# How often to do inspections on baby rabbits?



## Nao57 (Oct 9, 2020)

So I wanted to ask how often is safe to do inspections/maintenance on young rabbits, and newborns?

I heard one source say to stay out of them the first 2 days. Do you agree or do differently? (I don't have any idea, and I'm not asking for any right answer but just learning.)

And then after the first time you check on them, how often should you be going in? (I've heard you should stay out as much as you can.)


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## B&B Happy goats (Oct 9, 2020)

I pick them up and do a count when  first born then check them daily when I go feed,


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## promiseacres (Oct 9, 2020)

Same as @B&B Happy goats


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## Jesusfreak101 (Oct 9, 2020)

I third that. I have heard the same advice as you but i prefer to know how they are and it's my job to make sure everyone taken care of and how can you know one needs a little more help to get milk then the other if you dont check on them.


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## secuono (Oct 9, 2020)

I used to check the first 2 days for any dead, injured, separated kits, is mom using nest as toilet or to sleep in? If everything was fine, I wouldn't check again & remove nest in 2-3wks time.


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## Nao57 (Oct 9, 2020)

secuono said:


> I used to check the first 2 days for any dead, injured, separated kits, is mom using nest as toilet or to sleep in? If everything was fine, I wouldn't check again & remove nest in 2-3wks time.



The using nest as a toilet thing,....does that happen a lot? 

And does it happen to a high degree of mess or just 'accidents'? Do all of them do this? I'm trying to get an idea how bad this is? Is it just occasional 'peed the bed' or is it really bad when they do this?


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## secuono (Oct 9, 2020)

Nao57 said:


> The using nest as a toilet thing,....does that happen a lot?
> 
> And does it happen to a high degree of mess or just 'accidents'? Do all of them do this? I'm trying to get an idea how bad this is? Is it just occasional 'peed the bed' or is it really bad when they do this?



Its something you cull the doe for. Doesn't/shouldn't happen often.
They pee/poop in there like a litterbox trained cat. Filthy, dangerous mess for the kits.

If they're kits you must keep to breed from, then you can try two things. Give them another box in the nest's corner & move the nest to a new box in a new location. Or remove the nest and only put it in for 5min morning and night, so she can feed them.


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## Ridgetop (Oct 14, 2020)

If the mom is using the nest box as a toilet, check its placement in the cage.  If the box has been positioned over the area the doe uses as a toilet area, then she will automatically pee and poop in it.  You can locate the pee and poop area by the pile of rabbit raisins right under the cage floor.  Remove the box, clean it out and replace the kits in dry bedding in a different spot.  Problem usually solved.

I always check the first day am and pm.  Then every day once a day for about 4 days.  By then you usually now how many should bee in the box and can often just check from outside the cag.  It will not disturb the mother for you to check everyday.  Remove the box if you want to d any in depth nest or baby work,  The nest box should be removed at the end of the kits' second week anyway since the kits are big enough by then not to have to go back in the box unless the temps are below freezing  Then if you are keeping the box in the cage due to freezing temps, empty the old bedding and put fresh in.  

Your scent is so familiar to the doe that she won't abandon her nest if you touch the babies.  I prefer to remove the box since some does can get protective and I respect that,  Remove the box, count the babies, remove any dead ones or that you want to cull, and then return the box to the cage.  The doe might check her litter when you return the box, but a lot of does don't even bother.  Rabbits do not feed their young during the day and to protect the litter rabbit mamas leave their nest and may remain near it but not in it since that will attract predators.  They feed their kits at night.


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## Nao57 (Oct 15, 2020)

How often do you change the nesting material also? (Can't believe I forgot to include this in the original post.)


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## promiseacres (Oct 16, 2020)

Usually the materials last until 2 weeks when you pull the box. But check to see if it's wet or getting nasty. 
Also making nest boxes with wire bottoms help. Most times if my does are using the box as a litter box it's because they aren't pregnant.


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## Ridgetop (Oct 16, 2020)

Yes if the nesting materials are not wet or stinky, they don't need to be changed.  If there is anything in one spot that is dirty, you can just remove that little bit of stuff.   They will last 2 weeks by which time you need to remove the nest box anyway.


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## Niele da Kine (Oct 16, 2020)

It all depends on the doe and how you usually interact with her.  We pick up newborns as soon as they're born and handle them at least once a day if not more often.  They get checked at least once a day and I try to pick up each one for a bit of a head scritch.  But, these are angora bunnies so we need bunnies that are used to being handled so we start them early.  They're bred for mellow temperaments, too.  The doe, her mum and even her grandmum were picked up as newborns, so as far as they know, this is normal.

As for the nestbox as a litterbox, some does do seem to do that.  But the babies will start using it as a litterbox when they're old enough that the doe doesn't clean them up anymore.  There's a period of time between about ten days and three weeks when they're still in the nest box but not being cleaned by their mum.  With a solid bottomed nest box, it can get damp and nasty.  We now have wire bottomed nest boxes and they stay a lot nicer.  If cold is a concern, a bit of thin carpet scrap at the bottom of the nest can keep them warmer.


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