Stubborn Doe won't go upstairs...

Hi All, I have two gorgeous mini lops. One is a blue buck 6 months of age and the other is a blue point doe 7 months of age. The problem is with the doe, who is housed in a large double story hutch in our yard. We hope she is pregnant allthough could be a phantom pregancy.

Q. The hutch floor is covered with hay etc but the floor of the hutch is basically the dirt of the back yard. She continues to burrow, although I have tried to encourage her to move upstairs or in a nest box I have made for her downstairs. She burrows quite deep and I continue to fill the holes with bricks, stones etc. I would like her to go up the stairs to the top of the hutch which is well covered and more secure from the elements. It's large up there but she continues to stay downstairs and I never see her up there? Anyway, do I lock her up there for a few days and move her food upstairs? Any advice? If she has kits in the burrows I am sure they will drown from the rain. Should I move the nest box upstairs as well?

If she has made a nest don't move it, it might upset her and cause her to abandon her litter, if you've made the nest she might not accept it and want to build her own. If you suspect she is pregnant I would remove the Buck asap as generally pregnant does hate being bothered by a horny buck.

It is probably better to get them both neutered however as then it will strengthen their existing bond and allow their hormones to settle. It might even be that the buck is territorial towards the 'upper' level of the hutch so the doe doesn't feel comfortable.

Extra information

Thanks for your reply. I never keep my two rabbits together. The doe is in a large double story hutch by herself and the buck has never been allowed in.