False Pregnancy?

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RabbitsOfTheCreek

Netherland Dwarf Breeder & Well-known Member
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All of my Does are due in two weeks at the end of the month, but tonight one of my Does started a nest
The Buck I put her with only got two fall offs, so I wouldn't be surprised
But does it automatically mean she isn't pregnant? Had a another Doe who would do this almost every time she was bred and she had no Kits, so I would assume that it does mean it
I'm not worried or anything, I just want to make sure (And she hasn't does this before)
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you could try to put her with a buck and if she lifts she’s probably not pregnant and if she doesn’t lift then wait.
 
Now another Doe is doing this
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She was with a different buck, and he got around 13 fall offs
 
I had one that would regularly build a nest a couple of days after breeding. She never had any trouble producing a healthy litter.
 
It looks like Cinder lost interest in it and Natzumi (The Himi Doe) isn't mustaching anymore
 
I have a doe that will build her nest when she feels like it. It could be days after breeding, a week, or two nights before kindling. Depends on her mood and she is my moody girl. Always kindled.
 
I have several Californians that like to build their nests 2 weeks (or more) before they kindle. These girls will build the Taj Mahal of nests, fussing with them for days, creating hay tunnels in their nests. Because we live where it gets very hot, I have the nest boxes attached to the back of the cage where they can be cooler, wooden boxes with misters on the top of the cage. This has worked very well, and I have had few heat loses. But my husband and I, having both raised rabbits as kids with the old "put the nest box in 3 days before they kindle" advice, have wondered how much we stressed some of our poor does without knowing it, because they needed to get it done sooner.
 
I have several Californians that like to build their nests 2 weeks (or more) before they kindle. These girls will build the Taj Mahal of nests, fussing with them for days, creating hay tunnels in their nests. Because we live where it gets very hot, I have the nest boxes attached to the back of the cage where they can be cooler, wooden boxes with misters on the top of the cage. This has worked very well, and I have had few heat loses. But my husband and I, having both raised rabbits as kids with the old "put the nest box in 3 days before they kindle" advice, have wondered how much we stressed some of our poor does without knowing it, because they needed to get it done sooner.
It sure is hot here in Mississippi too. Do you have a training or teaching video about attaching the nest boxes to the back of the cage? We are just now starting to breed, so I need all the good advice.
 
Two falloffs should be enough - ONE falloff can be plenty, and I've had several does who only allow one. In one case, the doe permitted just the one mating and then had a litter of 11. Another doe I have has surprised me twice, by allowing the buck only one falloff, which I missed seeing on both occasions, and then assumed she'd not been bred at all.
 
It sure is hot here in Mississippi too. Do you have a training or teaching video about attaching the nest boxes to the back of the cage? We are just now starting to breed, so I need all the good advice.
1663598950899.pngSo, I don't have a video, but this is the view from the back. The lid swings open, is secured by a nutsert with a thumbscrew on the right side. The hinge is a simple mechanism of a screw, long enough to be secure, placed on the left side, closer to the cage and allows the lid to swing over to the left. I made a simple 1x2 (furring strip) frame and stapled the 3/8" plywood to it using my handy-dandy harbor freight Central Pneumatic 18 gauge 2 in 1 air nailer/stapler (yes, I did have to look that up). Then I cut a hole in the cage and mounted the bottom of the box to the 2x4 that runs along the bottom with screws, and stapled the wire from the inside of the cage to the box. The lid is cut bigger than the box, to shed mister water. My breeding cages are built to withstand dog attack, so are very heavy. Are you using all wire cages, if I may ask?
 
Yes, we are using mainly all wire cages for our Lionheads and most of our Holland Lops, but they are heavy duty stacker cages with pullout litter trays under the bottom of each. My husband has added a heavy rolling cart under the bottom one, and we put a guard up around the sides of those bottom cages to keep dogs or other animals from nipping at the rabbits through the wire. We also placed only male rabbits in the bottom cages. I am about to leave for supper at my mother in law's house, but I will try to post a picture of them when we return. We have a Mini Rex Doe that was my first rabbit and she is 2 years old, but we have never bred her before. I tried last week, but the Buck got her one time and then she started trying to hump him. That behavior seemed to confuse him, so we just removed her from his cage and put her back in her own. She is in half of a wire and wooden hutch, divided by a framed wire wall, so they can bond. The other side is shared with a Holland Lop Doe. I plan to keep a close eye on her when it gets closer to 31 days. We have one other 4 other wood and wire hutches. One is divided like hers and houses two Holland Lop Does that seem to have bonded. The other 3 hutches are housing one rabbit each: two New Zealand Does and one Flemish Giant Buck. We have small dogs and they are about the same size as the New Zealand Does. We have allowed closely supervised play time with the dogs, consisting of the bunny running around their run while the dog runs around the outside. We've had incidents where the dog and bunny lick each other, but no biting or hair pulling. The Flemish Giant is about 26 pounds and the dogs watch him sometimes, but they don't approach the run. We have a new litter of lionheads born 2 days ago. Their mom is very loving towards me and she was so proud, it seemed she wanted me to see she had 6 kits! She is taking very good care of them.
 
Yes, we are using mainly all wire cages for our Lionheads and most of our Holland Lops, but they are heavy duty stacker cages with pullout litter trays under the bottom of each. My husband has added a heavy rolling cart under the bottom one, and we put a guard up around the sides of those bottom cages to keep dogs or other animals from nipping at the rabbits through the wire. We also placed only male rabbits in the bottom cages. I am about to leave for supper at my mother in law's house, but I will try to post a picture of them when we return. We have a Mini Rex Doe that was my first rabbit and she is 2 years old, but we have never bred her before. I tried last week, but the Buck got her one time and then she started trying to hump him. That behavior seemed to confuse him, so we just removed her from his cage and put her back in her own. She is in half of a wire and wooden hutch, divided by a framed wire wall, so they can bond. The other side is shared with a Holland Lop Doe. I plan to keep a close eye on her when it gets closer to 31 days. We have one other 4 other wood and wire hutches. One is divided like hers and houses two Holland Lop Does that seem to have bonded. The other 3 hutches are housing one rabbit each: two New Zealand Does and one Flemish Giant Buck. We have small dogs and they are about the same size as the New Zealand Does. We have allowed closely supervised play time with the dogs, consisting of the bunny running around their run while the dog runs around the outside. We've had incidents where the dog and bunny lick each other, but no biting or hair pulling. The Flemish Giant is about 26 pounds and the dogs watch him sometimes, but they don't approach the run. We have a new litter of lionheads born 2 days ago. Their mom is very loving towards me and she was so proud, it seemed she wanted me to see she had 6 kits! She is taking very good care of them.
Uhhh
I think you're on the wrong thread
 

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