# what is the best bedding for their nest boxes



## LATTE (Jan 4, 2010)

I have 2 holland lops and lion head rabbits and was wondering if the rabbit bedding at walmart was good to use in their nesting boxes for the winter i know they pull fur but i was worried about how cold it has been so i want to be sure to have their boxes ready any suggestions appreciated


----------



## Silver Marten (Apr 27, 2009)

The bedding that you can get from Wal-Mart would probably work well. Hay and shredded news paper is what most people use though. 
Welcome to the forum. 

Emily


----------



## trinityoaks (Sep 17, 2008)

I would think that hay from a feed store would be a lot less expensive, and they can eat it, too.


----------



## nzw tom (Oct 7, 2009)

I use a layer of wood chips, then lots and lots of hay.


----------



## Honorine (Feb 27, 2006)

I put 2-3 inches of wood chips in the bottom as an absorbant, insulation and cushion and then grass hay on top of that. I've used all kinds of stuff, straw and timothy hay is too stemmy and stiff, newspaper gets wet and mats down, and the ink can get on the kits. Grass is also a good insulater, and edible. I just keep putting fresh hay on the babies as they grow. I also save dryer lint, when your doe does not pull enough fur you can use it as a substitute. I always put the lint under the kits, and the does fur on the top, some does don't like the lint and will pull it off their kits. Good Luck, may your nest boxes be full of popples!!


----------



## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

grass hay, lots and lots of grass hay, paper gets nasty quick and if their is ink thats not good, hay is edible for both mother and babies and wont muck up as bad,


----------



## General Brown (Jan 10, 2008)

A good layer of wood shavings topped with alot of hay. the doe should pull fur and intertwine it all.


----------



## stranger (Feb 24, 2008)

I put a little hay and straw in and let momma rabbit decide which and where to put it.


----------



## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

I use grass hay. If I were breeding the rabbits in cold weather, I would put a layer of wood shavings under it. Grass hay is softer than straw and as the kits begin to experiment with nibbling (which starts younger than you might think) the grass hay gets them off to an excellent start.


----------



## waynesgarden (Jan 4, 2009)

I built wooden nest boxes with hardware cloth bottoms. I put a layer of cardboard down, and then wood shavings and lots of hay. 

Every time, the does dig down and tear the cardboard to shreds. Not sure why, perhaps it an instictual, need to burrow.

Wayne


----------



## lonelyfarmgirl (Feb 6, 2005)

I do what waynesgarden does. My boxes have hardware cloth on the bottom, so I put down a piece of paper or cardboard. most of my does dont bother it, but I put it there as a wind block. some does want to dig so deep, their babies end up being on the wire in the box, with no air block underneath, then they freeze anyway. If the doe is one that rips up the cardboard, I put it under the nest box so she cant get at it, then fill the box with hay. I always save good clean unused fur also. Some does just never pull enough and need extra.


----------



## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

I have hand made wooden nestboxes with hardware mesh bottoms. I had a problem with kits chilling on wire after the mothers accidentally dragged them out still attached after nursing, so I put the box in a clean cat litter box with straw in it. It is just big enough that it props the front end of the nestbox up and makes it higher, so kits are 'scraped off' into the nestbox more efficiently.  Also, it eliminates breezes from below. I will likely keep using them in the winter at least, as they're cheap (1.50 ea) from the dollar store. It can be troublesome to get them into the cage but once there they can stay for a couple weeks - and so far, no does chew on them!

To fill the nestbox, I use free paper shreds I get from work as well as grass hay or straw, whatever I have on hand. I also save dryer lint for those does that don't pull fur (though the first doe that I had that didn't pull was just a few weeks ago, and dad had JUST burned all the dryer lint... ) and will be shaving my butcher rabbit fur to keep for such situations, too.


----------



## Truckinguy (Mar 8, 2008)

I've used shredded newpaper for nearly two years now and had no problems with it. Usually I do a cleanout with fresh newspaper on day nine but the last three or four litters I didn't do it, the nest seemed dry enough and since it was cold and the nest was toasty warm, I didn't bother. I've had no problems with nestbox eye. I shred the newspaper in long strips with a commercial paper shredder that fits on top of a garbage pail.

My nestboxes are 3/4 plywood with 1x1/2 welded wire bottoms. On top of that I put a piece of tightly fitted cardboard, in the winter I put a piece of old bathtowel cut to size on top of that then top it off with a second piece of cardboard, kind of like an oreo cookie. It just adds another layer of insulation to the bottom and I put the piece of towel in the laundry and reuse it again for the next litter. I have half a dozen pieces of towel cut out and ready for use.


----------



## LATTE (Jan 4, 2010)

Thanks for all the help i was also wondering about the hay i know i have heard timothy is the best but i got some hay from a friend and dont know what kind it is it was given to them can they eat any hay ? or is some bad for them ?


----------



## kenman (Jan 7, 2010)

I feed mine prairie hay, which is a mixture of several types of grass and wild flowers, including fescue and orchard grass. I think that as long as its not wet or moldy and offers at least some nutritional value, it should be fine.


----------



## Falls-Acre (May 13, 2009)

In winter I use a layer of shavings and stuff the box with straw. It's more insulating than hay. I also give a small handful to the doe to arrange, otherwise she might remove all of it from the box.


----------



## LATTE (Jan 4, 2010)

it has been so cold here that i worry for my first litters to be born in this weather it is hard to keep them with water for it is freezing so fast but hopefully it will warm up soon enough before their litters are due so i appreciate all the help as this is all new to me i have read up on it but sometimes personal experience is better than books


what is a average litter for a holland lop ?
or a lionhead?


----------



## Silver Marten (Apr 27, 2009)

LATTE said:


> what is a average litter for a holland lop ?
> or a lionhead?


Holland Lops usually have between 3 and 5. Lionheads are about the same.

Emily


----------

