Day 38 and nothing but a GIANT nest, HELP, so many questions

golden rabbitry · May 13, 2019

So I bred my doe 36 days ago, 5 falloffs within minutes, very common for my doe. I mark the dates and wait. Day 21 and I place the nest box, she tends to nest early, and like every litter, she pulls fur and stuffs hay day 22. She stopped around day 27 and on day 30 rapidly started again. She has been stuffing her box so full, I've never seen this before. Now she gets all friendly. normally she gets grumpy...It is day 36 and nothing but a giant nest. She has had really good litters and normally kindled on days 29-32(unlike my other who kindled on day 42?!) I decided to place her and my buck together to see what would happen since she was late and friendly, and she let him mount but she didn't lift. Not sure what all this means, I just hope she's ok. She is still nesting like crazing. She carries high so she never looks pregnant. I tried to palpate but all I felt was fur and some flab from her last really large litter. I don't know what any of this means, did she reabsorb? why isn't she acting pregnant? why the giant nest?

michaels4gardens · May 13, 2019

only time will tell,
be patient, be sure the nest is clean,
and watch for signs of stress...
usually, ... things work out all by themselves, and the rabbits are better off-- if we let "nature" take it's own course."

golden rabbitry · May 13, 2019

What would stress look? she always buts her head up to me and runs along her cage as i walk by, she loves it when i put my hand in and rub her head, which she never liked before, I don't really know, she's never been like this and i hope its gonna be fine, probably it will. I gave her lavender and parsley to help induce labor

michaels4gardens · May 14, 2019

recognising-pain-in-rabbits-t30644.html?hilit=recognising%20pain%20in%20rabbits

GBov · May 14, 2019

Sounds like a change for the better! :lol:

Perhaps she had a phantom litter? She sounds like she has all the feel-good hormones to make her a happy bunny but no babies for you.

LittleFluffyBunnies · May 16, 2019

It's possible she's not pregnant. If my does miss and I can't tell if they're pregnant, and I put a nest box in, they'll still build a nest when they're supposed to, maybe because every time they get a box that's what they need to do so they do it even if they're not pregnant. I usually give them lavender on day 35 and if nothing happens, I know the breeding wasn't successful.

She could just be acting like a normal doe and having mood swings and whatnot because does are strange creatures.

Try feeling her stomach for kicks. Rolling movement is the gut. If you can't see or feel kicks, she likely doesn't have any kits in there.

Also, if you tried to induce labor and nothing happened, I'd seriously doubt she's pregnant.

Could have been a false pregnancy or she could have reabsorbed early on. You never know.

If you still want kits, I'd go ahead and rebreed. My does so far never fail to produce a litter after one missed breeding.