*update video pg 7* Newfreewill Rabbit Adventure

[Marie28]

Decided I should keep a journal or our adventure :]

We have just started our rabbit. We have 3 Silver Foxes. 1 Doe (Ruby) and 2 Bucks (Topaz & Onyx). We where told Onyx was a boy and he was kept with his sister until we noticed some aggression. He was not very willing to let us look at his underside but finally we where able to see that our doe was actually a buck. He did not look very developed (his testicals where easily mistaken for hairless skin) We will never make this mistake again!

Now Ruby (4 months) is currently taking all her hay and trying to make a nest! We are not sure if it is a false pregnancy, I tried to feel her belly but I have not idea what I am doing and youtube videos only help so much. We brought her inside so we can keep a closer eye on her... She is currently asking for more hay (standing on her back legs facing the box of hay on a shelf). She and Topaz had an accidental meeting and March 5th would be 25 days. The last time her and Onyx (half brother) was together would make today 28. We will be cleaning out her cage today and give her a nesting box.

 

[Marie28]

Ruby's cage all clean and she is eat her nesting box hay . We filled her bowl and hay rack so we will see if she get back to it!

 

[Pastor Dave]

Just have to wait and see.

 

[Marie28]

yes we will. Last night she tore a hole in the box . we don't have the material to make her one of wood, so we will be leaving it for now. she hasn't really added any hay so we have our fingers crossed that she isn't pregnant or if she is we won't see kits till after the 8th.

Not sure if we should remove the box if a 4 days... I don't want to move things around to much, but I also don't want too waste so much hay changing it out.

 

[Marie28]

well she is back at it today! After making her box completely useless for babies (giant hole), she has been picking up hay and strips of cardboard (you can kinda tell in the picture her mouth is full of paper bedding and a large strip of cardboard). She lets me "help", i offer her a a hand full of hay and she takes them from my hand a puts them in the nest .

Would it be normal for a pregnant doe to make a nest if she is actually at 21 days instead of 30? And is it okay to not change her bedding even though she has defiantly peed and pooped in it? She been working so hard I hate for us to change it and then she stops trying to make a nest or gets to stressed out if she is at 30 days.

 

[promiseacres]

I would give her a 2nd clean box with straw if she's pooping and peeing in the first. I have 1 doe that needs a litter box while she has a nest box. Otherwise the nest box becomes a litterbox. even when the kits come.

 

[Marie28]

Right now she really doesn't have enough room for two boxes. I decided to clean it out and repair the hole... she continued to nest so we will have to wait and see...

 

[Pastor Dave]

I wish I lived closer. I'd make you guys a nest box out of 1" by 10"s.
I have a couple does that want to "dogbone" their hay and try to make a nest a good week, maybe two early.
They get so relieved when I put the nest box in at 28 days. Then, I just wait for more labor signs. Slow down on eating, lie flat a little more than normal, pant, pull a little hair. Then the hair explosion, and box is full!

 

[Marie28]

We didn't plan on breeding her this young so we really are not prepared, I wish we had a good box for her :[ What measurements do you use? With research I've heard some conflicting things.

We are hoping its just hormones and future mommy instincts. But I would rather waste all the hay and time then wake-up to smashed kits or kits on the wire. She was acting pretty frantic for awhile (reminded me of cleaning the house when unplanned family is coming in an hour ). It was pretty funny to watch her try to stuff one more piece of cardboard in her mouth.

 

[Pastor Dave]

It's been a little while, but if I remember:
10" wide bottom. The length is around 14", or length of doe and a half. She just needs enough room to go in and turn around.
I make the sides abt 8-10" tall at back with a 6" top fastened across the back. The side angles from the where the top fastens to the the front, stopping at 4" of height to fasten the front board. Make sure the sides do not sit on the bottom board, but fasten to the edges of it giving you the full board for the interior. Drill 3/8" holes in bottom to allow out waste.