Your thoughts please on rabbit nest box -- use straw and shavings?

[sourland]

For a kindling nest box I have found that grass hay works best. It mixes readily with the mother's fur and provides a softer fluffier nest. Timothy hay has worked OK for me, but I do not like straw as it is too coarse and does not fluff up as well as the grass hay. If you are talking about a sleeping box, straw is fine- just change it frequently.

 

[dewey]

Thanks so much for sharing your input -- I appreciate it!

 

[BunnyMomma]

Hi, I use a good orchard grass hay that is fine, and I mow it myself and dry it for the buns. I put shavings in the nest box, and add a nice layer of grass to top it off. This is what works best for me.
Bunny

 

[dewey]

It's been quite a long time since raising them, but I always used just grass hay back then. It's pretty warm in the winters here, never too much below freezing but sometimes dipping into the high teens in this area. But this doe is well protected in a small 8'x16' completely enclosed shelter with a wide, secure door open during the day but free of winds. There's also a small outdoor enclosed rabbit "barn" available but I didn't want to move her this close to kindling. I'd been reading that so many use shavings & hay now, so I thought I'd check with you to be sure I hadn't somehow over the years missed the latest best way.

Today I put in her nest box, grass hay only, and right away she began to arrange it. Hopefully all will go well with her first litter. In the past I've had first time does that were great moms and others that were completely not, yet did well on their 2nd or 3rd litters.

Thanks so much for the input.