Phantom Pregnancy Driving Me Nuts!

I have a doe who is about a year and a half old. (NZ/Californian mix) I tried to breed her for the first time toward the end of April, and felt sure that breeding took place. However, when she was due (20th - 25th of May) she had no kits, (which I could tell long before that she didn't seem pregnant). About a week or so before she should have been due, she started pulling a little bit of hair. And every time I put hay in her cage she would carry it around trying to make a nest. Eventually I put in a nest box, just in case. She starting making a wonderful nest. We'll about a week after she should have been due I tried to take the nest box out, and she threw a fit. Started trying to climb the cage walls, etc. She is in the middle of a triple hutch, with does and kits on both sides. She would try to tear the wiring down to get to one of the other boxes. So I put the box back in. I thought that in a couple of weeks when I took the boxes away from her neighbors I'd be able to take hers out then. No such luck! The boxes are out of her neighbors' cages, but every time I try to take hers she starts throwing fits again! In the last few days she has started pulling hair again! Does anyone have any suggestions as to what I should do for this poor crazy rabbit?

Try breeding her again? I had one that went through two rounds of that with constant nest making in between that FINALLY had kits on the third try. By the time she made a true nest she really outdid herself :lol: . I have her in a hutch with a built in nest box on the back - it's pretty big and was FULL of hair. It was crazy!

:yeahthat: sounds like her mothering instinct is in overdrive

Yes, breed her again.

I have had a few does that had false pregnancy right at 17 days, complete with a huge nest of wool and hormones... just to actually have kits on day 31!! :shock:

Thanks everyone for the advice. I guess I will try breeding her again. I really only started raising rabbits for 4-H kids. And they only need them once a year, of course. But I've been told that I should breed my rabbits more than once a year to keep them in better breeding condition. Thing is, I have no market for the extra litters. I guess I'll have a lot of rabbit in the freezer! Oh well, that's not a bad thing. They are delicious! <br /><br /> -- Mon Jun 15, 2015 10:36 am -- <br /><br /> Thanks everyone for the advice. I guess I will try breeding her again. I really only started raising rabbits for 4-H kids. And they only need them once a year, of course. But I've been told that I should breed my rabbits more than once a year to keep them in better breeding condition. Thing is, I have no market for the extra litters. I guess I'll have a lot of rabbit in the freezer! Oh well, that's not a bad thing. They are delicious!

katievictoria":iy0rk9r5 said:

I have no market for the extra litters. I guess I'll have a lot of rabbit in the freezer!

Click to expand...

This is a very good thing..the cleanest and leanest meat you will ever have. Not supporting the factory farms as much is a good thing too..Factory farms have made the American farmer a thing of the past..And bred a whole generation of people who think meat grows in Styrofoam packages in the back room of walmart...So if you have children make them aware of where their food comes from. It is our only chance for survival..

Katiebear, I totally agree with you. I haven't eaten store bought veal in many years because of the way the big companies raise the veal calves. In the last year or so I've stopped eating store bought pork for the same reason. Pigs are extremely intelligent and emotional creatures. They make even better pets than dogs. I hate the way they are treated in the big factories!

Who knows....maybe soon I'll graduate to no factory raised animals at all. Now if I could just quit making pets out of everything I raise I'd be a lot better off!