SunsetRidge
Member
Just curious if your does ever look pregnant? I am new to rabbits. I have a first time(for her and me) mini rex doe due Tuesday and she doesn't "look" pregnant. I put the nest box in this morning.
Do your does "look" pregnant?
- Thread starter SunsetRidge
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dangerbunny
Well-known member
Some do and some don't, maybe depends on how they carry the babies?. That is why palpation is such a useful skill to acquire.
My 8 lb Pancake who always had 10-12 only looked pregnant near the end. The 7 lb Lilac who always had 7-9 never did.
The 5 lb mini rex was obvious with just 4 kits. The 6 1/2 lb v-lop wasn't obvious with 5 kits. The tort mutt never showed. None of the SF ever did. The black NZ looked huge (she had 11). The lilac-SF mutts show.
:shrug:
Depends on the bunny?
The 5 lb mini rex was obvious with just 4 kits. The 6 1/2 lb v-lop wasn't obvious with 5 kits. The tort mutt never showed. None of the SF ever did. The black NZ looked huge (she had 11). The lilac-SF mutts show.
:shrug:
Depends on the bunny?
SunsetRidge
Member
I was thinking it varied with the rabbit. My gut is telling me she isn't pregnant though.
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
Like Zass said, it isn't always possible to tell just by looking at them, so play it safe and keep the nestbox in her cage for a week or so.
Does tend to vary their gestation according to the weather and litter size- hot weather and they kindle a bit earlier (as a way of regulating their body temp, probably), large litters sometimes come earlier as well, while small litters or winter litters may be carried a bit longer. You can usually tell a litter that was carried longer because the kits have a bit of fuzz as opposed to being "naked".
At this stage, if you palpate her you should be able to clearly feel the large bodies of the kits. I have been fooled before by does that carry their kits really high, but 99% of the time you will feel them. As long as you are gentle and apply slow pressure with your fingers you should not hurt the kits in any way.
Does tend to vary their gestation according to the weather and litter size- hot weather and they kindle a bit earlier (as a way of regulating their body temp, probably), large litters sometimes come earlier as well, while small litters or winter litters may be carried a bit longer. You can usually tell a litter that was carried longer because the kits have a bit of fuzz as opposed to being "naked".
At this stage, if you palpate her you should be able to clearly feel the large bodies of the kits. I have been fooled before by does that carry their kits really high, but 99% of the time you will feel them. As long as you are gentle and apply slow pressure with your fingers you should not hurt the kits in any way.
BC Belgians
Well-known member
I someone new to rabbit raising is unsure about palpating or the doe does not cooperate, what about looking if the mammary glands are enlarging? I really noticed that with my Belgian Hare does on the first litter.
MamaSheepdog
Well-known member
BC Belgians":ad1k95im said:
Some does don't get their milk in until a day or so after giving birth, so it would depend on the rabbit.
One interesting sign I noted on the rabbit that "hid" her kits from me when palpating is that her vulva was huge and purple- nearly the size of a dime in diameter! :shock: She delivered her litter just a couple of hours after I looked at her. Thankfully I was there when she began delivering her kits on the wire and was able to save them.
I haven't made a practice of examining the vulvas of does due to kindle, but I have three that are due any day now, so if I have a chance I will check them and see if they are similarly engorged.
grumpy
Well-known member
A lot of my does show after 18-20 days. They get a little "poochy" in their
tummy area. It's easy (for me) to see it when they rest their front legs on side of the cage wantin' supper.
On the other hand, some have never shown.....but still surprise me with a
healthy litter on their due date.
tummy area. It's easy (for me) to see it when they rest their front legs on side of the cage wantin' supper.
On the other hand, some have never shown.....but still surprise me with a
healthy litter on their due date.
I have a doe due Tuesday, too. I like to watch them while they are stretched out resting. If you watch their stomach for a couple of minutes, you will see quick movements of the kits feet. They poke out for just a second. Sometimes you will see lots of big rolling movements (small rolling movements may just be the digestive process.) I already know this doe is pregnant based on her size and these movements. A couple of months ago I had a new doe that did not look pregnant. I finally saw some quick pokes from her side, and sure enough, a couple of days later she delivered 6 kits.
CochinBrahmaLover
Well-known member
I had a thrianta who was 4-6lbs (never weighed her, just a guess) and she had 6-8 kit litters and never looked Preggo. My Rex always looked Preggo, she never had kits.
Depends entirely on rabbit. My californain looked Preggo but never had kits. She was just fat.
Depends entirely on rabbit. My californain looked Preggo but never had kits. She was just fat.
I can't physically see much of a difference when my does are pregnant but I do notice after about the third week they start laying stretched out with their belly out like they feel bloated and hot.
RustyPocket
Well-known member
When my Fawn was pregant, I could tell. I can't tell why, however. Maybe since it was her first pregnancy so she "changed". But I feel she got a baby bump sometimes during last 10 days. As of other does, Sivka sometimes gets chubbier, but her weight is constantly changing, so it may no be pregnancy related, and Kreja (her daughter) always get chubby soon after mating but out of 6 times so far, she delivered twice. On the other hand, Erna (another daughter) and Rubi, our Cali doe, always have 7+ kits and they never ever showed. So, I guess it's up to an individual bunny?
I've got two due Friday the 14th.
One of them looks REALLY pregnant , double wide prego , the other doesn't look any different than normal. Both are very big girls to begin with.
I've palpated both at 12-14 days , one I felt what I believe to be embryo's , the other I didn't feel any but she feels heavy in her belly today.
I'll be satisfied if I get one litter as I haven't had a successful breeding since January of this year due to personal issues keeping me away from home all of June , an ear mite infestation in July and being away again all of August & then battling the Texas heat when I did get home with what I assume is a heat sterile buck with temps in the mid to upper 90's thru most of September.
One of them looks REALLY pregnant , double wide prego , the other doesn't look any different than normal. Both are very big girls to begin with.
I've palpated both at 12-14 days , one I felt what I believe to be embryo's , the other I didn't feel any but she feels heavy in her belly today.
I'll be satisfied if I get one litter as I haven't had a successful breeding since January of this year due to personal issues keeping me away from home all of June , an ear mite infestation in July and being away again all of August & then battling the Texas heat when I did get home with what I assume is a heat sterile buck with temps in the mid to upper 90's thru most of September.
katiebear
Well-known member
I have two due this weekend. Both look it. I was just watching the smaller of the two. She was relaxed and stretched out, we saw a kit roll. 
she had a false pregnancy last month. Looks really good now. Both of them were building nests this morning :lol:
she had a false pregnancy last month. Looks really good now. Both of them were building nests this morning :lol:
Sagebrush
Well-known member
Both of these girls are first timers. Kettle is due on the 14th and Misia is due on the 13th. Today I felt movement in Misia and I had felt the grapes when I palpated Kettle on day 13.
SunsetRidge
Member
She wasn't pregnant.
Sagebrush
Well-known member
That can be very irritating. So sorry about her missing.
I'm sorry your doe didn't have a litter.
I happen to have a visibly pregnant first timer here right now, so I thought I'd share what "looks pregnant" to me.
She's due in about three days...and none to thrilled about me having the camera in her cage!
She's the the lilac GTS, Feather, from my last litter out of Pancake and my really fast growing SF buck. Pancake always did have big litters, and it looks to me like Feather may just follow in her footsteps
This last pic isn't that good, but you can see how her belly looks when she's stretched out a bit.
-- Sat Nov 15, 2014 4:09 pm --
I also found an old pic of Pancake looking miserably pregnant. At this time I was able to lay my hands against her sides and feel wiggling. Other does have fooled me completely.
I happen to have a visibly pregnant first timer here right now, so I thought I'd share what "looks pregnant" to me.
She's due in about three days...and none to thrilled about me having the camera in her cage!
She's the the lilac GTS, Feather, from my last litter out of Pancake and my really fast growing SF buck. Pancake always did have big litters, and it looks to me like Feather may just follow in her footsteps
This last pic isn't that good, but you can see how her belly looks when she's stretched out a bit.
-- Sat Nov 15, 2014 4:09 pm --
I also found an old pic of Pancake looking miserably pregnant.
At this time I was able to lay my hands against her sides and feel wiggling. Other does have fooled me completely.Attachments
SunsetRidge
Member
I was disappointed...it would have been my first litter of mini rex. Got another doe due tomorrow. She looks full. I put the nestbox in and she promptly ate and dug out all of the straw and shavings. Gave her more straw and she has built a nest and pulled hair yesterday. Now today she is just sitting in the nest box. Fingers crossed this time.
Sagebrush
Well-known member
I am thinking that when you go to check on them come morning, you will have a nest full of popples. <br /><br /> -- Sun Nov 16, 2014 6:24 pm -- <br /><br /> I am thinking that when you go to check on them come morning, you will have a nest full of popples.
