How much does nesting box size affect the survival of the kits?

[Nao57]

So I wanted to ask this...

How much does nesting box size affect the survival of the kits?

And wouldn't that mean a larger size with more hay is ideal for better survival rates? (To a point.)

What do you think?

And does just using a cardboard box work, while you are upgrading?

 

[chickens really]

I used a plastic kitty litter pan and placed the fur nest inside that. That way the bunnies couldn't get out and get cold. My bunnies were born in the fall and we had snow. I also hung a heat lamp over them for additional warmth.

 

[animalmom]

Bigger is not necessarily better. The concept of the nesting box is to be able to have a place for the doe to nest AND a place to contain the kits until they are big enough to get around. A box too small and the doe won't fit in it to nest. A box too big and the kits will wiggle around and get lost. A kit needs the warmth of all the other kits in the fur lined nest to stay warm.

The size of your rabbit should dictate the size of the nest box. Here is a pretty good write-up on nest boxes and gives you a feel for size and rabbit.

Rabbit Nest Boxes 101

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www.kwcages.com

I use a wire nest box for my meat rabbits (Cali x New Zeals). https://www.bassequipment.com/Shop/UNIVERSAL-SANI-NEST-2208
You can use their waxed carboard inserts or make your own. I make my own. I like the ease of cleaning when the litter is bouncing out of the nest box.... open the box door and drag out the entire contents on the cardboard. Super easy to clean. I do not have mine permanently attached to the doe's cage.

You can get wooden nest boxes, but be aware rabbits chew and she will chew on the wood. The problem with this is the chewing creates rough edges that could cause mastitis with the doe jumping in and out of the box. Then you need to consider cleaning... how are you going to be sure it is clean? Lots of folks use wooden boxes with no problems.

I've read folks using all manner of containers for the nest box. Appropriately sized cardboard boxes would certainly work... might even work well if you can replace the box midway. What ever you use it needs to be disposable or bleach-able -- to disinfect.

I use hay as the filler in my boxes and I usually wait until I see the doe gathering up hay from the bottom of her cage. She will look like she has a hay mustache which is called a haystache. I don't use all the fancy stuff you can get to line a nest box. My girls do just fine with hay.

Helpful?

 

[Nao57]

I used a plastic kitty litter pan and placed the fur nest inside that. That way the bunnies couldn't get out and get cold. My bunnies were born in the fall and we had snow. I also hung a heat lamp over them for additional warmth.

Do you think the heat lamp significantly affects survival rates?

Thanks.

 

[Niele da Kine]

Nesting box size has a lot to do with the survival of the kits. Too small and they get stepped on and injured, too big and they can either crawl off to a corner by themselves, chill and die or there will be two separate piles of them one of which will get fed, the others not so much.

Other than the basic size of a nest box, that it's a nest box is also a problem. A flat floor doesn't encourage the babies to stay in a pile. A solid floor doesn't let pee fall through, when they're several weeks old and the doe isn't cleaning them while feeding them anymore, they can be quite wet and damp in there unless the nest materials are changed. A box with a lip to keep the babies in will also keep them out should they get out of the nest somehow. The litter inside can be pushed up against the lip and then a baby can get out. Chilled babies frequently don't survive.

The bunnies here have several special built nesting hutches. The floor plate has a depression built into it with a 'nest box' that is an open bottomed cover over the depression more so than anything particularly box like. The edges of the nest box are raised so if a baby gets out, he can fall back into the nest. The bottom of the nesting area is sloped so they all fall into a pile. Newborn mortality has really dropped with the new nest hutches.

It's a very non-traditional 'nest box' but the bunnies here seem to like it.

The open bottom nesting box sits over the depression in the wire floor plate.

Easy access to the nest to check on babies, Olivia usually likes to pretend to be a vulture and sit on the tipped up box while keeping track of what those humans are doing to her babies.

The babies stay in a pretty condensed pile so they stay warm.

 

[chickens really]

Do you think the heat lamp significantly affects survival rates?

Thanks.

Definitely. Without the lamp my bunnies would have froze. Once out of the nest they huddled together under the lamp when ever they were cold.

 

[Nao57]

Somewhat related to this topic,...

I wanted to ask if the grasses and grass types have to be yellowed and dried for the mother rabbit to use them for her nest? Does it matter? Will she use green stuff?

 

[animalmom]

I would not use green grass in the nest box because it could mold due to the moisture content. Dried grass eliminates this extra moisture content.

Remember the moms will pack down what ever you put in the nest box. While she will rearrange it to suit herself she is still popping in and out of the box and laying in the box all the while tamping down what is in the box.

Rabbits will eat green grass, they will eat dried grass. They like grass.