Bedding/Nesting Box

pnptrapp

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We recently lost one of our rex rabbits. We have the rabbit cages under the shed's overhang. We thought it was long enough to keep most of the weather off the rabbits. We were wrong. Our little black otter rex buck got wet and ended up freezing to death. It was really sad because it wasn't even that bad of weather, just a light drizzle all day. But when a rabbit gets wet.....

So to keep our blue rex doe Sapphire from the same fate, we went and got a tarp to put over the tops of the cages, till we can make something more permanent for next year. My oldest son and I also built her a bedding/nesting box. We had a ton of fun making it and she loves it. If the weather looks like it's getting too cold for her, we have also rigged a heat lamp to rest above the cage next to hers so she can still get warm but won't over heat.
 

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goatgurl

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i think she likes her new snuggle box. and what a great project to do with your son. look at his smile
 

Bossroo

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While it sounds like a good feeling idea ... however it is a death sentence for any future kits from this female rabbit. after kindling, She will continue to use the nest box for herself, deficate and urinate in it and the kits will soon not thrive and expire. :old
 

Baymule

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True, does pee in their nest box. It is so frustrating to go out to check on the new litter to find them cold, dead and peed on. I used to put hardware cloth on the bottom of the nest boxes to allow the pee to pass through. Just used lots of hay and checked on the litter frequently. A board in the cage will help give the doe a place to sit on or a good top on the nest box will give her a high spot to survey her queendom.

Many were the times I put a cold kit, dragged out on the wire, inside my bra to warm it back to life as I did my rabbitry chores. After it warmed on one side, I turned it over and let the other side warm up. When it started mewling and squirming, back in the nest box it went.
 
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