Today was the due date for my doe, Libby, to have her first litter of kits. I was waiting all week for today to arrive, and when it finally did, I was surprised to find her nest box completely cleared of all hay, and also to find a cute nest of babies in the corner of her cage, all nestled in her fur. Through the last week of her pregnancy I half expected her to get big and fat, due to the kits, but she stayed thin. I come to find out she had all TEN of babies, right there, in a nest, on the wire.
I quickly made a nest in the back of the nest box, put all the babies in there, and nestled her pulled fur back on top of them. Now, my question is whether or not that is an issue? Every other doe that I've had that gave birth would massacre her kits if even slightly frightened. I'm now worried that Libby will either harm her kits, or not feed them. Should I worry? So far she has simply just sniffed the inside of her box, acknowledging that her kits are in there.
Thoughts?
I quickly made a nest in the back of the nest box, put all the babies in there, and nestled her pulled fur back on top of them. Now, my question is whether or not that is an issue? Every other doe that I've had that gave birth would massacre her kits if even slightly frightened. I'm now worried that Libby will either harm her kits, or not feed them. Should I worry? So far she has simply just sniffed the inside of her box, acknowledging that her kits are in there.
Thoughts?
