Is this doe too extravagent with her nest?

MnCanary · #1 08/26/10, 03:08 PM

I have a New Zealand Red doe in a colony that seems to be an extravagent nest builder.

She and another doe, a buck and 3 other 9 week olds are in a 12'x8' stall, cement floored. There is shavings and peat and straw on the floor, with nest boxes scattered. She kindled 2 days ago in a standard metal nest box. It is her second litter, and the first turned out well.

This morning I noticed that she has moved a lot of shavings/peat/straw into her nest box corner, and she keeps piling it in the nest box. The box if full to the top.

I scooped some out and the kits are in the bottom, in the back in a little hollow. They seem OK--wiggling and fed. As soon as I left, the doe went right over there and cleaned up my mess--at least according to her I'd left it out of order. She re-filled the nest box with litter and pushed even more litter up against the sides of the metal nestbox.

I think she might be trying to out-do rabbitdom with this nest. She looks like a highway earthmover in there, scraping away for a new interchange. The litter up against the sides look like a ramp. I've not seen a nest box this full! And if I open it up a bit she is right over there scraping more litter toward and into the box.

My inclination is to just ignore her and hope she digs the kits out when necessary. They're certainly not likely to wander off on their own! None of the other rabbits is showing interest in her nest, other than the occasional wander-by-and-sniff.

Any advice?

Dave Quarles
St Paul MN
PERFECT weather today--
Blue sky, 72 degrees, low humidity, light breeze!

Shrarvrs88 · #2 08/26/10, 03:25 PM

I have read about rabbits given nice areas to nest and live in, that they can REALLY do the nest thing well. If the kits look fed, I would say, let er do what she wants. I'm sure it makes her happy...I know after I had MY baby, I wanted to make my home the best it could be for him. I think this would be a similar senario. She is just making her kits the best place she can...

KSALguy · #3 08/26/10, 04:05 PM

that is perfectly normal, rabbits naturally nest underground in a burrow, the doe will back fill the burrow everytime she leaves after nursing the kits, it keeps them safe, your doe is doing what she knows to do

Wisconsin Ann · #4 08/27/10, 07:36 AM

Mama-san (new zealand) does that. ANYTHING that's in the area goes into the nestbox. Then she digs down to the kits.

hrmmm...come to think of it, Sophia (angora) did that, too. Nestbox stuffed full of hay, then one day there's a tunnel in it..and at the end of the tunnel is a bunch of squiggly brand new kits.

Macybaby · #5 08/27/10, 11:08 AM

that is why my 3' long nest boxes have a trap door at the end. the does can fill them up as much as they like, and I can still easily check on the kits. Though I have one doe that is very protective of her kits, she filled up the end of the box and had her kits in the middle. Though that doe has a few other problems so I have not yet decided if she is going to head to freezer camp with her last litter or not.

Cathy

MnCanary · #6 08/27/10, 07:24 PM

[QUOTE=Macybaby;4608095]that is why my 3' long nest boxes have a trap door at the end.

Ok, I remember reading about 3' long nest boxes. Only now I understand why you would have them.

Thanks to all for the replys!

Dave Quarles

Backfourty,MI. · #7 09/01/10, 11:34 AM

All my doe's are what I call over zealous nest builders. They don't get traditional nest boxes but each one of their hutches has a 2 foot by 2 foot wood box attached to the end of there hutch, it is for nest building & also to get out of the elements when needed(although their hutches do have roofs on them).
Mine always take and build their nests so big, they have tunnels to the babies just like what yours sounds like. My boxes have a hinged flap door on the end so I can get in easily & clean out, etc.
The only time I worry about so much nesting material is if it is really hot & the babies could get to warm( had that happen 1 time last summer), then I haul out what I consider too much nesting material.

ODINSWORN · #8 09/02/10, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MnCanary

I have a New Zealand Red doe in a colony that seems to be an extravagent nest builder.

Dave Quarles
St Paul MN
PERFECT weather today--
Blue sky, 72 degrees, low humidity, light breeze!

Is her fur red? That sounds cool as hell!!!! For me the thing that is the most addicting is the dazzling variety of rabbits available. I have made my spouse vow to kick my butt if I bring home another rabbit. My mom is the worst enabler, she trolls craigslist and sends me adds. I already had to build a buck hutch to free up space for growing out fryers.