Can i put rabbit into the coop at night?

[Bunnylady]

It's rather common when you leave a doe in with males.

This has not been my experience. I have many times set up temporary "colonies" of several does and a buck for 3 weeks or so (or even just one doe with the buck, if they seem to get along well enough), and not once have I had a doe deliver a second, later litter from that sort of arrangement. About 30 years ago, I had a Jersey Wooly doe deliver 3 babies, and a few days later, 3 more, but that was from a typical, one-time-only breeding.

 

[marmca]

Just a heads up, there is a risk that she will abandon this litter if she was bred by you as well. Rabbits have 2 uteruses, thus they can be bred 2x. Her body will have the first litter, but then may withhold milk because she still has babies developing. But if she doesn't and does care for them, the second littler probably won't survive because the first litter is older and take all of the milk

You can try "shelving" the kits (babies); even youngest can survive up to 12 hours away from mom.Examine, store in a box with some of nesting material, put in a Safe place in your house. Return them to her up to several times a day, be sure tummys are full and rounded
before bed - night. This may insure 2nd litter survives, Ma Nature has the last say.

 

[NatJ]

You can try "shelving" the kits (babies); even youngest can survive up to 12 hours away from mom.Examine, store in a box with some of nesting material, put in a Safe place in your house. Return them to her up to several times a day, be sure tummys are full and rounded
before bed - night. This may insure 2nd litter survives, Ma Nature has the last say.

But only if a 2nd litter shows up while she is still nursing the first litter.

Don't mess with this if only one litter is present, and the doe is taking care of them.

(When a doe is taking care of her bunnies, she usually nurses them once or twice a day and seems to ignores them the rest of the time. If bunnies are in a warm nest with fur, and have full round tummies, then they are fine.)

 

[KranK]

No kits today Gotta wait some more i guess

 

[KranK]

No babies. Looks like she had imaginary pregnancy. Do you think she'll have babies on +/- 20th? Or she won't give a birth even though she was mated? What do you think

 

[NatJ]

No babies. Looks like she had imaginary pregnancy. Do you think she'll have babies on +/- 20th? Or she won't give a birth even though she was mated? What do you think

Probably false pregnancy, I agree.

She is probably not pregnant now. Mating can cause either real pregnancy or false pregnancy, but usually not both at the same time.

But I would make sure she has a safe nestbox and plenty of bedding as the original due date approaches, just in case (because I might be wrong, and if she is pregnant you certainly want her to have a safe place to give birth!)

 

[KranK]

Probably false pregnancy, I agree.

She is probably not pregnant now. Mating can cause either real pregnancy or false pregnancy, but usually not both at the same time.

But I would make sure she has a safe nestbox and plenty of bedding as the original due date approaches, just in case (because I might be wrong, and if she is pregnant you certainly want her to have a safe place to give birth!)

if she hadn't gave birth on 20/21th could i let in male again? Should i allow her to raise kits in the winter or wait for the spring?

 

[NatJ]

if she hadn't gave birth on 20/21th could i let in male again?

Yes. In fact, you could probably let her mate again now. Either she will accept the buck or she won't. If she's pregnant, she probably will not accept the buck--and if she does, it should do no harm.

Should i allow her to raise kits in the winter or wait for the spring?

Depends on your weather, and her housing setup.
The doe is usually fine, but the bunnies are more likely to die in cold weather.
The colder the weather, the higher the risk.

If the cage is sheltered from wind, rain, and snow, and if there is a nestbox with lots of hay or straw, and if the doe builds a good nest: yes, bunnies could be fine in winter, down to well below freezing.

("Freezing" being the point at which water freezes into ice--easier than converting temperature scales.)

If the doe has never had a litter, I would try to have her due date happen when the weather is likely to be above freezing, or preferably a bit warmer yet. If she has previously had a litter, I would make a decision based on how well she did with the previous litter.

 

[KranK]

Yes. In fact, you could probably let her mate again now. Either she will accept the buck or she won't. If she's pregnant, she probably will not accept the buck--and if she does, it should do no harm.



Depends on your weather, and her housing setup.
The doe is usually fine, but the bunnies are more likely to die in cold weather.
The colder the weather, the higher the risk.

If the cage is sheltered from wind, rain, and snow, and if there is a nestbox with lots of hay or straw, and if the doe builds a good nest: yes, bunnies could be fine in winter, down to well below freezing.

("Freezing" being the point at which water freezes into ice--easier than converting temperature scales.)

If the doe has never had a litter, I would try to have her due date happen when the weather is likely to be above freezing, or preferably a bit warmer yet. If she has previously had a litter, I would make a decision based on how well she did with the previous litter.

Guess i'll just wait for the spring to arrive

 

[KranK]

Wow she lets me stroke her (back then she's been escaping when i tried). But she still looks a bit stressed but it'll get better as i stroke her a bit everyday am i right?