Take the nestbox out?

[MousQwene]

Our babies are 3 weeks old. for the past 5 or 6 days, they have pretty much abandoned their nest box and sleep in a pile in the corner of the cage. Momma has ended up hanging out there, but I don't want her to use it as a litter box. Should I just take the nestbox out?

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

You probably could.
I don't remember what age I take the box out...Probably around 4 or 5 weeks.
But yeah, if they don't really use it, there's no point in keeping it in.

Emily

 

[aurora369]

I clean the box out and then tip it on its side. The babies could then huddle in the protected area, but don't feel restricted by the box. Mom would also be able to sit on top of the box to escape babies when needed.

--Dawn

 

[RAL Rabbitry]

This time of year I take the box out the day that I see babies coming out of the nestbox. I give them and EZ matt and a pile of hay for the first couple of days to sleep on. In the winter I will leave it a little longer.

Roger

 

[wooly_queen]

You could if they never go inside. They should be fine then. I leave it in until they clearly don't need it any longer and the weather is good.

 

[OakRidgeRabbits]

aurora369 wrote:

I clean the box out and then tip it on its side. The babies could then huddle in the protected area, but don't feel restricted by the box. Mom would also be able to sit on top of the box to escape babies when needed.

--Dawn

:yeahthat:

 

[BlueGiants]

This time of year, I also remove the box when the kits are at 3 weeks. It ends up being a mess after that and can spread germs. You put the litter at risk of eye infections and other problems. (I don't think they need it turned on it's side if the weather is good. Temps above 40 degrees at night are fine at this point in their lives.)

 

[Blaze_Amita]

I usually pull my boxes at 3 weeks, or once Mommy and babies don't use it and or I start to see them using it as a litter box. I had tried to leave the box in longer last year with Calleigh and her son,Dylan, but he ended up getting Grubs and that was a fiasco and a half on a 5 and a half week old baby. He's fine now, but i had tried to just keep it clean (twice a day cleaning) and take the box around the same time i took him. I won't make that mistake again, no more grubs(Bot fly larva, or whatever they were)

 

[polly]

We don't use nest boxes over here but usually the nethies are out of the nest by 3 weeks so we remove nest and just give plenty of shavings in a dip for them to go to if and when they want.