Ive replaced one of my does nest box material SIX times. Her litter is about 4 days old. Today I came home with the entire nest box soaked to the brim, the kits were cold and five are probably going to die. I don't understand this! I tried putting in another box with litter and hay, I tried changing the nest box material and I tried using several different nest boxes....shes killing these kits! I tried to foster them out but my other does have kits 18 days old and up, they weren't having it.
Urinating in nest box
- Thread starter timbaland
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Jaded
Task Force
She probaly thinks its her litter box (as in actual litter box)
what type of nest box are you using?
what type of nest box are you using?
T.A Bunnies wrote:
First it was wood, then it was metal, plastic, shoe boxes, cardboard boxes corrugated plastic. I switched from hay, straw, pine, aspen, newspaper, pelleted litter, toilet paper, saved up hair and fur, shredded clothes, loose cotton, paper scraps and fluffy paper beddings like care fresh. Ive done mix and matching and trying to get as far away from her ideal potty litters.
Two of the best colored kits are RIP. There are so many colors in this litter and I was really hoping to watch these two in particular. Maybe a broken orange and a broken blue? I cant tell this young but it was fascinating since there are black and agouti otters, rews and a few mystery color brokens. Bummer.
She soaked the litter box again. I came in to hear the kits screaming because she was jumping on them and turning in circles in the box. What an awful mother, I would love to breed her again for her genes but I need to be sure to have a foster ready. It's hard to say I'm not butting heads with her but it's not her fault. Not all rabbits are decent mothers. Still I find myself agitated.
She soaked the litter box again. I came in to hear the kits screaming because she was jumping on them and turning in circles in the box. What an awful mother, I would love to breed her again for her genes but I need to be sure to have a foster ready. It's hard to say I'm not butting heads with her but it's not her fault. Not all rabbits are decent mothers. Still I find myself agitated.
Jaded
Task Force
Oh thats sad, how many babies in this litter?
If any survived you will have to foster them because it sounds like they have no chance with her, do you know any breeders in your area that will foster the kits?
If any survived you will have to foster them because it sounds like they have no chance with her, do you know any breeders in your area that will foster the kits?
T.A Bunnies wrote:
There were 12 total. 2 peanuts, 6 small ones due to urine and not being fed and 4 kits doing well. It was a strange litter but I am trying again with another doe! Hopefully shell be willing to foster at the secound try. I'll find put soon enough.
There were 12 total. 2 peanuts, 6 small ones due to urine and not being fed and 4 kits doing well. It was a strange litter but I am trying again with another doe! Hopefully shell be willing to foster at the secound try. I'll find put soon enough.
if you have another nursing doe, I would foster them to her. Is this mommy's first litter?
You might want to consider bottle feeding (keeping the babies in a different cage in their nestbox) at least until they crawl out.
You should also try putting the kits in a new box, move the doe and kits into a new cage, and give the doe a litter box that she can use. Hopefully she'll avoid the babies.
You might want to consider bottle feeding (keeping the babies in a different cage in their nestbox) at least until they crawl out.
You should also try putting the kits in a new box, move the doe and kits into a new cage, and give the doe a litter box that she can use. Hopefully she'll avoid the babies.
I have one other doe I've tried already and she wasn't pleased with the kits in her nestbox, I'm trying again. I've never had good success with bottle feeding but I'll give that a go again.
She's been cage switched twice (yesterday too) and she has always had a litter box. I switched that out several times.
She's been cage switched twice (yesterday too) and she has always had a litter box. I switched that out several times.
I would try keeping the babies in a separate cage alone in their box. Once a day, flip over one of your lactating does and nurse each one. I've have pretty good success with that method
More info here: http://welshrabbitry.com/birth.html#feeding
More info here: http://welshrabbitry.com/birth.html#feeding
