Moving pregnant doe

[22lilchickens]

One of my silver fox does is due to kit march 5, next Sunday. I want to switch cages because her cage has a house part but I'd rather her have them in a nest box but I can not fit one in it so I would like to move her to one I can. I am worried though I might stress her out or something. Would she be ok ?

 

[eggbert420]

She might stress out and eat her baby's.

 

[Bunnylady]

In over 30 years of keeping rabbits, and dealing with hundreds of does, I have had exactly 1 doe that deliberately killed and ate her kits. That one did it more than once, and with no obvious provocation or cause of stress. I have moved does both just before or just after kindling; during cool weather, I often move does into my hall closet overnight when they are due, rather than risk them kindling in the cold and losing the babies to hypothermia. I can't say absolutely that moving the mother-to-be won't upset her, but I have learned that most rabbits are a lot more tolerant than some people would lead you to believe. Unless this doe has an extremely nervous, hyper sort of personality, she will probably be fine with simply being moved a few feet from one cage to another (a 3-hour car ride to another state, for example, might be a different matter).

 

[FoodFreedomNow]

Hi there - I raise Silver Foxes, too, and I agree with @Bunnylady 's advice that your doe should (most likely) be just fine with a short, gentle move to a different cage. I'd move her ASAP so she can get settled in and get her nest box just the way she wants it.

Best wishes for a successful kindling! And pics of the kits would be great.

 

[BantamLover21]

She should be okay if you move her. I try not to move does when they're pregnant (at least in the latter 1-2 weeks), but I have moved a few does and none of them have minded.

 

[balloonflower]

I'm right there with you--my doe is on day 28 and I need to move her to the larger cage today. I am hoping that it won't be too hard, but she'll be happy with more space, and the nestbox and a pile of hay.

 

[22lilchickens]

I think I might try to move her today she still will have 6 days to settle down in her new cage before she has her babies. But her new cage she will be next to another rabbit which her old cage she is by her self. She is only moving about 10 feet

 

[22lilchickens]

Hi there - I raise Silver Foxes, too, and I agree with @Bunnylady
's advice that your doe should (most likely) be just fine with a short, gentle move to a different cage. I'd move her ASAP so she can get settled in and get her nest box just the way she wants it. 

Best wishes for a successful kindling! And pics of the kits would be great. 

Last time she had kits she had 8! And they were all nice sized hopefully she will have a good litter this time too.

 

[balloonflower]

I got my Paws moved today. I would say her attitude seemed more curious and exploring the larger cage, so hopefully stress levels stayed low for the transfer. When I just checked and did evening feeding, she's starting to hay-stache!

 

[22lilchickens]

I moved sweet pea yesterday she seemed a little nervous at first and stayed in the house part but when I went out to today she was perfectly fine, coming up to the door to greet me and I think she is enjoying having another rabbit next to her. Very excited for her to kit. I'll be putting her nest box in Saturday! I hoping for another litter of 8.