Do I need a Nest Box

[aurora369]

My doe is due soon, and I just put a nest box inher cage (today is day 27), but the cage she has right now has a solidbottom. Do I still need to put a nest box in? Ionly have experience with wire bottomed cages, and her cage is so smallright now that it takes up alot of room.

She'll have a bigger cage when I move out for University, but right nowwe have no room for a bigger one. So it would be nice for herto be able to keep as much room as possible untill I can get her andher babies into a NIC cage in my new basement suite.

I'm just worried if she builds the nest on the floor that she'll stepon them, or the babies will crawl too far away from the nest.

Also, in the NIC cage, should I put some sort of "baby saver" up, likesome small grid wire or will the coroplast box bottom be enough?

Any advice on the subject would be appreciated.

--Dawn

 

[BlueGiants]

In my personal experience, I think it's betterfor her to have a nestbox, even if it makes her space a littletight. I think it keeps the babies together, that they canshare body heat (even if it's not cold out) and the babiesare all in one place when momma hops in to feed them (they haven'tcrawled off into seperate corners of the cage. She won't golooking for them if they aren't there, when she's ready tofeed!). It also give her a place to "escape" fromthe babies. She doesn't need to nurse them more than once ortwice a day. If they are loose in the cage, they will beafter her all day, increasing her stress levels. Even beforetheir eyes are open, they can smell her and will crawl after her,trying to nurse more often. It's easier on her if she can getaway from them for a while.
You can take the nest box awayat 21 days,alittlesooner if they are indoors. You can let herout a little more often to getextra exercise and to stretchher legs.

 

[aurora369]

Thanks,

I guess I'll just increase her run about time till I get them into their new cage.