If there is nest making going on,is it always pregnancy?

[sommrluv]

DH has raised rabbits before, but I am new to them. We have new (to us) dutch belted rabbits. As of Saturday, by my calculations, if the girls were red, they were only 20 days bred. But I have one girl very actively (and oh so adorably) making a nest in her hutch, and the other girl just seems to be....playing in the hay.

Does nest-making always indicate pregnancy? And is it ok if she rejects the nest box in favor of weaving some sort of elaborate nest corner? I'm very impressed with her handiwork.


And one more question...are pregnant does nicer? It could be that they are getting used to me, but they are SO friendly in the past week or so. The one girl is chinning me all the time now. I've been spending 30 minutes 3 X a day with them so I'm hoping that helps.

 

[ladysown]

yes and no... like everything rabbit they are SO individualistic that the answer is sometimes yes, and sometimes no.

Some does will get noticeably friendlier when they are preggers and others will become...ms. witch.

Some does will want to start to nest starting around day 19 or so. Others won't until after they kindle.

NOW...as to building the nest outside the box. At this point let her do her thing. Keep a careful eye on her near to her due date. once she has her kits plunk the whole nest into the nest box and put the box where she made her nest. That will help keep the kits safer AND gives you something you can pull out in case her "miss I'm so sweet and wonderful" turns into "TOUCH MY BABIES AND DIE" not quite so wonderful.

in the meantime, enjoy the wonderfulness that is the individualistic nature of bunnies.

 

[Jack]

NO
actually have some that will put the nest together, get their hole dug in it, then IGNORE the box for the next 4-7 days

BUT, every doe I THOUGHT was pregnant, I do so BECAUSE they build some amazing nests, wasn't sure, saw the nest they build, and went, YEAP, well now I see such a NICE nest that early and I go

HUMmmm, I need to RECHECK her again.

 

[sommrluv]

Thanks! This helps. I guess I'll just keep visiting.

It was so cute to see her grab hay in her mouth until she had a rolled up mass like a dog. She's the neatest of all the bunnies, she uses her potty, cleans up her hutch every day, never a scrap of random hay or poop anywhere.

 

[fuzzy9]

I just had one that started nesting quite early, in fact, she was pulling fur from a kit. :? She was not bred, and it was in fact a false pregnancy. I had another who would gather her hay in her mouth like she was nesting, and put it in the corner, before eating it all. She was bred, and just had her litter. I think it can really be such an individual thing.

 

[MaggieJ]

Let's face it, rabbits like to keep you guessing!

games-bunnies-play-t1122.html

 

[Jack]

yep, crazy little buggers

 

[sommrluv]

Nothing yet. She had this beautiful nest and than last night it was all flatted into, like, insulation and not really nestlike at all.

Maybe she was getting chilly? She keeps throwing the shoe box around so I took it out for a little bit.

 

[BoxerMom]

My does start nesting at 14 days or so, I put in their nextbox around day 25 and they always, without fail, have the babies outside of the nestbox. I always transfer them to the nestbox as soon as possible, and the moms don't seem to care. Mine also get friendlier when pregnant

 

[sommrluv]

31 days and still no kits. Both of them now at least look INCREDIBLY pregnant. That or they've really been packing on the big belly pounds. One made a new nest in her shiny new nestbox, the other girl just likes to poop in hers. lol

I was a little worried because we've been shuffling them a bit into a new housing situation, but everyone seems cool and happy.

The niceness is gone, however. They are MEAN.

 

[MaggieJ]

Chances are they will kindle very soon. They sound pregnant. For the doe that is using her nest box as a litter box, you could try moving it to a different part of the cage. Sometimes if the nest box covers the favoured potty corner the doe will mistake its function. If this is not the problem, you could try giving her a second nest box in the hope that she will use it for the kits when the time comes. Hoping we will hear about lots of popples soon! :clover: :clover:

 

[caroline]

I've only been back to raising rabbits for about 9 months but since rabbit generations are so FAST I'm excited that I already have the second generation ready to kindle. I've noticed that, so far, all my does who are really bred start carrying straw at least a week before they are due. This latest batch has been so fun to watch. Two does, caged right next to each other, both built very large nests right NEXT to the nest box that I put in after they had started carrying straw. I kept offering them more straw in the hopes that they would put some of it into the box. One pulled fur and put some in the box but the main nests both stayed in the space between the box and the side of the cage. I waited until yesterday and then carefully transferred the nest into the box and put lots more straw in the cage in case they still had their babies outside of the box.
Now reading how others have waited until AFTER to do the transfer, I'm wondering if I should have just done that. Guess I'll find out soon as they are due today.
And interestingly enough, the dam of one of these does was also bred at the same time as they were. She has always carried straw at least a week before too. This time NO straw carrying and no straw in the box I gave her on Sunday [much later than I have usually needed to give it to her in past pregnancies] and she doesn't look pleasingly plump like she has in the past either. Guess we'll see if this means what I think it does.
I too have spend hours sitting in the barn just loving watching the antics of these rabbits. Better than TV any day

 

[MaggieJ]

Caroline, I think it was fine to transfer the nest to the nest box, especially since you also gave the doe more straw outside the box. Does can be very stubborn about where they kindle, but at least you have given her a strong message about your preference.

 

[sommrluv]

Well one doe had a nest of four little ones today! All VERY fat...much father than I would think a dutch kit would be, they almost take up my whole hand each. And she pushed the box out of the way and had them behind it. I put the nest in the box after I made a big nest in there. Hopefully that's ok. I guess she had them last night, this morning. I saw the furry nest and I waited to see if it wiggled as I believe I read here on another thread.


Wiggle, wiggle, so I moved it all. Momma was not happy. She came around when I gave her some calf manna however.

I'll get some picture when I check them tonight.

Anything I should/shouldn't be doing? Storey says I should check them every day

 

[MaggieJ]

I think most people check them every day. It ensures that if a kit dies the body is removed before it can decay and contaminate the nest. It also helps the doe to learn to accept the checks as normal. A little treat helps with that, as you found.

 

[sommrluv]

My other mama just kindled. I didn't know they would do that in the middle of the day. (do I sound like an ignoramus? LOL)

She has four or five. She actually had them in the "correct" area so I didn't disturb them overmuch. I figure I'll give them some more space because I"m sure hubby will get home from work and want to gawk at them.

Is four a normal litter for a dutch? I believe they were bred once before but since this is a new 'to me' rabbit, should I just treat this like their first litter and see how they do next time?

Our buns are for meat for us.

 

[MaggieJ]

You may find there are a few more than you can see when you actually do a proper count. Often there are some down underneath.

Does can kindle at any time of day or night, but most litters do seem to come in the night or early morning hours.