Will my small Holland Lop litter stay warm or is a heat lamp necessary?!?

[Happy Hollands]

hello! last night, we were blessed with another litter! 3 healthy babies, but unfortunately there was also 2 stillborns mom and dad are both under 3 lbs so assuming the two stillborns were peanuts (legs were crossed, and they looked a bit different than the healthy babies).

I have personally never had a litter this small (except that litter of 1 a while ago... but it didn't make it), and I have no litters of similar age to foster babies to so that's not an option. my other babies are 5 weeks old already!!

anyways, I'm wondering if a heat lamp is necessary or if their body heat will keep them warm enough since there is only 3?? the rabbits are housed in our garage, the temperature is around 55°F in there. I live in Seattle, WA where we have mild temperatures. on my last litters in winter, I have always provided a heat lamp but I've ALWAYS still had issues with baby bunnies getting out of the nest box early and one case where I think the baby overheated. plus, it's expensive to run continuously and my dad gets mad because he doesn't believe it's necessary. maybe it isn't, but I really don't want to lose any babies from this litter, and they are very valuable and I am planning on keeping one! I don't really have a good place to hang it, except for a wood pole 2 ft above the box on the top of her cage.

please help!! is there any experienced breeders on this forum you could tag?! heat lamp necessary, or not? thanks for reading

 

[Apollo’s Slave]

I'm not a breeder but I do know a little - teeny tiny bit. Kits as young as they are should be kept fairly warm because they can't regulate their body heat as well as they are able to as adults. If your doe has made a good nest, with plenty of fur, hay or straw, they should be okay in that weather. You're nest box also shouldn't be so low that the kits can easily wiggle out of but not so high that the doe can't hop in or out of, of course. As long as your doe has made a good nest, and your garage doesn't get extremely cold, they should be okay in 55F - which sounds quite hot, but I'm from London so that might just be that I'm used to being cold. If it gets really cold, you could use the heat lamp. But make sure it's in a spot that can't make a kit overheat, or start a fire. And I could be totally wrong about this so if I am: @zuppa @SableSteel

 

[SableSteel]

I wouldn't use a heat lamp. That's not very cold; and with 3 babies they should be able to regulate their temperature. Just make sure they don't escape from the nest.

 

[Happy Hollands]

thank you! I think I worry too much about them haha. here's some pictures of them, a few hours after birth all show quality purebred Holland Lops... blue eyed whites. hopefully you guys are familiar with what baby bunnies look like, they are a nice healthy pink / red!

 

[Button]

They are adorable. If theres enough hay and fur for a nest i say no heat lamp needed!

 

[majorv]

In cool weather we always checked on newborns 2-3 times a day for the first 2 weeks to make sure they were snuggled together under moms hair. I’ve saved more than one by always checking on them before going to bed.

 

[Happy Hollands]

In cool weather we always checked on newborns 2-3 times a day for the first 2 weeks to make sure they were snuggled together under moms hair. I’ve saved more than one by always checking on them before going to bed.

Yes of course, I check on them multiple times per day!!

 

[Sam_]

They're so adorable!