# If my rabbit has kits outside of her nest box should I move them into the nest box?



## clalso (May 6, 2014)

My rabbit is preparing to deliver her first litter. I have a nest box with plenty of hay bedding in her cage. The nest box has been in her cage for several weeks. The problem is she's building a nest outside of the nest box. My question is if she should have the kits outside of the nest box and instead birth them in the nest she's creating outside the nest box, should I leave the kits there or move them to the nest box? The cage has a standard wire mesh floor. My concern is the kits would be very uncomfortable on the wire floor unless she builds a very nice, thick nest where the babies can't touch the wire mesh. I guess my answer is I would have to put them in the nest box otherwise they will crawl out of the nest she's created and onto the wire mesh floor. My other concern is if I move the kits to the nest box will momma nurse them or ignore them. I can't see that I would have any choice but to move the kits to the nesting box and hope momma nurses them, but would appreciate any answers from someone with experience with this situation.


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## AmandaBunz (May 7, 2014)

Hi! 

I vote yes, move them if she has them outside the box.....

My rabbit had her babies under one of my children's beds. As soon as I thought she was done, I moved them to a shoe box I had outfitted with a blanket (that I made sure they could not get under). I just took the fur she had pulled and lightly put it over them. Since she had the run of the house, I just left the box under the bed and she would visit it a couple of times a day to feed. I would check the babies several times a day (I work from home and am obviously far too nosey to let her handle this alone), to make sure they were fat and warm. Every now and then all would be fat except for one, so I would sit on my bed with it (her favorite place to flop out) and when she jumped up there I would just slip it under her and pet her until it was done getting it's groceries. 

I think "don't touch or move babies" is an old wives tale our parents told us so we would leave babies alone - my mamma bun never had a problem with it. Plus, where she had them would have been too cold like it was.


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## Bville (May 7, 2014)

I've never bread rabbits, but I'm wondering if you could move her nest to the nest box before the kits are born. She might move it back out, but I think it would be worth a try to show her where she should be building her nest. If she has them outside the box, definitely put them in the box with the nesting material she has gathered.


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## HototMama (May 7, 2014)

the first problem is that you have had the nest box in for too long. nest boxed should go in 3 days before they are due. 2nt kits WILL die if they are born on the floor of a cage. what i would do is move the nestbox in to the spot where she is building a nest right now. and but some of the nest into the nestbox.


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## majorv (May 7, 2014)

I agree, go ahead and move the nest she built into the nestbox and place it where the nest was. If she still has the kits outside the box, move them to the box afterward along with any hair she pulled. Kits are safest in the box where they can't wander or get stepped on. The box should be big enough for the doe to turn around in. I usually try to make sure the kits snuggle to the back of the box so when mom jumps in they aren't in danger of being stepped on.


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## clalso (May 8, 2014)

Thanks for the answer. Live and learn. I figured if I had the nest box in for a couple weeks she'd be more inclined to use it. I have two does that just delivered. Both of them had the nest box in for a couple weeks. One of the does did deliver in her nest box. For the one which didn't deliver into her nest box and for which I wrote this topic, I moved her kits into the nest box along with lots of fur and straw she used to build her outside the nest box nest. All seem to be doing well today from what I can tell. Now I suppose I just watch and wait. I find myself a bit anxious 'cause I never see the does in the nest box with their litters, but I figure that's normal as the does probably only go into the nest box a couple times of day. Thanks for all the replies / suggestions!


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