# Substitute for rabbit fur?



## Citylife

As we all know keeping kits alive in the winter has been tough on most everyone this year.  Does anyone have experiance with adding another animals fur to help line the nest boxes?  I have more then enough cocker spaniel and now,  pomeranian hair available.  If it would help I have plenty for a nest box.  
Sometimes, I think as bad of moms as rabbits seem to be sometimes........ why would they care whose hair was in there.  LOLOL
My nest boxes last night had plenty of straw and hay in them, an ok amount of fur and I still lost 4 out of 6 after slowly warming them.
I look forward to hearing feed back.


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## terri9630

Citylife said:
			
		

> As we all know keeping kits alive in the winter has been tough on most everyone this year.  Does anyone have experiance with adding another animals fur to help line the nest boxes?  I have more then enough cocker spaniel and now,  pomeranian hair available.  If it would help I have plenty for a nest box.
> Sometimes, I think as bad of moms as rabbits seem to be sometimes........ why would they care whose hair was in there.  LOLOL
> My nest boxes last night had plenty of straw and hay in them, an ok amount of fur and I still lost 4 out of 6 after slowly warming them.
> I look forward to hearing feed back.


If you add dog hair she may not go back to the nest.  She may think a predator got the kits.


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## DianeS

I would only use dog hair if the rabbits had no reason to think of dogs as predators. If they'd been chased in the past, I wouldn't. But if the dog is always around and they don't care, I would.

But some perfectly safe substitutes include cotton balls that have been pulled apart, and dryer lint.


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## Legacy

Supposedly, if you put the hair in a pillow case it can air out for a month or two and not have the smell on it. Perhaps you can collect hair from your dog now to use down the road.


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## Citylife

Legacy said:
			
		

> Supposedly, if you put the hair in a pillow case it can air out for a month or two and not have the smell on it. Perhaps you can collect hair from your dog now to use down the road.


Now there is an idea.  My rabbits can see the dogs often and my dogs could care less that they are even there.  At times the dogs walk under the cages and what not.  Also, the breeder of my main stock has dogs and they are always around the rabbits.  I also, thought you might want to put freshly shaved hair on or in the cage so they got used to it.  I have one doe that is very stingy about her fur in the winter time.  

Funny enough I had thought of lint  but not the cotton balls.  LOLOL

thank for your input


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## secuono

Can you buy a cheap feather stuffed pillow or use dryer lint?


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## Citylife

secuono said:
			
		

> Can you buy a cheap feather stuffed pillow or use dryer lint?


Yes, I can........  that is an option for winter time when the ladies are stingy.  I lost one of the 2 babies that survived, so I have the other one in the house in a warmed nest box and take him out dusk and dawn.  He is one lil rolly polly....... that is for sure.  LOLOL  I think the lil chub needs to be named Checker.

p.s.  He will probably be the only florida white I butcher at 7 weeks of age becasue he is that big.


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## brentr

I've done two things to get extra hair.  One, salvage any clumps of hair from the same doe when you take the nest box out.  Her hair, her smell.  I put it in a small ziploc baggie and put the doe's name on it for future use.  Second, use hair from a doe in a nearby cage.  Odor is different, but recognizable, and this seems to work well.

I had a doe who kindled only one kit in October, but pulled a LOT of fur.  I bagged it up to use in the future.  It's been a good supply, and I've used it with other does.  I fortunately haven't had any rejection issues due to strange hair.


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## secuono

brentr said:
			
		

> I've done two things to get extra hair.  One, salvage any clumps of hair from the same doe when you take the nest box out.  Her hair, her smell.  I put it in a small ziploc baggie and put the doe's name on it for future use.  Second, use hair from a doe in a nearby cage.  Odor is different, but recognizable, and this seems to work well.
> 
> I had a doe who kindled only one kit in October, but pulled a LOT of fur.  I bagged it up to use in the future.  It's been a good supply, and I've used it with other does.  I fortunately haven't had any rejection issues due to strange hair.


Yes, I've done the same thing! Got a little baggie in the kitchen right now. =]


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## Dutchgirl

What about feathers from birds? Would chicken/duck/guinea feathers work?


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## brentr

Dutchgirl said:
			
		

> What about feathers from birds? Would chicken/duck/guinea feathers work?


Wrong type of nest.  Rabbits need hair to stay warm.  I'd be concerned about any microscopic critters that might be in the feathers that might be strange to rabbits.  Just my opinion.


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