Can I keep 2 Jill's together...

[drummer-ben 0]

Hi, just a quick question can I keep my 2 Jill's together when they are pregnant and when they give birth? My hob is away from them just wondering if I have to do the same with the jills.thanks in advance for any info :-)

[nothernlite 18,089]

Done it a few times but only ended up with 3 or 4 kits dont know if they eat some of them this year im separating them see if it makes a differance atb

[dave4178 5]

Its not a good idea to keep your jills together if they are pregnant. You should split them up well before they give birth, especially if they are first time mothers.

They will build a nest shortly before giving birth, and will need a darkish, protected area to do this. If they feel insecure, they will often kill and eat the kits, especially first time mums. If you leave them together, and there is a gap in time when they give birth, there is a chance that the pregnant one will take over the others kits, and when she gives birth to her own then she will again probably kill both litters, or some of them, and the milk may dry up in the original mum because the other one took over. Definately best to split them up mate Dave.

[johnrthrfrd 223]

Had 3 jils plus the hob in the same court last year they all had there kitts in separate parts of the court then after a couple of days they moved them all together the 3 Jill's all looked after them the big old hob never bothered them but he used to sleep away from them when they got a couple of weeks old they all slept together ended up with 23 healthy kitts.

[Tug 168]

Better to separate them, usually no later than two weeks prior to birth so they can build their own nests and get comfortable.

[The one 8,479]

I usually leave them together as there living beside each other all the time anyway and i think it stresses them out enough with out separating them

[ryhope toma 42]

Its not a good idea to keep your jills together if they are pregnant. You should split them up well before they give birth, especially if they are first time mothers.

They will build a nest shortly before giving birth, and will need a darkish, protected area to do this. If they feel insecure, they will often kill and eat the kits, especially first time mums. If you leave them together, and there is a gap in time when they give birth, there is a chance that the pregnant one will take over the others kits, and when she gives birth to her own then she will again probably kill both litters, or some of them, and the milk may dry up in the original mum because the other one took over. Definately best to split them up mate Dave.

spot on Dave atb ryhope toma

[Rabbiting man 1,191]

Ive always split mine up its a better safer option for kits & gill but each to their own

[drummer-ben 0]

Cheers for the replys I think il separate them better safe than sorry thanks again guys

[vermin catcher 219]

Mate i kept a couple of jills together for years and they reared both their litters fine every year .But last year i done the same thing with some different jills i have now and found that the two jills were constantly stealing the kits from each other and trying to make seperate nests in the cage.End result was two exhausted jills and some dead kits.The jills spent all their time moving the kits and not actually lieing down to feed them and with them constantly scrapeing the wood shavings up they were burying the kits and suffocating them. It was a day or two before i realised what was going on as i didnt want to disturb them so soon after birth but by then id lost aound 6-7 kits.Even though keeping two together worked for me in the past my advice now is to keep them apart .