Updated - Should I clean up babies' nest & (even more) pix

Just checked on Choco and her babies again this evening, and I noticed that the floor underneath their nest is damp. The babies themselves (8 days old and eyes tight closed) are nice and dry in a nest of shavings and mum's fur, but it's damp underneath. I guess it's the near 100% humidity we've had since they were born. You can see how dry they are in the photos below.

Now should I try to do anything about the dampness? Mum moved some shavings around before the babies were born, but hasn't touched the clean stuff we've left her, as far as I can tell. Or should I just leave her to it? They all seem fine - I just don't want nasties to start growing... :shock:

BTW, here are a couple of photos of the babies, with mum looking on. It seems like they're starting to look like their wild dad...

Id move them & try to dry the damp patch. Dont want anything encouraging more flies around the nest/hutch

I have never had to deal with baby buns but I would think it best to clean them could you not put them in a makeshift nest in a box with mum whilst you clean it.

Btw they are flipping cuddly adorable scrummy buns

Usually you'd leave the nest until the babies start hopping out around two weeks old. If your having a problem with flies though and mum isn't bothered about you playing around the nest then you can lift the babies and surface of the nest (which will be dry) and clean the dirty stuff from underneath and then put them back.

Their eyes will open about day ten and you should handle them as much as possible once they start wondering around so that they become very tame.

Tam

Thanks very much for the replies. My inclination was to leave them alone unless they start having problems, but I take your points.

They've had no problems with flies so far. It's not smelly, just a bit damp - I think it would normally dry up if it hadn't rained every day since they've been born. Mum's a bit wary of me opening the door to the nest - she doesn't seem too happy about me checking the babies are okay, as you can see from the first photo. I don't feel she'd take too kindly to me moving them. We can always confine mum to the run, but she gets a bit frantic and I'd rather not interfere with them too much, if I can help it.

What I might try and do is slip some cardboard under the nest material to try to dry it up a bit. I can always keep changing it without disturbing everything else too much. If it gets any worse, or gets smelly or flies appear, I'll have a more major sort out. The babies not longer seem to bury themselves in it - they just seem to snuggle up together. And our girls think they're so cute, too

Edit: P.S. I've just had a look at the forecast for the next week, and it's rain here nearly every day. Maybe I'd better sort it out sooner rather than later.

Well they're coming up to 2 weeks old tonight. All their eyes are open and they're becoming personalities in their own right. We've been getting them out and handling them every day, and they (and mum) seem very happy with that.

The bedding's got a bit wet underneath again, so we'll change that now the sun shock is drying things out a bit. The cardboard did work, but not well enough...

In the picture below, you can see the makeshift step I made to keep the babies in the nest. When should I think about removing it? I don't want them all over the double-decker hutch and run unless they're ready for it. I'm worried about them on that ramp, and the step into the run is 4-5 inches deep. Any thoughts, please?

They'll be over that and exploring the hutch soon but it sounds like it will probably be a bit longer until they can cope with the ramp. Is the bottom storey of the hutch enclosed like a hutch too? You could move them down there in a few days. Otherwise maybe enclose the ramp a bit so they can fall off the sides and add an extra step in for them.

Tam

Thanks, Tamsin.

Well, you were right - they went over it this afternoon when we were checking on them. Not sure if it was the first time, but they needed help to get back in. One of them got onto the ramp while we were chasing a sibling... I assume that they're OK now to be out and about a bit - I wasn't sure if I should try to keep them enclosed in the nest. I can always fashion another (larger) step to keep them in the nest if they should be restrained for a few more days. I assume you meant secure the ramp so that they can't fall off.

The bottom storey of the hutch is open to the run - just a big hole which can be closed off with a removable wire door. There is nothing down there at the moment apart from hay and shavings, but I could put a cardboard box in there to make some sort of nest area. I could also remove the ramp so that would keep them in the bottom of the hutch and only mum could get up top.

That just leaves the step from the hutch down to the run. The run is secure, just placed onto grass and moved every day - I'm sure I can find something to make some small steps or a ramp up. Or should I just try to keep them in the hutch for now using the wire door? That would stop mum eating grass, though. :?

I'd never thought how much there is to worry about :shock:

Aw Ive been hoping for more pics. They look like real little bunnies now

Well now they've worked out how to get out, there seems to be no stopping them. Soon after my previous posting, I found one wandering round the bottom storey of the hutch. It fell into the run when mum reacted to me being there. I put a step in using a square panel of wooden decking, and it found it's way back up the ramp and into the nest using the small upturned bowl I'd put there. A few minutes later, another one (or the same one :?) jumped out, and then jumped straight back in without using the step. I guess they're fairly capable at 2 weeks, but we'll keep an eye on them. We've put loads more shavings and hay in the bottom of the hutch to keep it warm in case one gets left out for a bit.

BTW, the girls think they can tell them apart now. I'm not so sure, but they are definite characters now, nuzzling you for a fuss if you're stroking one of the others

Thanks again to all - the moral support is just what's needed when coping with such new and exciting events :wave: