Nestbox?

Question
Hi Lee, pls could you give me some advice? Last night my dwarf doe gave birth to two babies. She started her nesting behaviour about a week ago and I placed a cardboard box into her room with hay so that she could nest. Yesterday afternoon, she started pulling her hair and has made two nests. She has two litterboxes and made one of the nests in one of the litterboxes and the other in her small cage/carrier. There is more hay in the litterbox nest, but she gave birth in the cage. Overniht I see she has pulled more fur, but I am still concerned they are not warm enough. The cage "nest" is the darker option, but the litterbox "nest" is more nest-like with more hay? Should I move the nest and if so into which nest? I have seen her licking them, but am still to check if they are well fed. They are pink and moving, while one is slightly more blueish than the other. Does cannabalism occur right after the brith or later on if she choses to eat them? Any other advice regarding the new family additions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!

Answer
Hi Lugene,

well, since the kits are physically in the carrier, and it is more warren-like than the litterbox nest, the least stressful option is to take the fur from the litterbox and augment the nest in the carrier with that fur.  It will help keep them warmer.

I would find a time to get mom when she is out of the carrier, and block her off from you and the carrier (don't move the carrier, have someone hold her or temporarily put her in a different space elsewhere) for a bit so that you can quickly examine the kits and make sure they are both alive, and then take the fur from the litterpan and add it to the nest she made in the carrier.  If they are both alive (hoepfully both appear pink) place them close together so they can share body heat, and partially cover them with the additional fur.

Cannabalism occurs when the mother is stressed out and takes it out on the closest thing.  Usually happens when the mom and the babies are in too small of a space together (she can't get far enough away to rest) or if her and the male are both together with the babies.  Also if you do cleaning of the cage too soon that sometimes can trigger this.  So don't clean anything or move anything in the carrier for another 7-8 days.  Adding the fur is not cleaning or moving.  It's her fur, and you're adding it to the nest.  You aren't taking anything away or moving items or the nest from one place to another.

I would suggest going to the House Rabbit Society web site for excellent info on newborn rabbits:

http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/orphan.html

http://www.rabbit.org/care/babies.html

http://www.rabbit.org/care/newborn.html

Lee