# Taking the nest box in and out?



## flemish lops (Apr 17, 2012)

My holland lop had her kits today and only one lived. I don't have any other litters that I could put the kit with, and it is to cold outside for it to stay out. I have heard that someone had some kits and kept them in the house and then took them out to the mother, once or twice, for feeding. Does anyone know how many times to take the babies to the mother? And is there a certain time that would be better to bring them to the mother?


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## SarahMelisse (Apr 17, 2012)

I am actually just finishing up that "method". It's been snowing and nights have had freezing temps lately so I've been overly cautious with my new litter. But keep in mind that I did this with a litter of nine, not one. So you may want to bulk up on pulled fur to keep him warm.

I took the nest box out in the early morning about 2 hours before sunrise (5:30ish am) and brought them back inside after sunrise (7:30ish am) and then outside for a second feeding (big litter remember) a little before sundown (6:00pm) and brought them back in at 8:30pm. I noticed that they got the most milk in the morning. 

All the kits did really well with this especially once I started feeding the doe oats before feeding times. The kits are 2 weeks old now and just started living in their tipped nest box in the doe's cage last night with no problems. Of course, they are fully furred and have open eyes now. I really liked having them inside too just so we could handle them a bunch... being angoras and the grooming that the breed involves, they need to be accustomed to being handled often.


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## adorable (Apr 18, 2012)

I am doing this same thing. Only one baby. Just before i closed up for the night. Around 730 pm. I brought the nest in. I brought back out to mommy around 7 am this morning,.She jumped right in and starting cleaning. I went back in the house leaving the baby with mom. THen i went back out an hour later to water everyone else. She started to pull more hair. So i just left the box in because it was warming up nicely. Now tonight i will bring the box in again. I will do that for about a week. It gives the baby a head start since it dosnt have another baby to cuddle up to. I have 3 more litters coming in 2 days. I might give her another one.


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## flemish lops (Apr 18, 2012)

Thanks so much for the fast replies! Even though it was about 11:40 pm when I posted this I still got help  ( I love byh ) . 
This is my first time doing this and this is a first time mother. I usually breed atleast two rabbits at the same time, just incase this might happen, but it just so happens that my other holland lop didn't have any :/ . I brought the baby out last night to the mother at about midnight and she hopped right in and fed the little guy for about 5 mins. and then hopped back out. Now this morning I put the nest box out for 10 mins and she fed her kit again. Does the mother just feed her kits and then leave them? or should I be keeping the nest box out there a little longer? With the kit almost freezing yesterday I am trying to keep the kit warm and in the house as much as possible. The baby was born yesterday at about noon (about the warmest part of the day) and it couldn't take the cold.
Thanks again!


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## adorable (Apr 18, 2012)

They dont stay with their babies . They just feed and clean then leave and dont go back for another 12 hours. There rich milk keeps them full for a long time. No worries. She is doing it right.


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## DianeS (Apr 18, 2012)

I did that same method with my last litter, too. I brought the box out with me in the mornings and put it in with mom, then did my 10 minutes of chores - by the time I was finished so was mom and I fed her and brought the kits back inside. At night I repeated it. So for me it was two feedings per day, approximately 12 hours apart although I wasn't exactly on time. Once the kits had their eyes open I put them in the grow-out pen with plenty of straw, moved mom into the same pen, and they were fine.


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## flemish lops (Apr 18, 2012)

Ok, Thanks!


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