Can I Use a Cardboard Box for a Rabbit Nest Box? Your bunny is behaving strangely. She starts panicking, acting aggressively, and hoarding items like papers and tufts of her own fur. While this may appear uncommon, it is typical behavior of a female rabbit about to give birth, and you may assist her by providing an ideal nesting location in a wooden or cardboard box.
Use a Cardboard Box for a Rabbit Nest Box
Giving Birth to the Box:
Humans have nine months to prepare for the birth of their children, but you may not have that much time to prepare your rabbit. Using a cardboard box could be a matter of using what is on hand and easily accessible. Choose a box with a diameter of 12 to 14 inches. Make holes in the sides and trim the box’s front to 4 inches above ground level. This permits the mother rabbit to freely enter and exit the nest.
Bedding Down:
Once you have your box, you will need to complete the nest with bedding and straw. Fill the cardboard box with a 1-inch layer of shavings. During colder conditions, an extra inch should be applied. Cover the shavings with a straw, filling the box fully. You can make a rabbit burrow by “chiseling” a small area with your fist. You may have helped get things started, but don’t be surprised if your pregnant mother enters the nest and rearranges everything. This is standard.
Would You Like Some Wood?
Cardboard is undoubtedly appropriate for a nesting box, but there are some drawbacks. If cardboard lives that long, it will become urine-soaked. Rabbits enjoy chewing and will munch on the cardboard incessantly, likely destroying it. Cardboard may be best utilized temporarily until a wooden box with a metal grate bottom can be made. To avoid disturbing the nest, the cardboard box can be easily slipped inside the wooden box.
Mom is always Right:
All moms have a natural desire to care for their children. Rabbits in the wild leave their nests for extended periods of time, returning only to feed. Don’t be concerned if your small mother appears uninterested in her babies. She is merely acting as she would in the wild. Providing a nesting box, whether cardboard or wood, is a nice idea, but leave the rest to your bunny mum.
