Premature 1st birth?

My satin is going to have her first kits soon.
I read on another thread to get her nest box in on day 25 to be safe which would be this coming Wednesday.

My concern is the last 4 days the hay has been disappearing twice as fast. Then 2 nights ago I noticed she looked to be stashing it in her hide around the inside wall. Last night it was more obvious with most of the feed hay falling through the wire and being under the hide box.

Today I was outside for a few hours and heard her running around a lot. I saw her grab a small amount of hay and put it in her hide. It was a small amount though. She then got hot and went into her usual midday siesta, her hay is still full in feeder.

The hay usually only needs to be filled once a day or just topped off. At first I thought she was hungry because she did eat it. Now I'm worried she is trying to make a nest.

Being only the 21st day should I already add her nest box in the cage???? Is there a trial run where they "practice" making nests?

Being new to rabbits in general I'm confused and not sure what to make of it. She looks healthy and larger around the gut with no bleeding. I'm sure she is eating more hay....just worried she is getting ready for babbies this early.

Don't they make a nest within a day of having the kits???

What would you guys do?
Btw she is a satin not quite 6 months old.
Thanks!

Hate to say it, but sounds suspiciously like a false pregnancy to me. Typically, false pregnancies only last till day 17-18, but sometimes they may last till day 21. However, One of my favorite does also likes to build early nests (day 23-24) and then leaves them until she gives birth--she scares me almost every time XD

Mini Lop Fan":fsrurhm2 said:

Hate to say it, but sounds suspiciously like a false pregnancy to me. Typically, false pregnancies only last till day 17-18, but sometimes they may last till day 21. However, One of my favorite does also likes to build early nests (day 23-24) and then leaves them until she gives birth--she scares me almost every time XD

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That would be a bummer I never thought about that. Thanks the response and giving me something to read more about!

have you checked into her nest? maybe try and move it into a box. You could have a vet palpate or learn how to yourself to see if there is anything. First litters are always odd.

golden rabbitry":25zjkl1v said:

have you checked into her nest? maybe try and move it into a box. You could have a vet palpate or learn how to yourself to see if there is anything. First litters are always odd.

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Her nest is horrible but an attempt. Its maybe 1 inch wide strip around the inside 1/3 perimeter of the box. Although a loose handful of hay fell through the cage bottom. She never did this before so I know it's an attempt.

I never thought of that! I just left the hay how she had it and tonight added the nest box I made for her. (She never saw it before so she cautiously explored it) I gave some odds and ends in a pile next to get for possible nesting material but she hasn't done much with it except eat the cattail leafs.

No a vet is out of the equation for me for just that. Good idea but they would turn me upside down and shake me till my pockets were empty......if they are "accepting new clients" I know the good vet it town isn't seeing new clients. Maybe I can find a video on youtube though! Thanks for the idea!

Yeah this one is going to be interesting. I'm thinking she is pregnant but I will try and learn how to palpate her to see.
Thanks! <br /><br /> __________ Fri Jul 17, 2020 11:35 pm __________ <br /><br />

golden rabbitry":25zjkl1v said:

...... learn how to yourself to see....

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Found a great video online so I went to check on my rabbit and she isn't using the nest box but did grab almost all the supplies and put it in her hide to make a pretty decent nest hide.

I checked her and though she didn't like it she let me do a quick check and I felt one that I am pretty sure was a kit!XD

However I purposely took everything out of the hide and put it in the nest box them blocked the door to the hide with the nest box. The hide is not going to be acceptable as a nest box since I cant block the door for the kits without it being too small for the mom. Hope that's ok till she gets the idea.
Poor thing did put a lot of good effort into the nest but in the wrong area.

I think I felt a "soft marshmallow" as the guy described so hopefully she's pregnant.

Sounds fine to me, blocking areas where you don't want them to build the nest, I do that regularily.
This year I had to move a nest from an 2m long earth tunnel to the hutch, she dug this tunnel and build a nest, then hid the entrance way in advance, so I would say it is in the range of "normal" that some does nest early.

Now I would just let her do her thing without meddling too much, that can easily drone out the little voice in her head thgat are her instincts.

Good luck

Preitler":3u5yo728 said:

Sounds fine to me, blocking areas where you don't want them to build the nest, I do that regularily.
This year I had to move a nest from an 2m long earth tunnel to the hutch, she dug this tunnel and build a nest, then hid the entrance way in advance, so I would say it is in the range of "normal" that some does nest early.

Now I would just let her do her thing without meddling too much, that can easily drone out the little voice in her head thgat are her instincts.

Good luck

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Good thanks I felt bad since she was pretty tired after running around doing it. Then after I added her nice neat to the box I gave her extra material and blocked the hide. She was breathing heavy even though it was a cooler night so I think she was mad and getting stressed at me.

This morning I go to do the normal chores and I see she emptied her hay but all over the floor through the cage and threw some of the nesting material out. I think she was P'ed off for sure. Little bigger lolol.

She did leave the nest box how I had to hut since she usually works at night I'm not touching it.

My first doe didn't build a nest until about 5 hours before kindling and once gave birth to a healthy litter on day 42 so anything can happen

We put the nest box in on day 28. Have a doe that had her first 3 litters on the wire floor of her cage, more or less covered with hay and with fur pulled. Then last week she kindled for the 4th time and she actually had them in the nest box. Slow learner I guess. But otherwise she's a good mother and is easy to handle and we've never lost any of her kits because we don't breed in the coldest months and we kept a close watch when she was near her time. At first we tried putting the 'nest' she'd made into the box but when it became clear that she was going to keep taking the material out, we just waited for her to kindle. Then we put the kits and nest in the box and she didn't take them out, fed them well. Who knows what goes on in a rabbit's head--not me.
Hope this first litter is successful and that she'll figure out the proper place next time around.

Rainey":1uqc153l said:

We put the nest box in on day 28. Have a doe that had her first 3 litters on the wire floor of her cage, more or less covered with hay and with fur pulled. Then last week she kindled for the 4th time and she actually had them in the nest box. Slow learner I guess. But otherwise she's a good mother and is easy to handle and we've never lost any of her kits because we don't breed in the coldest months and we kept a close watch when she was near her time. At first we tried putting the 'nest' she'd made into the box but when it became clear that she was going to keep taking the material out, we just waited for her to kindle. Then we put the kits and nest in the box and she didn't take them out, fed them well. Who knows what goes on in a rabbit's head--not me.
Hope this first litter is successful and that she'll figure out the proper place next time around.

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I bought a doe a month back, she was pregnant and I had no idea, she kindled in her little house and hid the babies for a few days till they started to crawl out. Made a nest for her and put the babies in the box, placed the box in the same place her house was and she takes great care of them. Doesn't mind at all they got moved.

golden rabbitry":3ba2i23o said:

My first doe didn't build a nest until about 5 hours before kindling and once gave birth to a healthy litter on day 42 so anything can happen

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Wow ok thanks good to know!

__________ Tue Jul 21, 2020 1:04 pm __________

Rainey":3ba2i23o said:

....Who knows what goes on in a rabbit's head--not me.
Hope this first litter is successful and that she'll figure out the proper place next time around.

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Wow that's crazy good thing they were ok.

So far I have gave her extra nest material and I can hear her at night moving it around. She had a decent amount of materials in the nest box now in a decent looking pile. Luckily she hasn't had the litter yet and being almost the 25th day its reassuring they won't be premature at least.

I'm more relaxed now since its been so long. I just hope I actually felt a kit and not something else like a bladder or something lol.

Thanks for your story its reassuring.

I'll will definitely post if/when she had her babbies and how it went.

Thanks!
UPDATE: On the night of day 31-32 she had a healthy litter. Thanks!

that's what usually happens, now you will worry less next time..