Help on a possible pregnancy

[2 bun-owner]

Hello:

I'm new to this site.
I have been on another
Site and seemed
Like every time
I posted I got different topics
So, hopefully this will work out.


Ok, so I have a doe Alice and a buck
Thumps. They are both in a 4x8 cage
With a divider.

Well a accidental situation happened that
The divider wasn't up and Thumps
Got into Alice's cage. Before I got them
Thumps was mounting/matting with Alice.

So now I'm unsure what to do as far
As preparing for the litter. Do I need
To feed extra pellets? Alfalfa? Unlimtied
Greens? I'm new at this and am very unsure
As to what to do.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Hi 2 Bun-owner!

:welcomewagon:

Does usually kindle around day 30 or 31, but can go as early as day 28 or as late as day 36 (or sometimes even longer, but the outcome is chancy at best), so usually you will want to give the doe a nest at day 28. You will know a litter is coming when you see a "hay mustache" like this:



You will want to place her nestbox in a corner of her cage, making sure not to put it in her chosen potty corner. Some people use plastic dish pans or other household items as nests. You want the box to be only an inch or two larger than the doe on all sides, otherwise she may use it as a toilet or a bed. If the box is fairly light, attach it to the cage wire with zip ties or wire so it cannot tip.

I line my boxes with pine shavings (do not use cedar) and add some hay or straw, and also give the doe plenty of hay in the cage to gather up herself and add to the nest.

In the last week of pregnancy, you may want to offer the doe a little more feed, and it is a good idea to also offer her a calcium tablet- berry flavored Tums seem to be a favorite! After she kindles you want to free feed her.

Some does may not get everything right the first time they kindle. They may not build a nest, or pull fur, and may deliver on the wire, so keep a close eye on her when her time is near.

If you find cold, seemingly dead kits on the wire, gather them up and warm them somehow. We have a saying here at RT that kits are not dead until they are warm and dead. I put them in my shirt (or bra if only one or two) and take them into the house where I warm towels in the dryer, and then make a small hollow and place them in it. I close the door to keep the heat in and warn my family not to turn the dryer on because there are kits in there.

Do not be alarmed if it seems that the doe ignores her kits. She will only feed them once or twice a day, usually at dawn and dusk. If their bellies are rounded they are being fed. Sometimes it takes a day or two for the doe's milk to come in. This thread shows pictures of fed and unfed kits:

fed-vs-unfed-kit-pictures-t3052.html

Hopefully your doe has good instincts and will get everything right the first time, and you will have a nest full of wiggly naked bunnies!

Good luck, and keep us posted on her progress! :clover:

 

[2 bun-owner]

Thank you.

So I went to feed this am and found in
Her litter box jelly looking substance in there.
There was no runny stool or anything. Just a
Ball of jelly! Lol what is that?

She did have a litter ( previous owner ) bred
Her an she did not pull fur and killed all but
2. I know this is common but don't want
This to happen as anyone else doesn't.

Just am concerned as to what the "jelly" looking
Stuff is/ means.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I'm not sure what the jelly stuff is...do you have a picture?

Some first-time does don't know what to do...but they get it right the next time. Maybe your doe will be like that? I got a doe from a friend, she bred her and for her first litter she pulled no fur!!! I bred her not long after getting her and when she was ready, she pulled more fur than I've ever seen a rabbit pull before...she ran out of fur on her belly and started stripping her sides and flanks!!! My lovely black otter was PINK lol!!! Her litter is about five weeks old now and doing GREAT.

Your doe may have figured it out and might do well!

By the way, welcome to the forum!!!

 

[2 bun-owner]

Thanks, I took the jelly stuff out as
I didn't know what it was and didn't
Want her eating it. I will try and take and
See if I can take a pic.<br /><br />__________ Thu Aug 15, 2013 11:19 am __________<br /><br />I have the pic, how do I post it?

 

[Wheels]

it may be Mucus in her stool which can happen to most all mammals - something was or is bothering her intestine if that's the case. new food perhaps?

 

[2 bun-owner]

No I haven't changed anything.
Could this happen after the doe was
Bred by chance?<br /><br />__________ Thu Aug 15, 2013 11:28 am __________<br /><br />I have a pic if that helps but don't
Know how to post it.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

I have never been able to figure out how to post something to the RT gallery...I upload pictures to Photobucket.com or my Facebook then link them here.

 

[2 bun-owner]

K, I have photobucket but not sure how to get them
On here from there. Lol

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

If needed just copy the picture link and post it in text here, we can click on it to see it.

 

[2 bun-owner]

I have never been able to figure out how to post something to the RT gallery...I upload pictures to Photobucket.com or my Facebook then link them here.

I just went to check on my buns and the doe
Jumped at me and was growling when I took her food pan. She
Hasn't been territorial since I got her about a month
And a half or so now. Just noticed it now when I
Went in there. She's normally a sweet girl. Could
Her hormones be racing already? Last people tht
Had her and bred her said he was very crabby and
Wouldn't let them be in the cage, pet her or anything.
So just was wondering if this a sign of being pregnant
Or what could be wrong.

__________ Thu Aug 15, 2013 1:53 pm __________
http://s1288.photobucket.com/user/hotmomma58041/library/"

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

She may be pregnant. Some does get crabby when they are pregnant...I have one doe who's crabby only when she's NOT pregnant or caring for a litter, LOL!!! Their hormones do crazy things and she is just acting on instinct. My cranky does are easily bribed though...maybe offer her a bit of apple or a banana chip when you open her cage for the time being? Hard for them to be cranky when they are enjoying tasty treats. <br /><br />__________ Thu Aug 15, 2013 1:56 pm __________<br /><br />Hmmm, I can't seem to view it.

 

[akane]

On photobucket click the picture so that's all you see, go to the right and you'll see a series of links, the bottom one says img, copy that and paste it.

 

[2 bun-owner]

Ok thank you!

__________ Thu Aug 15, 2013 2:03 pm __________



I hope this is it.
This is the jelly substance that
I saw in the litter box.

__________ Thu Aug 15, 2013 2:04 pm __________

Woohoo it worked!!

The grey stuff is just the litter from
Alice's litter box.<br /><br />__________ Thu Aug 15, 2013 7:50 pm __________<br /><br />Anyone know that this is?!?!
Is it something that I should be worried
About?!?