Ways to keep the nestbox warm?

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

So my EL is due tomorrow and it's been extremely chilly here in the mornings. Usually from the high 20s to the high 30s, warming up to thehigh forties later in the day, but not for long...Mid-afternoonish into the evening....anyways....

The nestbox is huge, and it's metal w/ a wooden bottom.

As of right now (we gave the nestbox to Minnie on Sunday or Monday and she started gathering hay and building nests, only to pooh/pee in them so I just cleaned them out and there she went making another one....) I put a layer of shavings in the bottom and then a blanket over top, but Minnie keeps digging that blanket up and putting the hay right on the wooden bottom..

Anyway, I think she still thinks there's a nest in the box, because she stopped making one yesterday morning...will she add more hay once she sees that I took it out to clean it? Or no? I'm going to put some hay in there for starters as I always do, and to make sure she won't pull up the blanket.

What other things can I do to make the box warmer? We don't have a heating pad and I don't know where to get one....Wal-Mart? Any certain brands?

What if I took socks and filled them with some beans and microwaved them for some time in the mornings while I was getting ready for school and then brought them out to the box for the babies? My sister can do this tomorrow as she's staying home on "Maternity Watch".

Thanks!
Emily

 

[murph72]

Unless there was a way to put the heater pad on the outside of the box, I wouldn't use one...the bunny would be able to not only chew on the cord, but the pad itself, which could lead to electrocution.

You could try the bean thing, but you'd have to really be on top of that to regulate the temperature. You don't want them to be too warm when you add them to the nest or you could harm the babies. You'd also have to keep an eye on how quickly they cooled in there. I can't say as I've ever tried that angle.

I have before put newspaper below and around the nest...basically a small stack of it that will help insulate the box. I've used newspaper because it's not harmful to the bunnies if they chew on it. I've also used hand towels around the nest. My one mini lop was funny as she'd take these and push them up against the box to insulate it. She totally knew what they were for. It was too cute. You'd just have to watch to make sure that your bun wasn't one that chewed the towels as the fabric pieces can cause blockages if ingested.

 

[BlueGiants]

For future breeding, Nest box warmers are an option for winter breeding. They tend to be expensive, but if they save one litter, I think they are well worth it...

Available at Bass Equipment: http://www.bassequipment.com/Miscellaneous/Nesting+Equipment/default.aspx

They do not get very hot, just stay warm to the touch. I believe they only get to 70 degrees F. Just enough to keep the babies from freezing. Wire is wrapped against chewing so not even the mother can get to it. Pad is metal, they can't chew or dig it, andgetting wet is not a problem. (Mine have lasted for years.)

 

[naturestee]

If you have a Petsmart by you, they carry Snuggle Safes. They're in the dog bed section. They are plastic discs that come with fabric covers. Heat them in the microwave and they last for about 8 hours or so. It's a really nice thing to have on hand for rabbits of any age if they get sick, or for single/orphan babies. It kept Dora nice a toasty.She would sit/sleep next to itand when it started to cool down she'd sprawl on top of it.

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Thanks BlueGiants and Naturestee and Murph!
I will look into getting a couple nestbox heaters from BASS when I begin to redo my rabbitry this year (planning is finished for the most part...now we just need the $$!!).
The only petsmart closest to me is about 35 miles away. Unfortunately I am unable to make it there tonight.
Those Snuggle Safes sure do sound really cool, and I think I will get some of those too.


That's a good idea about the newspaper too!


When we were out in the rabbitry, after I'd cleaned Minnie's cage and cleaned out the nestbox, I put a nice layer of shavings in the bottom, followed by three dish towels and a starting nest on top. Minnie added more hay and some shavings, and the towels were still on the bottom.
She is sooo nitpicky about her nest. I've never seen a more perfect hole in a nest before! She's going to be a great mother

Emily

 

[murph72]

Emily,

I also made some of my own nest box heaters. It was pretty easy and inexpensive and I'm happy with the results as I've tested them in some brutal temps already this winter. They only use a 15 watt light bulb, so it isn't a massive amount of heat, but enough to keep the wee ones snuggly in the bitter cold.

Dyan