If it appears that my rabbit is making a nest in her litter box

[Stone_family3]

Belldandy refuses to use the nesting box I made for her and instead is digging and rearranging her litter box. She was doing it this morning and I cleaned out again since she is using it to go to the bathroom in.

I'm just afraid she'll have them in the litter box and they'll die. She's also not pulling any fur but is doing excessive grooming. I keep putting her in the nesting box but she just looks at me like "uh no giant human person who feeds me."

So should I take the litter box out? If I do will she have them on the floor. 31 days should be Sunday but I was told to keep the nesting box in there for 35 just to be sure. Help please, I'm kinda freaked out and super nervous about this. :shock:

 

[nickbun]

Did you happen to have moved the litter box to a different spot when you added the nest box? Sometimes people that don't have litter box's will put the nest box in the cage without looking to see where the poop is mostly and where they pee under the cage. If the nest box is put in the cage in the corner where that rabbit normally pees then she will get in the nest box that is in that corner and pee because that area is her bathroom. So I thought maybe you might have had to rearrange things when you put the nest box in and may have put it where her litter box was? Also if you put the nest box in early then the 28th day they will usually start using it as a litter box...And somtimes when a Doe you bred didn't conseive (not pregnant) then they will use it for a litter because the natural instinct for her to build a nest didn't kick in because she wasn't pregnant..but some will build a nest and pull fur and everything and then not have any so you will have to wait and see? That's part of the fun! If she does have a litter and you can tell she is still using it as a litter box? Take the nest box with the kits out of the cage to clean it or if you have a extra nest box use the extra one. Remove the kits take out the nesting material and put new nesting material hay or whatever you use and try to use as much of the furr that is clean and put in with the new hay. I collect furr when my rabbits are molting it will come off by the hand full if you just gently find thr loose furr and gently remove the loosened furr and put it in a big Ziplock..I even get it from bucks just let it air out because of the buck having a buck sent on it for awhile before your put it in the Ziplock...the extra fur comes in handy at times like this and also if you have a Doe that didn't pull any furr or not enough...I have saved several litters over the years because I had this furr I collected! Good Luck! Hope all goes well!

 

[nickbun]

Oh!...I forgot to add ofcourse when you put the clean nest box back in with the kits try putting it in a different area of the cage..

 

[Stone_family3]

She won't get in the nest box at all unless I put her in, she is box trained so she will go where ever I put it. I've kept it in the same place the whole time she's been inside though.

She's not started pulling fur at all but she is grooming herself more. I know I'm supposed to wait and see but I'm super nervous for her.

Thanks for the help though

 

[tamsin]

Is she indoors? Try adding a second litterbox (go for high ish sides like a nestbox) or replace the original with a larger one so there is room one end for a nest and the other to poop (you could put the original inside the new one if there is space to make cleaning easier). She might just like the litterbox better

 

[Stone_family3]

Yes she's indoors right now, originally due to heat advisory but now because she's due any day.

I can give it a try. Thanks

 

[nickbun]

Just so you know and to ease your mind a little....some dont pull fur until they are in labor just minutes before they are born..and I have even had them pull it afterwards...I can tell your excited..that's neat!
Good Luck to you and your bunny!!! lol

 

[Stone_family3]

Thanks so much, that does help a lot.