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Nest Box?
Topic Started: May 9 2014, 09:21 PM (114 Views)
louierabbit
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Get the Duct Tape, Stat!
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When should I clean it out?

Oh and what is rabbit safe that I can mark the babies with? I'm going to try and tell the genders of them and want to mark the girls to see if I'm right.
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ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
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I cleaned out the nest box after about a week. During that week, just took out anything that was wet or soiled.

Needed to keep clean as I was worried about nest box eye.

Regarding what's non-toxic to mark your girl kits, hopefully someone will chime in.

KAZ
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NeuBunny
Genetics Geek!
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Haven't marked bunnies, but have cavies.

Sharpie marker works, but moms have a tendency to wash that off. Nailpolish on the toenails works too (look for something fast drying and/or one marketed for pets or babies) -- that generally lasts until you clip their nails for the first time (you don't want to have to use the remover, as acetone is toxic).
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sidd-says-gimme
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sidd says stay gold
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I usually put nail polish on the ears.
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NCK
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Somebunny is a awfully chatty
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I've never marked kits before now, with my current litter. I'm using Sharpie markers on their ears. I just re-mark them every day so that they don't wear off. Mom doesn't seem to mind. I've also heard it suggested to put the mark at the base of their ear, under the fold. It's supposed to last longer that way, but I haven't tried it.
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louierabbit
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Get the Duct Tape, Stat!
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Thanks guys. I'm gonna try nail polish under the ears so mom doesn't clean it off.
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louierabbit
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Get the Duct Tape, Stat!
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Does anybody know why Sadie is so aggressive after nursing?
Everytime I put her back in the cage after exercise, she always goes and checks on/nurses her babies. When she comes out of the box, she always growls at me, puts her ears back, and would probably lunge at me if I didn't move. She was like that when she was pregnant. When she's out of her cage, she's sweet and asks for attention.
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ZRabbits
Love My Lions!
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Sounds to me like she's just being a protective Mom. She probably smells your scent on the kits while nursing so knows someone is messing with her charges. Just letting you know who's boss of those sweeties. Just be patient with her. Nothing abnormal for a first time Mom. I'd be a bit worried if this new attitude continued after weaning.

KAZ
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louierabbit
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Get the Duct Tape, Stat!
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She will be spayed after weaning and I've head that calms down aggressive rabbits so maybe that will help.

She was a big girl when she was pregnant and I thought it was that I switched both the boy and girl to alfalfa hay and the babies. Now that she's had them, she's really skinny. Is there anything I can give her to help her gain weight? She gets unlimited pellets and alfalfa hay, along with veggies, dandelion, or grass daily (and always fresh water).

Also once Sonny (buck) is neutered, healed, and the left over sperm is dried up, (baby's would be about 2.5 months by then), would it be safe to start re-bonding him to mom and all the babies or will she attack him? I am keeping one or two of the kits and I want to know which two he gets along with best before I put them up for sale.
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NeuBunny
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Normal for a nursing mama rabbit to be skinny - every bit of energy is going in to producing milk for growing kits. Mom's usually rapidly go back to normal weight after weaning. Keep in mind the apparent weight loss is exaggerated -- you got used to seeing her with a belly full of babies and she has pulled a lot of fur out as well.

Your diet sounds fine to me - more than I do, honestly. The dandelions and alfalfa are high calcium and will help with milk production.

Supplements that would add fat (and so help with weight gain) include black-oil-sunflower seeds, YQ+ (by Kent feeds), and calf manna. But the majority of breeders don't use those - some feel the higher fat is counter-productive (babies gain weight too fast for their bones, and mom's build up too much fat which inhibits later breeding, calf manna in particular mom's get 'addicted' to the high fat/sugar and go off feed later when it is taken away). I used YQ+ with our first litter, but haven't since (very hard to find here).

Generally, even mom's who are super protective calm down once the babies are jumping out of the nest box - and completely by weaning age. Zoe - who would try to take my hand off when the kits were in the box - was perfectly fine about a week after they came out of the box (when the kits were 3-4 weeks old I think).

I don't keep adults together, so hopefully someone who does will come on and answer those questions.
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louierabbit
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Get the Duct Tape, Stat!
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They were bonded. They would cuddle and clean each other - it was really cute. I'm just afraid if I put a boy in with mom and her older babies, she would get over protective and attack him. When she was pregnant he lost a lot of fur on his butt, tail, and face from her nipping through the wire at him.
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sidd-says-gimme
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sidd says stay gold
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I give all of my mommy buns a bit of BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds) and rolled oats (regular, not quick cook). My bunnies generally keep great weight after kindling (their normal weight) but I do like to make sure that they keep that weight on while nursing.
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NeuBunny
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I don't think mother rabbits stay particularly protective of babies after they are weaned. I'd be less concerned about that than about how the same sex bunnies in the group would interact. I'd always learned that does are extremely territorial -- which is why I've never tried getting two does to share space other than sister-siblings under 4 months old. I know a few people on this board (or at least they used to be on here - haven't heard from them in a while) who keep does in colonies though, so there must be a way to do it. Perhaps it requires keeping a large enough pen that each can have a territory within it. I don't think I've ever heard of anyone keeping more than one buck in with a group of does though, males tend to fight over the females. Then again, I don't know much about how fixing might change that dynamic either.
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