My doe rabbit won’t breed

[Bunnylady]

If I go backward 14 days from your statement in the first post of trying for two weeks, and then count forward, this nest material gathering is right on schedule for a kindling within the next few days (assuming the pregnancy occurred at the first attempt). Whether she is actually pregnant or doing a false pregnancy, we can't say from here. Normally, does don't start gathering material until a few days before the babies are due, but until you have some experience with a particular doe, you can't be sure just what she will do.

 

[Emmaxx]

I'd say there's about another week before kindling, 24 days is a bit early yet

 

[AlleysChicks]

When I bred rabbits for 4H way back when I’d wait until 5 days before she was due to add a nest box. If there was one in there any earlier the does would use it as a litter box. My girls would make a nest 2-3 days before giving birth. I had one that waited until the day of and she’d always be nearly bald when done.

 

[Bunnylady]

I'd say there's about another week before kindling, 24 days is a bit early yet

You're right. I'm still half asleep (haven't had my coffee yet and it's pouring rain) and thought we were further into May than we are . . . .

Maybe I should just go back to bed.

 

[Bunnylady]

When I bred rabbits for 4H way back when I’d wait until 5 days before she was due to add a nest box. If there was one in there any earlier the does would use it as a litter box. My girls would make a nest 2-3 days before giving birth. I had one that waited until the day of and she’d always be nearly bald when done.

Years ago, I had a Jersey Wooly that started fur pulling on day 21. The first time she did it, I thought "false pregnancy," but she kept doing it so I gave her a box on day 28. How she fit the babies in there, I'll never know . . . it was absolutely crammed full of wool, her cage was swimming with wool, and she looked like she had been shaved (seriously, one person asked me if she'd had surgery). Fur on her head, fur on her feet, a little 2-inch-wide "Mohawk" down her spine, and everything else bare. She did it every time she kindled; I wound up taking her into the house during cool weather, because I feared she'd freeze to death. The real fun was that she was a Siamese Sable, and that cool air on her skin made the wool grow back nearly black, so she was reverse counter-shaded. Crazy rabbit!

 

[AlleysChicks]

Years ago, I had a Jersey Wooly that started fur pulling on day 21. The first time she did it, I thought "false pregnancy," but she kept doing it so I gave her a box on day 28. How she fit the babies in there, I'll never know . . . it was absolutely crammed full of wool, her cage was swimming with wool, and she looked like she had been shaved (seriously, one person asked me if she'd had surgery). Fur on her head, fur on her feet, a little 2-inch-wide "Mohawk" down her spine, and everything else bare. She did it every time she kindled; I wound up taking her into the house during cool weather, because I feared she'd freeze to death. The real fun was that she was a Siamese Sable, and that cool air on her skin made the wool grow back nearly black, so she was counter-shaded. Crazy rabbit!

Crazy rabbit indeed!

 

[Chickens 4Ever]

You really need to separate those rabbits NOW!! As it is, you have no way of knowing just what is going on and sometimes a pregnant doe penned with another gets so stressed out she will kill her litter.

The are all ready separated

 

[Duck Lover88]

Ok, so...
Growling rabbits are just cranky. I've had rabbit growl when I walk past the cage. These rabbits were super chill the rest of the time. She could just be feeling defensive or even hormonal. Rabbits experience false pregnancies VERY easily. Could she be preggo? Sure! But that's hardly a definitive sign, she's just telling you she wants to be left alone.

What kind of rabbits are these? You got her from a pet store; I'm assuming she may be a dwarf (under 5lbs). If she is, breeding her could be very risky. Rabbits that are very small should usually be bred in their first year (preferably around 6 months) because they can actually develop fused hip bones and fail to deliver the kits. A larger rabbit may have trouble being bred later in life because the fat tissue in rabbits builds up around organs, not in muscles, and it can constrict their uterus and prevent a healthy pregnancy. Also, many new moms fail to care for their litters. It can take up to three litters before they get it right.

Second, why are you breeding? If you are breeding for a pet market, well, I can't really stop you. But keep in mind that rabbits are the third most abused and abandoned animals in the US. They are often seen as fodder for children to learn how to do chores and then get neglected badly. A certain percentage will go on to feed reptiles no matter how you try to make sure it doesn't happen (those snakes need to eat too). Which is not to say don't do it but that there are better ways to breed for the pet market. By choosing rabbits that have desirable qualities and breeding for show and health for example you both produce healthier babies with a purpose, a broader range of future homes, and sometimes some mis-marked pet rabbits that are still healthy and happy. Having worked in a pet store and now having bred rabbits for half a decade I can definitively say that many pet store rabbits have serious problems you don't want to breed into your bunnies.
If you are breeding for some silly reason like "so she can have a litter", or "to show my kids life" with no plans for the offspring, well, I have some rather impolite suggestions for you. If you don't want to breed, I strongly suggest you get your rabbits, especially the female, fixed. Female rabbits have a 90% incidence of fatal reproductive cancers by age 6 regardless of whether or not they've had a litter. A fixed rabbit can live a decade or more.

If after you have reviewed everything, compared your rabbits to their breed standard, decided and researched your market, etc and still want to go through with it... You can try a few things.

Instead of bringing the doe to the buck, bring them both to a large neutral area (like a room in your house). They may be willing to breed away from their cages. (If you're not already, always bring the doe to the buck).
You can try to "flush" your rabbits with food, giving them some extra greens, hay and pellets in the week leading up to breeding.
Pick a cool day and try it at dusk or dawn. Rabbits are most active at these times.
You can try leaving them together for a while. Sometimes my boys like to groom the ladies and nose around for a while before getting down and dirty. This carries some risk of injury to the rabbits so don't leave them totally unsupervised, but breeding in the first place carries that risk.
Make sure the doe is receptive by making sure her vulva is moist and pink when exposed.
Place the buck on the doe in the correct position manually a few times, or possibly lift the doe yourself.
Try breeding once a day for 3-4 days.
Move their cages near one another, or away from one another if they are already close.
Try a different doe or buck.
Check for injures/deformations to genitalia especially on the buck and double check gender. More than one professional/experienced breeder has been hit by the gender swap fairy in their lives.

VERY well said!!! I agree 100% with everything you said…

 

[Chickens 4Ever]

She has had the babies!! Any tips cause she had them and it’s raining and has for days

 

[Emmaxx]

Oh wow! Do you know how many babies? So long as they have each other to snuggle and the nest is as well furred as it seemed in that photo I wouldn't worry about the rain.