ON SAVING A LITTER

Preparation of the nest box: Disinfect the nest box and ensure there are no holes in the bottom board where the kits may fall through. Clean new dry shavings should be placed in the nest box and packed around the edges, leaving the centre area free for the doe to clean and prepare. The doe may clean out all the shavings, but replace them. The nest box must be thoroughly checked every day for faeces, new holes, and general condition. If necessary, replace the bottom board. Occasionally, a doe will whelp unexpectedly if careful records are not kept of all male encounters.

Introduction to the nest box: An expectant doe may be introduced to a nest box a week before the event with no ill effects. It is not unusual for her to defecate occasionally in the nest box but they should never urinate in it. Remove pellets every day. If she treats the nest box as a latrine, she is not pregnant

The whelping: The first litter is sometimes a disaster for the new doe. She may not know what to do and may stomp all over the kits in the nest box, and may eat all or parts of the ones left on

Some people routinely foster out all the first litter to several seasoned does where they will be properly cared for, and rebreed the doe in a few days. Regardless, put her in the nest box (if she is not already in) when she starts whelping.

Rearranging the nest box: There are usually about eight kits, but I have experienced litters of from one to fifteen. If only a few show up, check soon after and then regularly, there will probably be more, perhaps as much as a day later. After she has definitely finished whelping, place a barrier to the nest box so she doesn’t have access for 24 hours. This gives the kits plenty of time to get warm, comfortable, and to grow stronger. Gather clean rabbit hair and spread it in one half at the centre of the nest box. Spread fresh shavings in the other half. The nest of hair should resemble a doughnut with a hole in the middle. Watch that some don’t crawl away from the rest. A nestful of kits will generate enough heat to keep every kit warm if there is enough hair over them, especially when the temperature in the rabbitry is below 70° F and if one does not wander away from the nest, so block escape by building up shavings around the nest..   When you remove the doe-barrier the next day, watch the doe and ensure she actually goes into the nest box and nursing takes place. If she spends all her time in the nest box, foster the kits out because she is sick.

Fostering: It is always a good idea to breed several does at the same time so that fostering can be more easily accomplished. Some people keep an elderly doe or two that are good mothers but whelp only a few kits, solely for the purpose of fostering to. When introducing kits to the new nest box, it is best to first distract the doe by offering her a treat or removing her for awhile.

If she insists on entering the nest box, remove her temporarily. Larger kits tend to roam, so they must be blocked from approaching the foster mother too soon. She may attack and kill them. I find it is better to foster in kits that are the same age or a bit larger than the regular kits Fostering in kits smaller than the doe’s natural kits will often lead to their demise.

Milk replacement: Fostering kits out to a good mother is always the best choice, but if there are no foster does available, then a milk replacement must be mixed up. Domestic rabbits; 2 parts puppy milk powder, 6 parts water, 3 parts whipping cream, 3 parts goat's milk (fresh or powder). Kits are syringe fed only 3 times a day. Give 10% of body weight for all day. Start hay at 2 weeks, pellets at 3 weeks.