How often to do inspections on baby rabbits?

[Ridgetop]

Yes if the nesting materials are not wet or stinky, they don't need to be changed. If there is anything in one spot that is dirty, you can just remove that little bit of stuff. They will last 2 weeks by which time you need to remove the nest box anyway.

 

[Niele da Kine]

It all depends on the doe and how you usually interact with her. We pick up newborns as soon as they're born and handle them at least once a day if not more often. They get checked at least once a day and I try to pick up each one for a bit of a head scritch. But, these are angora bunnies so we need bunnies that are used to being handled so we start them early. They're bred for mellow temperaments, too. The doe, her mum and even her grandmum were picked up as newborns, so as far as they know, this is normal.

As for the nestbox as a litterbox, some does do seem to do that. But the babies will start using it as a litterbox when they're old enough that the doe doesn't clean them up anymore. There's a period of time between about ten days and three weeks when they're still in the nest box but not being cleaned by their mum. With a solid bottomed nest box, it can get damp and nasty. We now have wire bottomed nest boxes and they stay a lot nicer. If cold is a concern, a bit of thin carpet scrap at the bottom of the nest can keep them warmer.