# What kind of "nest" for mama?



## shawn MN (Oct 5, 2011)

We are keeping our pregnant doe in her cage for now. she we move her in a more comfortable place with more staw or wood shaving when she is close to birthing? Or perhaps a little blanket for here to maest a nest out of. This is our 1st time having a litter. And will her milk sacks get bigger like the rest of the mammals? Then we'd know for sure if she is prego.


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## woodleighcreek (Oct 5, 2011)

shawn MN said:
			
		

> We are keeping our pregnant doe in her cage for now. she we move her in a more comfortable place with more staw or wood shaving when she is close to birthing? Or perhaps a little blanket for here to maest a nest out of. This is our 1st time having a litter. And will her milk sacks get bigger like the rest of the mammals? Then we'd know for sure if she is prego.


How many days has it been since you have bread her? At 28 days put in a next box (they have some nice ones at tractor supply) and put some wood shavings at the bottom. Give her some hay and she will put it in her mouth, carry it to the box, and build a nest. On day 31 she will kindle. Her milk sacks will not get bigger, the only way to tell is to palpate or wait until day 31 and see if she kindles.


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## brentr (Oct 5, 2011)

Don't give her a blanket; only straw or hay or wood shavings (not sawdust) for nesting material.  Rabbits aren't like dogs/cats, they need material to build a nest, and they can't do that with a blanket.  As the other responder said, put the nest box in on day 28 from when she was bred.  If she is pregnant, she'll likely start building a nest right away (although some rabbits don't nest until just before they give birth), and you can expect kits on day 31-32.

There are some good plans on the internet for building nest boxes if you don't want to purchase them from a store.  Just google "rabbit nest box plans" and you'll get all sorts of info.

Good Luck!


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## woodleighcreek (Oct 5, 2011)

I greatly like the 4-H plan. http://lancaster.unl.edu/4h/documents/rabbitnestingbox.pdf


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## shawn MN (Oct 6, 2011)

Thanks for all the help!!!!  I love BYH!!


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## oneacrefarm (Oct 13, 2011)

woodleighcreek said:
			
		

> I greatly like the 4-H plan. http://lancaster.unl.edu/4h/documents/rabbitnestingbox.pdf


I am not following how that pegboard is supposed to "slide out"....?

Shannon


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## woodleighcreek (Oct 13, 2011)

I don't use the pegboard. I just nail plywood to the bottom.


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## lastfling (Oct 14, 2011)

Mine have the 1/2 x 1" wire on the bottom and I insert a cardboard liner over that.


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## Genipher (Oct 14, 2011)

I have a large open-topped plastic "tub" that, I think, will fit in our rabbit cage. Would this sort of thing work as a nesting box?


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## oneacrefarm (Oct 14, 2011)

If you drill drain holes in it and make sure it stays full of hay, it should be fine.  You may have to zip tie it to the side of the cage to keep it in place....


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## Genipher (Oct 19, 2011)

Does anyone know if shredded newspaper would be okay for nesting material?


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## oneacrefarm (Oct 20, 2011)

Genipher said:
			
		

> Does anyone know if shredded newspaper would be okay for nesting material?


I wouldn't use that. If it gets wet it will be mush and you don't want the kits or mom trying to eat it with all the chemicals in it. Grass hay or shavings is best.

Shannon


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## Genipher (Oct 20, 2011)

Thanks for the info on newspaper.

Will I need to change the straw after the kits are born or do you just let it be until they're able to hop out of the nest? I swear, I have the dirtiest does and I just can't see them keeping the nest clean (i.e. not pooping/peeing in it).


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## Ms. Research (Oct 21, 2011)

Genipher said:
			
		

> Thanks for the info on newspaper.
> 
> Will I need to change the straw after the kits are born or do you just let it be until they're able to hop out of the nest? I swear, I have the dirtiest does and I just can't see them keeping the nest clean (i.e. not pooping/peeing in it).


You do need to keep the straw dry so removing wet patches would be the best for the kits.   And replacing it with dry.   Before you know it the kits will be hopping out of the box and then you can remove the nest box entirely.  

If you don't have enough doe hair for the nest, cotton balls were also mentioned.


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## oneacrefarm (Oct 24, 2011)

Genipher said:
			
		

> Thanks for the info on newspaper.
> 
> Will I need to change the straw after the kits are born or do you just let it be until they're able to hop out of the nest? I swear, I have the dirtiest does and I just can't see them keeping the nest clean (i.e. not pooping/peeing in it).


You need to remove the dirty stuff after she has them, then change it out in few days. I thoroughly check the nest box each day, since a dead kit can get mashed/pushed under or into a corner and rot really fast. I change it out again in a week or so.  More often if the doe pees/poops in it. Hay is better to use, straw tends to be kind of stiff and "pokey" for little kits.


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## norcal (Oct 29, 2011)

Dumb question......   Do you count the day they are bred?  Or start counting the day after they are bred?   
I think our Chin had them on day 30 last time, not counting the day bred.    She's already nesting & it's only day 27.


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## doubled (Oct 31, 2011)

Go to this link for a Rabbit gestation table just look for the date you bred her and read across to the next month and there is your due date, put nest in 2 days prior, no guessing. I been useing one like this forever, well almost forever, LOL

http://ketapangbunnies.blogspot.com/2009/09/rabbit-pregnancy-gestation-table.html


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## dtinnan (Nov 1, 2011)

Genipher said:
			
		

> I have a large open-topped plastic "tub" that, I think, will fit in our rabbit cage. Would this sort of thing work as a nesting box?


my uncle told me not to put plastic in the pen (feed bowls, boxes, etc) he said the rabbits would chew them up and eat the plastic. 

has anyone else experienced this?


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## norcal (Nov 2, 2011)

dtinnan said:
			
		

> Genipher said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


They make the corner feeders out of plastic.   I saw them chew on it, but it was too hard for them to break or even get a piece/shaving off.   I would guess it would have to be pretty hard plastic though.      Just an FYI, the rabbits jumped on the plastic corner feeder & they broke the "holder" pieces pretty quickly, I wouldn't recommend them.


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## norcal (Nov 2, 2011)

doubled said:
			
		

> Go to this link for a Rabbit gestation table just look for the date you bred her and read across to the next month and there is your due date, put nest in 2 days prior, no guessing. I been useing one like this forever, well almost forever, LOL
> 
> http://ketapangbunnies.blogspot.com/2009/09/rabbit-pregnancy-gestation-table.html


Oh, today's the day.   We'll see.   Thanks for the link.


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## Genipher (Nov 5, 2011)

Yeah, today is "the day" (or night?) that our doe should be popping, according to the charts. Can't wait to take a peek tomorrow!

I had a plastic tub in our hutch as a "test run" and our doe managed to kick it out of its wedged spot (didn't have a way to secure it to the wire) so besides the fact that they'll chew on it (didn't think of that before so thanks everyone for the reminder!), it just wouldn't work to have kits in something that's going to be flipped over.


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## terri9630 (Nov 6, 2011)

Genipher said:
			
		

> Yeah, today is "the day" (or night?) that our doe should be popping, according to the charts. Can't wait to take a peek tomorrow!
> 
> I had a plastic tub in our hutch as a "test run" and our doe managed to kick it out of its wedged spot (didn't have a way to secure it to the wire) so besides the fact that they'll chew on it (didn't think of that before so thanks everyone for the reminder!), it just wouldn't work to have kits in something that's going to be flipped over.


Its been my experience that if they aren't ready to nest they will toss around all of the nest boxes. Or use them as a litter box.


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## Ms. Research (Nov 6, 2011)

Hope your doe Popped last night!  And all is well.  

Can't wait to hear of healthy kits!


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## Genipher (Nov 6, 2011)

Nothing yet.


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