Tuesday, March 11, 2008
Nest Box Warmers
We're heading into the best breeding season of the year. But with cold nights still prevalent for the next couple of months, getting babies here is only half of the story. Keeping them warm enough to survive is the other half.
I love and hate my nest box warmers. I hate them because I have failed to use them at the correct times too often and want to kick myself for not saving babies when I could have. Owning them makes me feel guilty when I screw up!
I love them because I can save a singleton even in very cold weather. Francesca had one kit yesterday. I decided to palpate her and found that she just had one. So I induced labor and scooped the baby off the wire. The warmer was already warmed up from use under a different nest box that no longer needed it, so I was able to switch it over and make a warm spot for the baby quite quickly. Francesca had pulled some fur and I borrowed some from Hope who no longer needed her nest (yes, that's the one I'm still kicking myself about - she had 7 perfectly formed popsicles).
Today I checked on the baby. It was all snug and seemed to have been fed. I'll know in a day or two whether the effort was worth it.
Besides saving singletons, you can also encourage a reluctant nurser to spend more time inside the nest box. I've seen it make a big difference in milk production.
If you have never seen a nest box warmer, you might appreciate a little description. It looks like two sheets of metal, welded together. It's the perfect size to fit under my nest boxes. The cord has a metal spiral over it to discourage cord-chewing.
The warmer never gets hot. In fact, unless it's covered by a nest box, it's difficult to tell if it is even on.
I think that it poses much less risk than a light bulb, which can be a fire hazard in a hay-filled barn, or a heating pad, which can overheat babies and isn't made for the barn environment.
My nest box warmers (I have two), cost about $25 each, plus shipping. Try www.bassequipment.com or other rabbit supply companies on the Internet.
It would be great to be able to afford enough nest box warmers for every doe that kindles, but that just isn't possible. I try to save them for singletons and pairs, older does that don't have time to waste losing litters, very valuable does, and for any doe who is likely to kindle on an especially cold night. Sometimes, I just have to choose the most important two.
You might also use it with a doe who is determined to make a nest on the wire. Entice her into the warm nest box.
So, okay, I don't really ever hate the nest box warmers. They are, in fact, some of my favorite things.
Laurie ¶ 4:34 PM
I love and hate my nest box warmers. I hate them because I have failed to use them at the correct times too often and want to kick myself for not saving babies when I could have. Owning them makes me feel guilty when I screw up!
I love them because I can save a singleton even in very cold weather. Francesca had one kit yesterday. I decided to palpate her and found that she just had one. So I induced labor and scooped the baby off the wire. The warmer was already warmed up from use under a different nest box that no longer needed it, so I was able to switch it over and make a warm spot for the baby quite quickly. Francesca had pulled some fur and I borrowed some from Hope who no longer needed her nest (yes, that's the one I'm still kicking myself about - she had 7 perfectly formed popsicles).
Today I checked on the baby. It was all snug and seemed to have been fed. I'll know in a day or two whether the effort was worth it.
Besides saving singletons, you can also encourage a reluctant nurser to spend more time inside the nest box. I've seen it make a big difference in milk production.
If you have never seen a nest box warmer, you might appreciate a little description. It looks like two sheets of metal, welded together. It's the perfect size to fit under my nest boxes. The cord has a metal spiral over it to discourage cord-chewing.
The warmer never gets hot. In fact, unless it's covered by a nest box, it's difficult to tell if it is even on.
I think that it poses much less risk than a light bulb, which can be a fire hazard in a hay-filled barn, or a heating pad, which can overheat babies and isn't made for the barn environment.
My nest box warmers (I have two), cost about $25 each, plus shipping. Try www.bassequipment.com or other rabbit supply companies on the Internet.
It would be great to be able to afford enough nest box warmers for every doe that kindles, but that just isn't possible. I try to save them for singletons and pairs, older does that don't have time to waste losing litters, very valuable does, and for any doe who is likely to kindle on an especially cold night. Sometimes, I just have to choose the most important two.
You might also use it with a doe who is determined to make a nest on the wire. Entice her into the warm nest box.
So, okay, I don't really ever hate the nest box warmers. They are, in fact, some of my favorite things.
Laurie ¶ 4:34 PM
