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PatS

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We mated our sweet mutt doe with a very nice Blue American buck a week ago yesterday. It was both of their first times and we weren't sure the breeding was successful. However, she started acting funny the next day, kind of coy, retreating when I opened the door. She cries a little when I pick her up (so I stopped), and last night she pulled all the hay out of her hay manger and put it in her little wood house. She's scratching away in there, too!

I'm now thinking that perhaps the breeding "took?" Isn't this a bit early to start making a nest (day eight)?

Is this behavior normal? This is our first time, too, if you can't tell. :)

Thanks,
Pat
 
Well from the behavior you mentioned it sounds like she is making way for a new litter but at the same time I have never had a doe nest so soon. I would try palpating your doe. Feel of her lower stomach for marble sized embryo's they should feel like a grape at this point. If you have another doe around that isn't bred try feeling of her lower stomach as well for comparison.
 
Hard to say. Rabbit behaviour concerning birthing is largely hormonal... Perhaps the hormones are affecting her behaviour. Just be patient and let her go through the cycle. I take it the buck did not fall off when they mated? If he did, consider her bred. If not, she may still be bred but it is less conclusive.
 
Oh, he fell off! A couple of times. It was pretty comical. It just didn't seem as if she lifted up her hindquarters and I thought he might have "missed." He was every bit the gentleman, he snuggled her, nuzzled her, and kissed her afterwards. She didn't appear to be too impressed, though.

When I try to feel underneath her she pulls away. I guess I am hesitating because I don't want to hurt the babies.
 
At this stage you shouldn't worry about hurting them as they are surrounded in ambiotic fluid and your actullay feeling the individual sacks around each one. It's a perfectly safe practice and once mastered can increase your number of litters in a year. It's a great idea to palpate all does at 10 days from conception and if not pregnant rebreed. It beats the hell out of just hoping for 4 weeks little ones are on the way.
 
Well, she's going crazy with stuffing hay in her hidey-box. She doesn't care if it is prickly alfalfa hay or soft grass hay -- into the box it goes. She even hid her toy in her box! I tried several times to palpitate her, but all I got for my efforts was bitten! She has never bitten before, the most she's done is complain and stomp her foot. Either she is sick or hormonal. I'm betting on hormonal. We just got her big maternity cage, so maybe I'll get another chance tomorrow.

If she is intent on making a nest, should I put a nest box in early?
 
PatS":3r8bsb6a said:
Well, she's going crazy with stuffing hay in her hidey-box. She doesn't care if it is prickly alfalfa hay or soft grass hay -- into the box it goes. She even hid her toy in her box! I tried several times to palpitate her, but all I got for my efforts was bitten! She has never bitten before, the most she's done is complain and stomp her foot. Either she is sick or hormonal. I'm betting on hormonal. We just got her big maternity cage, so maybe I'll get another chance tomorrow.

If she is intent on making a nest, should I put a nest box in early?
Click to expand...

This makes me think false pregnancy...usually when they start nesting so soon that is what it is. BUT, I would treat her as if she IS pregnant and give her a box on day 28.
 
Okay, I'll keep my fingers crossed and we'll see in about three weeks.<br /><br />__________ Thu May 10, 2012 8:13 pm __________<br /><br />Well, it's night 31 and she's pulling fur! I hope she knows what to do! The fur is all over the cage and not in the nestbox...
 
I did. And she seems to have gotten more in the right place. I think it just flew everywhere. This morning there are some pink wiggly things in there under a thin layer of her fur. She didn't seem to want me poking around just yet so I left them alone. She's acting very sweet and very normal. The other two bunnies in the barn are acting very happy. The female did a binky when I walked in, and the proud father practically jumped into my arms when I fed him. I think he's kind of turned on by the whole baby thing, and ready to start the next batch!
 
Congratulations!

:mbounce:

My does scatter fur too- I think it is hard for them to keep it all in their mouth, and the "fur flies"! I try to gather the stray bits up and add it to the nest. If you have a paper shredder, you can add the shreds to the nest- it helps the fur to "loft". I prefer shredded brown paper grocery bags (I think it is softer and I prefer they don't eat bleached paper), but white paper works too.
 
Congratulations back at you! :bunnyhop:

We're in northern California (four hours north of San Francisco), and our temps will be 90* tomorrow! Are you in the north or south? How do the babies fare when it gets that warm? We've had several days that warm and the three adults just get sluggish. I check on them and see that they have plenty of water. I can see that come June and July, I'll need to put out some frozen water bottles. That or bring everyone indoors.
 
Thanks!

I'm in the mountains outside of Bakersfield. This is only my second year breeding rabbits, so I don't have much data to go on. I will check my doe cards and see when I bred them last year- I only had two producing does though. I did give frozen bottles and I also have a box fan that I used in the rabbitry last year.
 
Thank you. I can't get over how BIG they are. I guess I am used to mice. And there are so MANY. I am guessing 9, maybe more. She was 7 months old when we bred her and this is her first litter. No wonder she was so whiney for part of her pregnancy.
 

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