When can I move baby rabbits?

[honeybun90]

Hi all. I have a 6ft wide 2 tier hutch and currently have a 2-3 week old litter of 3 that live on the top tier with their mum (dad has been separated and lives downstairs while he recovers from being neutered). The babies have started coming out of their nest and into the main part of the hutch with mum, exploring and has starting nibbling on mums food (they have been given their own junior pellets). I wondered if now would be a good time to move mum and babies downstairs and dad upstairs ? I have blocked off the ladder with trellis so mum and dad can still see and smell each other, but worried the babies will get through and won’t be able to get back to mum. If I am able to move mum and babies downstairs would she build them another nest or no? Any help would be great, thanks!

 

[tonibun]

It's always a risk moving babies. It will be a bit of an upheaval for them and I would advise waiting another couple of weeks. I doubt Mum would make another nest actually. Remember, Dad could still be fertlle for a few more weeks so you must be very careful for them not to meet. They should re-bond easily when the time comes. I have partitioned my hutches off by using a solid piece of wood, about 2-3 feet x 1 foot. This would be much safer than trellis. Otherwise you sound to be doing well.

 

[Shimmer]

I use things like litter trays with a brick in to block of ladder holes in the floor, if I need to split a hutch. Anything solid on top of the mesh would be worth doing so the babies don't get legs caught.

Hope all goes well.

 

[honeybun90]

Hi tonibun, thanks for your reply! The main reason I wanted to move the babies was because of the trellis, but if I swap it for something more solid I won’t have to move them, thanks for the advise

 

[honeybun90]

Hi Shimmer, thanks for your reply! That’s a good idea! I’ll try and find something like that to block the hole soon, thanks for the advise!