More rabbit questions...

[amynbrent]

First of all thank you for all the help I've received during our rabbit experience. We were so not prepared for breeding, again thinking we had all girls.

I have two females that I suspected were pregnate. One started nesting, first sign of a fur pile I put her into her own cage. Last night and this morning there is a huge nest and shes kind of slamming things in her room. No babies yet but has ha huge nest and is sort of grunting at me when I go near her.

A rabbit that I thought had time before birth gave birth last night or this morning. No nesting sign or anything! I just found lots of babies when I noticed she had a pink face and feet.

My question is could this other rabbit not be preg and just thinking she is because the other rabbit was about to give birth? We have the breeding prob solves since we now know who the boy is so there will be no more babies!! I'm just worried about my other girl. she is sort of going nuts in her room. she is in the same hutch as the other mom but in a secluded room.

Thanks again for all your help!

 

[amynbrent]

Well things got quiet for awhile so I went out there and checked on #2 mommy....she had 7 babies that I can see.

 

[bwalden]

If she has pulled fur and making a nest i'd say she is preg. and about ready to give birth. Most rabbits do that about 2-7 days before giving birth. It's best to have some kind of box for the mother to get in and out of so the babies dont flop around on the bottom of your cage floor. I always put my nest box in about a week before her due date with some hay or shavings. Gives her time to get used to it and make that next. Good luck with the babies!

 

[Bunnylady]

Every doe is different; until you have seen what her pattern is, you can't be sure what a given doe will do and when she'll do it. I had one Harlequin doe that would do absolutely no preparation at all until just minutes before she kindled. I happened to be in the rabbitry one day when she did; talk about making the fur fly! She was always a great mom, too; I guess she just didn't believe in doing things before they had to be done. At the other end of the spectrum, I had a Jersey Wooly doe that started fur pulling about 10 days before the babies came. By the time she kindled, the cage was awash with fur, the nest box was so stuffed, I couldn't see how she got the babies in there, and she was very nearly completely bald! She had a little 2" wide Mohawk of fur down her spine, everything else was bare. Goofy rabbit.

Good luck with your babies!

 

[amynbrent]

Thanks! They both seem to be caring for the babies. The problem is one has the entire hutch to herself and she has the babies right at the bottom of the ramp and she steps on them when she comes to the door to greet me. I know I can handle them but can I move them? I'm just afraid it will tick her off and she will stop caring for them or do something to them. Also this might be a stupid question but can I open the door to the room I have the other mom in and let her run about the hutch, will she take care of her babies and will the other mom care for her own or will this be a fight and end up killing each others babies? I wont do anything until I know what I can or cant do. The room is big enough for right now but when these little ones get moving this isnt going to work for them.

 

[bwalden]

i always kept mine seperated from each other. Some does will kill their own if really stressed and I imagine would for sure kill another does young. But like bunnylady said each doe is different. i've had does kill and even eat their young for no apparent reason. Hopefully you wont have to deal with anything like that.

Thanks! They both seem to be caring for the babies. The problem is one has the entire hutch to herself and she has the babies right at the bottom of the ramp and she steps on them when she comes to the door to greet me. I know I can handle them but can I move them? I'm just afraid it will tick her off and she will stop caring for them or do something to them. Also this might be a stupid question but can I open the door to the room I have the other mom in and let her run about the hutch, will she take care of her babies and will the other mom care for her own or will this be a fight and end up killing each others babies? I wont do anything until I know what I can or cant do. The room is big enough for right now but when these little ones get moving this isnt going to work for them.