too cold and passed away. Tonight, she removed all the fur from the nesting box and the babies were cold and shaking. Their tummies are still round and it appears she’s feeding them, but she keeps taking them out of the box or removing all the fur. We remade the nesting box for her and got the babies warmed back up, but why is she doing this? Is there something different we should be doing?

 

[JBun]

Rabbits don't pick up kits like cats do. If the kits are found out of the nest box, it's more likely it's because they were still latched on when she finished nursing and jumped out. Or if there is also nesting material scattered outside the nest box with kits outside of it, she may have dug them out. It's hard to know why she might be digging out the nesting material. It could be boredom or she doesn't want the kits in there, really no way to know.

If you're concerned about the kits safety and surviving, I would remove the nest box and keep it separate in your home, somewhere safe and at a comfortable temperature for them. Then once in the morning and evening, return the nest box for her to nurse the kits, then remove it after.

 

[zuppa]

My Holland Lop Eared doe just had a litter of 6 kits. We have the buck in a separate cage, and the doe was doing well at first. She pulled out fur and made a nesting box and appeared to have been feeding them well. After about 3 days, she started to remove some of the babies from the nesting box. One got too cold and passed away. Tonight, she removed all the fur from the nesting box and the babies were cold and shaking. Their tummies are still round and it appears she’s feeding them, but she keeps taking them out of the box or removing all the fur. We remade the nesting box for her and got the babies warmed back up, but why is she doing this? Is there something different we should be doing?

Can you post some pics of the nesting box and the area? Maybe your nestbox is not deep enough or something you could improve. It is common thing that kits being dragged out the nest after she nurses but it is hard to say without seeing