Doe nest building 12 days early?

[FC_Rabbitry]

I bred my two silver fox does (sisters) on March 7th. It was their first breeding. They are in hanging cages next to each other. Today I noticed that one of the does is nest building. She's taking the straw and hay and putting it in her hidy house. I don't have a nesting box in their cages yet because it's too early. The other doe is just laying around in her cage. Not really super active like her sister. The nest building doe acts like it's going to be the end of the world and feverishly moving straw and hay around. It's hilarious because she grabs a bunch of straw/hay at a time. I've tried palpating both and since I'm new at this, I didn't get a feel for any kits.

I'm not sure what is normal. I was thinking they would both start building a nest on or around April 3rd. They are due April 7th.

My plan is to add a nest box on April 3rd and remove their hidy houses at the same time. Probably in the same spot since they don't soil in that area. Should I add it earlier? Is the doe going to be confused when I do the swap out?

It's currently snowing here and gets down to below freezing at night. Maybe the weather is affecting her behavior or she's just a high achiever first mom?

They are so different from each other!

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

If a Doe is building a nest halfway through the pregnancy then it's mostly likely a false pregnancy

 

[tambayo]

Just had exception to that here. Building on day 17, kits day 31. First time doe.

 

[freelady96]

My doe wanted to built her nest on day 20 but didnt pull fur till the night she kindled on day 31. I think its okay to give the nest box early, so long as they are not using it as a liter box. I think it made her calmer. The other doe pulled fur a whole week early and kindled on 31.

 

[Captaincatholic]

I would give the nest. I had does nesting 10 days early this time and they all just kindled on time today and one last night.

 

[FC_Rabbitry]

If a Doe is building a nest halfway through the pregnancy then it's mostly likely a false pregnancy

I guess we'll see if they kindle on or around the 7th of April!

 

[FC_Rabbitry]

Today her sister is doing the same behavior!

Haystashing!

And the one that built her nest yesterday is relaxing... like stretched out completely relaxed. She completely filled her hidy box with hay and straw!

 

[RiverRat]

I would put a nest box in the corner where they don’t use the bathroom. I have one rabbit that always build her nest early. Seems like she gets stressed if there isn’t a good foundation to build in.

 

[Skai]

If a Doe is building a nest halfway through the pregnancy then it's mostly likely a false pregnancy

Yeah, just had that happen. She was frantically building a nest in the corner of her cage. No babies.

 

[Juci]

Both of my does always nest on day 15 and 16. Haystashing and everything. I thought it was false pregnancy the first time I saw them do it, but both kindled on day 31 right on time.

They do sometimes only pull a little fur on day 16, and then they pull the majority right before kindling. Has yours pulled any fur?

 

[FC_Rabbitry]

Both of my does always nest on day 15 and 16. Haystashing and everything. I thought it was false pregnancy the first time I saw them do it, but both kindled on day 31 right on time.

They do sometimes only pull a little fur on day 16, and then they pull the majority right before kindling. Has yours pulled any fur?

I haven't seen any fur in the cage nor any fur pulling yet. The nesting activity has subsided and both does are back to just chillin' out in their cages. When they were haystashing, they didn't want anything to do with me. One doe even charged my hand with her front paws with a mouth full of hay! Now they are back to being sweet (even kissing my nose!). So I still don't know if they are pregnant for sure. I guess I will see what happens in a week. I will put nest boxes in on Sunday.

Note: during the breeding, I there were 3 fall offs from each buck. I was planning on breeding the does again 12 hours later but didn't because they seemed stressed with the very sweet bucks. Now I'm thinking I should have bred them again.

 

[FC_Rabbitry]

UPDATE!

Both of my first time does kindled this morning 31 days after breeding. They both had 8 kits each. One of the does gave birth to 2 on the wire and I put them back in the nest with the others. One kit was inside the same nest box but not with the others. It didn't make it.

All the other kits are healthy and wiggly!

Both does pulled fur just before kindling. They seem very sweet and happy about their accomplishments!

PS. I checked the nest and the 2 kits I put back in this morning are doing well! Plus I found another one kit so we have 16 total! (They look like baby hippos to me...LOL!)

 

[FC_Rabbitry]

Both of my does always nest on day 15 and 16. Haystashing and everything. I thought it was false pregnancy the first time I saw them do it, but both kindled on day 31 right on time.

They do sometimes only pull a little fur on day 16, and then they pull the majority right before kindling. Has yours pulled any fur?

They both kindled on day 31. Fur pulling started approximately 1 hour before each gave birth. My girls like to prep early with the hay and prep at the last minute with the fur!

 

[Juci]

They both kindled on day 31. Fur pulling started approximately 1 hour before each gave birth. My girls like to prep early with the hay and prep at the last minute with the fur!

Omg congrats on the new babies and healthy mamas!! they’re so cute!
Mine are the exact same way. Early with hay and late with fur.
I’d love to see an update of how the kits look when they’re older and have their fur!

 

[Captaincatholic]

Congrats!

 

[FC_Rabbitry]

Omg congrats on the new babies and healthy mamas!! they’re so cute!
Mine are the exact same way. Early with hay and late with fur.
I’d love to see an update of how the kits look when they’re older and have their fur!

Thanks!

They are a week old now. Most of them are chunky monkeys. Just a few are smaller than the rest. I make sure the mamas nurse those in the morning.

Such sweet moms and babies!

(we still have freezing temps at night but the mamas pulled plenty of fur and keeping those babies warm)

I'll post more photos as they grow but here are a couple I took this morning:

 

[Juci]

Thanks!

They are a week old now. Most of them are chunky monkeys. Just a few are smaller than the rest. I make sure the mamas nurse those in the morning.

Such sweet moms and babies!

(we still have freezing temps at night but the mamas pulled plenty of fur and keeping those babies warm)

I'll post more photos as they grow but here are a couple I took this morning:

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Omg those little faces!!
They’re beautiful little buns!

 

[MARICY]

Congrats. Read this thread as my first time doe has dug a dirt barrow and sits at the top guarding it. She isn’t due for a week! She was supposed to make a nest in the 6 nesting boxes I supplied in the greenhouse! Looks like I’ll have to check closer to the date & move the kits into a nesting box.

 

[MARICY]

2 of the 6 options of nesting boxes I’ve given her!

 

[Captaincatholic]

I would drop some big stones wherever she burrows.