How cold is too cold?

TroutRiver · #1 01/03/13, 10:26 AM

WOW is it cold here! It was -10F last night and now that the sun is out the temperature is sticking right around 0F. I have one doe that is due any time now, and one that is due in 2 weeks. I have a 250W heat lamp on the nest box for the one doe, but it's so cold that I can hold my hand on the heat lamp reflector and it's only slightly warm. The walls of the metal nest box are quite cold despite having the heat lamp pointed directly at it. I'm not sure if she will be able to keep her kits alive. All the bunnies have been eating less for the last 2 days since it's been so cold. Do any of you have experience with litters in this kind of cold?

I could put her in a smaller cage and bring her into the house for a few days, but I only have one movable cage so can only do this with one bunny at a time. Do you think it's necessary?

dragontamer56 · #2 01/03/13, 02:37 PM

I had my very first litter last week. The Mom was a first timer. The temps were around 5-10 degrees. They are all happy and healthy and fat. I havnt lost a single one. I just have them in a solid fenced garden were there isn't any wind. I don't have any heat lamp or anything on them.

akane · #3 01/03/13, 03:14 PM

I got mini rex and meat mutt litters through -30F one year with no heat source. Just lots of straw. One doe buried her box 2' deep.

lonelyfarmgirl · #4 01/04/13, 06:46 AM

BE VERY CAREFUL! Rabbit fur is super warm. Bunnies regulate their own nest. If they or mom feels its too warm because of the lamp, the fur will be thrown out and they will freeze to death. If you want to bring her in, then put her in a garage or something where the temp is maybe 40 or 50. If you bring her in the house, plan on keeping her there until the babies are close to a month. The temp change is too drastic for them.

TroutRiver · #5 01/04/13, 03:41 PM

Thanks. I will not bring her inside. No babies yet, but she is definitely building her nest. Any time now, she is due today.

BroodCoop · #6 01/04/13, 03:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lonelyfarmgirl

BE VERY CAREFUL! Rabbit fur is super warm. Bunnies regulate their own nest. If they or mom feels its too warm because of the lamp, the fur will be thrown out and they will freeze to death. If you want to bring her in, then put her in a garage or something where the temp is maybe 40 or 50. If you bring her in the house, plan on keeping her there until the babies are close to a month. The temp change is too drastic for them.

This is a point that I didn't fully appreciate until recently. It makes sense that since rabbits live underground where the temperatures don't change so quickly, living in a wire cage above ground is out of their element. Rabbits can take very cold weather but maybe not sudden changes in temperature.