# How early to remove the nest box?



## WVForestGirl (May 27, 2017)

Hi all. My first two litters will be two weeks old on tue and wed this week. The biggest had open eyes today! One adventurous kit keeps climbing out of the box and getting lost on the wire. Is it too soon to take out the box and give them a pile of hay and fur in the cage to snuggle in? The ten day weather forecast has days in the high seventies and lows around 60. I don't want someone to get lost by themselves but there are also some much smaller less adventurous kits in the bunch that might need the box. Any help for this newbie is much appreciated, Thanks!


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## Bunnylady (May 27, 2017)

Any chance you could turn the box on its side or something, so the kits can come and go? I prefer to wait until all are properly mobile before removing the box.


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## WVForestGirl (May 29, 2017)

Thank you! I understand about wanting to wait until everyone's mobile, a couple of the little ones are still pretty uncoordinated. So far I've been able to check frequently and have just put any adventurers back in. If I lay the box on its side and the bigger ones start chasing mom around for food, will she still go in the box to feed the littles? All but one have their eyes open now so maybe they'll be able to come and go on their own soon anyway. Thanks for your help!


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## promiseacres (May 30, 2017)

As soon as mine get out I usually pull the box as they will snuggle together on the cage. Usually 10 to 14 days.  Last few litters I had to kick out. Of course my boxes are pretty tall so they have to be pretty mobile to get out. Hope it went well.


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## WVForestGirl (May 31, 2017)

Thanks, I'll report how it all went down. At what age do you kick them out if they don't leave on their own?


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## promiseacres (Jun 1, 2017)

2 weeks plus a day or 2 if weather is cool and they appear healthy. At that time the nest box is getting nasty and needs cleaned in any case.


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## HaloRabbits (Jun 13, 2017)

I pull the box at 14-18 days. Usually when 1-2 have hopped out more than once I will pull it earlier (like 14 days), if they aren't hoping out then that is when I give them a few more days.


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## WVForestGirl (Jun 17, 2017)

Thanks all. The healthy kits ended up moving out on their own at about 14 days. I left the nest box in for the runt until he opened his eyes and then put him out with the rest while doing twice daily feedings with him. Sadly I lost him at about 24 days old. The others are doing great, though, very entertaining!


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## Bunnylady (Jun 17, 2017)

Sorry to hear about the little guy. I know, underdog bias and all that, but I often tell people, "runty ones are often runty for a reason. You may work your tail off trying to save them, and wind up losing them anyway because of something you couldn't see and had no control over." I'm afraid I've gotten rather ruthless over the years; I don't kill runts, but I don't try to save them, either. When I am selling pets, if there is a runty one that has survived in spite of everything, I give it away free, but with the understanding that there is something wrong with it and it probably won't live long.


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## WVForestGirl (Jun 17, 2017)

Thank you! I tend to be pretty pragmatic about these things, too. I was happy to feed him with a syringe a couple times a day to try to get him caught up but when he showed definite developmental dysfunction that was the end. Still not the best day. Next time I'll recognize it earlier.


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