I Stink at Palpating! Show Me Your PG Doe!

[TF3]

I know it is a learned skill... but is it really so hard to do?!
Yes. Yes, it is.

My first litter and my doe's first litter I could feel nothing (but took solace in it being harder, supposedly, on a large bun)~ I was sure she couldn't be pregnant and she gave birth to 11. Doh. :lol:
So this time around i figured I'd feel something... maybe I do? Her abdomen seems larger and fuller, for sure (but then I bred her because she was getting fat!) now at day 24.
But the 2.5 year old (rex cross) doe I bought bred in case I needed a foster, I was *sure* I felt something at about 14 days, but now she is at about day 26 and she is slim and I feel nothing.
She has had regular breedings/ litters.

So I just stink at it, and need to be patient.
But *should* a doe appear pregnant by the final week? Feel pregnant?
:all-ears:

 

[Zass]

I can't palpate.

I was able to feel kits in the mini rex one time. That was cool, but that was the only successful time.

This one's full-o-kits.
No palpation necessary...

 

[EnglishSpot]

I found that by watching the does move and seeing how their center of gravity shifts during pregnancy a very good indicator.

I suck at palping too.

 

[katiebear]

I can't do it either...most of my does start to show at about 20 days..the last 5 or 6 days they're pretty big.. that's when you can see the kits move..got to be patient though.

 

[TF3]

Cool! I'll have to watch more closely.
My FG doe definitely has a pregnant look, the rex cross not so much~ and being 2.5 and having had litters I would assume that something would show this close.
I hope she proves me naive and wrong! (and I'll be bummed if she doesn't because I bought her to be a foster back up with my FG, and I don't have a suitable buck to rebreed her to at the moment).
She is only about 6-7 pounds so I assume my monster 20 lb FG is too big LOL and my Cali is only 13 weeks old.
Now, I do have a randy little 13 week old hLop who is spraying and marking everything today, maybe he can step up to the plate (with a step stool).

Ah, well, we'll see what the next week brings (or not!)
I'd love to see more pregnant doe pics! <br /><br /> -- Thu May 28, 2015 10:06 pm -- <br /><br /> SO pretty! She looks like a big mouse with those round ears

I can't palpate.

I was able to feel kits in the mini rex one time. That was cool, but that was the only successful time.

This one's full-o-kits.
No palpation necessary...

 

[Zass]

Since your asking, here are two older pics:

Feather:
=
And Pancake, looking almost as miserable as she feels.

 

[TF3]

They do look very full!
Now that I see them, I remember just a day or two before Clover kindled last time that she suddenly looked that way.
Poor girls! LOL
So I'll keep an eye on Spice and see if she gives anything away (she is so darn self contained, she will probably hide it anyway!)

 

[Zass]

And the Harli, Sinphonia. Who would have guessed she had 9 in there??

I can't be the only one who thinks does look extra adorable a few days before kindling??

Unfortunately they don't always show anything at all.

Some breeds show more than others, and some does show more. The Lilac, Esper, never showed, even though she was on the smaller side and usually had 9.

Sometimes, if it's going to be a large litter, I can see a bulge as early as 10 days prior to kindling.

 

[Susie570]

This is a picture of River, 11 days POST kindling... :shock:

She had 9.

(I can't believe I didn't know she was pregnant, but it didn't even OCCUR to me, what with TWO female rabbits, don'tcha know :roll: )

 

[Phacelia]

This was the biggest Acer has ever been, and she had TWO kits!

The next time she barely showed at all and had 13! :?

 

[dangerbunny]

I can't tell by looking, some does hide them really well but some does get huge. Palpating isn't so hard to learn, palpate all the rabbits (jrs, bucks, non preg does) to get a feel for how normal rabbit insides. Then try a two week bred doe, keep trying, you'll get it.

 

[TF3]

Thanks for sharing!!
Good point Dangerbunny!

These are my does-- Clover (fawn) is at day 25 in this pic.
And looking very round:

Spice on the other hand, is at day 27 and slim as anything:

She does however love the nifty box of hay I have her LOL she has never had a nest box, though she has kindled -- this is her first (supposed) kindling here, so I put it in today.


We'll see what happens! <br /><br /> -- Fri May 29, 2015 11:17 pm -- <br /><br /> They sure keep us guessing!!
Does the snticipation get better?!
My daughter and I are like expectant grandparents waiting by the phone...

 

[akane]

I can't tell you which pictures of mine are pregnant or not. The only ones that showed were the checkered giants. Being a running breed they hold themselves up with a full arch back so a dragging belly from kits or milk is noticeable. Actually makes them look a little scrawny over the backbone cause their full bellies are pulling everything down. None of the commercial or compact types I've had showed kits. I don't even bother trying to palpate. They pop them out or they don't. It's only a month wait. I bred horses... it's 11months to your foal and 2-3years to ride it. Talk about long term planning.

 

[The_Dutchess]

I learned to palpate through trial and error. Once I palpated the stomach and thought a doe was pregnant, when what I was really feeling was food. Then I learned to really feel all around for little grape sized balls. It seems like different rabbits you can feel it in different spots. My Silver Fox I could feel little balls way back towards her hips. The Polish doe I could feel more in the middle of her stomach. Don't be afraid to be firm, and try different spots. Do you have anyone who can show you how to palpate in person?

 

[Susie570]

Clover definitely looks suspiciously round, Spice MIGHT be hiding a few kits in there. This close to kindling, you should be able to feel the kits moving around in there if you are able to lay a hand against her belly while she's lying down.

 

[TF3]

Still no signs from Spice but Clover is haystaching it up at day 27!
*excited*

 

[Preitler]

That's a good sign, my black doe started nestbuilding on day 29, on day 31 (yesterday) she pulled fur and haf 2 kits.

Pic is from day 25:


Older pic, 2 days bevor she kindled 9:


Preitler

 

[TF3]

Wow! She was huge!!

 

[katiebear]

Older pic, 2 days bevor she kindled 9:

Gummientenhase 9junge.jpg

Kind of looks like one of those ceramic lawn ornaments.. :lol: :lol: Very pretty bunny!