Waiting on three births this week!!!!! Major Bunny alert

[firedove]

Quote:
Kits do make various squeaks right from the start.

 

[bargain]

Great news@@!
I peaked at the minirex yesterday after noon when it was a bit warmer. Looks like we have 5 unless I double counted.....

I promise photos I promise!

Still no babies from my standard rex....

She's never made such a huge nest and pulled hair without babies....Anythoughts...She's never destroyed anybabies....And she's huge.

Do rabbits have fake pregnancies????

Maybe today......

 

[vicki2x2]

Definitely, rabbits can have false pregnancy's or they reabsorb their babies.

 

[gypsy2621]

In talking with one of the Moderators for this site. it was suggested I post a link to a disease carried by mice that is right now running rampant through the states.

Please take the time to research this disease, its cause how its transmitted and you will understand why I had an issue with some of the advice.
thank you for your time and energy on this matter.

http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=18+1803&aid=2846

 

[firedove]

Quote:
Rabbits can have fake pregnancies and as vicki2x2 said they can reabsorb a litter even right up to a few days before kindling. However, rabbits usually have their babies between 28 and 31 days but they can go as late as 35 days and still deliver a live litter. Sometimes when a doe is carrying a very large litter they tend to go late since it takes a little longer for the whole litter to finish growing nutritionally.

I had a friend who's Mini Lop went on day 35 and delivered 15 kits, 14 alive. She wasn't able to raise them all, and my friend had no other recent moms to foster to, so some died over the next couple of days, but she raised 9.

That brings up another good breeding tip. Always breed several does on the same day. That way if you have one that has a very large litter or only one kit, you have other does to foster some of the babies on.

A single kit will often die without the warmth and company of other kits, no matter how good a does nest is. A single kit will go looking for other kits and often end up outside the fur or smothering itself deep in the nest looking for warmth. That's why it is best to foster a single into another litter.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Well, I have a question...Is it better to have does bred for spring kindling, or is it OK to allow babies born in winter??

 

[PineBurrowPeeps]

I think this depends on the breed. I raise show Angoras and typically we breed in the winter and summer when the rabbits are pulled down and regrowing their wool for showing in the Sping and Fall. But really you can breed anytime as long as you make sure your doe has enough hay and is a good nest builder.
You can also raise your kits in a different manner than usual, which is what I do, it's called the Betty Chu method, see here:

http://bettychuenglishangora.com/nestbox/index.html

I have never lost a kit with this method and it keeps them safe, as I have valuable rabbits.
It keeps them warm, you are keeping the kits in your house (in my underwear drawer actually lol).
The dams always hop right into the box when I bring it in twice a day and they nurse the kits right away. I've never had a dam reject her kits. I also have the sweetest rabbits because they handled so much from the day of birth onward. They have puppy dog personalities.