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Sadie's Kits Info & Pics
Topic Started: May 8 2014, 05:59 PM (1,012 Views)
sidd-says-gimme
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sidd says stay gold
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Oh no! Glad your mom was able to save her. What kind of nest box are you using?
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louierabbit
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Get the Duct Tape, Stat!
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It's not really labeled as a "nest box". It was a hidey that went through many generations of rabbits at a family friend's farm. He gave it to me when I first got my rabbits. It's basically a wooden box with a hole in the front that they usually sleep in, hide in, etc.

I know it's not really a nest box and the opening is pretty shallow so I did attach a cardboard piece to the bottom of the "door" to make a lip that the babies will hit if they don't let go of mom's nipple when nursing.

Today is 10 days for the kits, eyes opening soon!
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ZRabbits
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Glad to hear your Mom was there and her fast actions help save the kit. Definitely would do something with the nest box until their eyes open.

KAZ
Edited by ZRabbits, May 17 2014, 07:18 PM.
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louierabbit
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I had my mom do the cardboard lip thing on the bottom of the opening and so far no babies out.
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ZRabbits
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Glad to hear. Just so they stay put until they have their eyes open. Once they have their eyes open, they will be able to get back into the nest box themselves.

Oh babies, such silly things. But some like to be more independent than others and at that age, can be dangerous for that little independent wanderer.

KAZ
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NeuBunny
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so glad you found this one in time!

If kits are getting out of the box, but not back in, it may be time to modify the nest -- with my boxes, I usually just tip it on its side so a baby that gets out can crawl back in. I usually have to do this once the eyes are open -- sometimes a few days before.
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louierabbit
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Eyes (or at least one eye) open on all of the kits except the one that was cold yesterday. Should I hold warm wet rags on their eyes to help them out? Looks like some of them have crud on their eyes, but are trying to open them.
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NeuBunny
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with crud potentially mucking the eyes shut, I would gently wash the crud away.
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louierabbit
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I washed the eyes and they opened but I don't think that on baby 5 they were ready to open as he keeps them shut now, even though they CAN open. Is this ok?
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NeuBunny
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yeah. A lot of them keep them closed most of the time the first few days. I suppose it takes them a while to really figure out how they work.
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louierabbit
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Ok. I was cleaning out the nest box in the garage today. I took out all the babies and put them on a hand towel on a tarp, with another towel wrapped around them making a "nest". While I was picking out the clean fur, the magpie baby and the blue harlequin baby climbed out of the nest and walked around the tarp, testing out their new open eyes I guess. They were the cutest things though. Moving around pretty fast too. Each time I put them back in the nest when they were getting too far away, they climbed right back out.

It's going to be pretty cold again tonight. I only have a small amount of clean fur left. The babies do have a coat of fur (they are 11 days old) and I put in lots of fresh hay. I shouldn't have to turn on the heat lamp should I?
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ZRabbits
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Kits have fur now plus with the extra hay, I truly think you won't need the heat lamp.

KAZ
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louierabbit
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I'm terrified that one of the babies will come out of the nest and not get back in. They do have eyes but keep them closed most of the time and I'm worried they won't climb back into the nest if they do get out. Am I just being nervous?
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ZRabbits
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You are doing just fine. It's your first litter and you want to make sure the kits are safe. Believe me, I did the same thing and mine were in the house. Luna got to a point where when she me, she moved to another part of the crate so I had full access to her babies.

It's really tough to keep kits that have their eyes open now from wandering. It's just in their nature.

KAZ
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NeuBunny
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If they can climb back in, they will. lol - they are like little heat-seeking missiles - they find each other and snuggle together. Even the ones that don't have their eyes open yet will wiggle back together (or under mom).

But I do understand -- I'm still paranoid after losing the one from my litter -- I check them last thing before I go to bed - tuck them all in and pile a ton of hay in the cage in front of the box (which is sideways now, so no other barrier) to 'keep them in' or at least give them lots of extra to snuggle in. lol - between them and Della they eat most of it by morning.
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