34 day gestation

[Zinnia]

My FA usually give birth at 31 days, but lately they are going longer and longer. I palpated my Tort at two weeks and felt kits. But when day 33 passed with no kits, I thought I'd lost my touch. Today, day 34, I found two kits in her nest on my afternoon check. They are not terribly large. This doe averages 9, so it's unusual. So, there's one for the books, I guess. Three days late and two live babies.

 

[TF3]

Hmmm.
So I'm wondering about this... do you think the small litter size has anything to do with the lateness? No pressure to evict them?
My Clover has had two large litters (11 and 9) on day 31.
This last litter, she looked hugely pregnant and hung on until day 34, only giving birth to two.
Which seemed odd to me as well~ the lateness PLUS the small litter.

 

[Zinnia]

Yes, I do think that has something to do with it. I thought I remembered another RT member with a recent tiny 34 day litter. So, it was you. I nearly gave up and took the box away. Good thing I didn't!

 

[TF3]

Hopefully some of the veterans can comment with their thoughts!

 

[alforddm]

I don't consider myself a veteran as I've only had rabbits for a little over a year, but my small doe went to day 31 with her litters of 5 and 7 but only day 30 with her litters of 10.

 

[DBA]

I had a mini lop carry a litter to day 39 or 40. It was a litter of 6 if I remember right. I wondered at one point if I had miscounted the days, but she got bred the same day as 4 other does. Had a delivery on day 30, two on day 31, one on day 32, and one on day 39 or 40.

 

[Zinnia]

I had a mini lop carry a litter to day 39 or 40. It was a litter of 6 if I remember right. I wondered at one point if I had miscounted the days, but she got bred the same day as 4 other does. Had a delivery on day 30, two on day 31, one on day 32, and one on day 39 or 40.

:-o Wow!

 

[michaels4gardens]

Hopefully some of the veterans can comment with their thoughts!

My thoughts are, -- as does get older more abnormalities manifest [small litters, difficult birth, large and small kit size, long or short pregnancy's, and failing to care for or have milk for the litter, i.e.: reduced weaning rates], I watch for and note this kind of thing, because I have noticed a much higher incidence of complicated or failed pregnancy's in does that are getting worn out [regardless of age] if you see another abnormal pregnancy , and you wish to keep some replacement stock from that doe, you should, - because [in my experience] the doe may go a little longer next time and you will find her dead along with her unborn kits.
[JMHO]