postponed litter?

[BlackBunny]

So funny thing, one of my does was due to give birth but had a huge scare and no litter happened, a large black bear tried to break into her hutch. I was very surprised and thankful that my little Netherland dwarfs didn't have a heart attack but the litter never happened, I assumed it was reabsorbed? I decided not to breed her right away and give her a break as she is a very nervous bunny and it would have been her first litter, then 28 days later or so she has 2 kits. I never bred her during this time, her last time with a buck was march 28th or so and the litter was may 29, her original due date was for late April.
Can rabbits hold sperm for use at a later date because I'm very confused at what happened.
I also must say that she is an amazing first time mom and the two kits are some of the sweetest babies I've had since I started breeding 2 years ago, they have dutch marking but they are cream/fawn and white and just beautiful, named them Tweedledum & Tweedledee as they are almost perfect twins.
Funny bunny.

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

Is she next to a buck .in the next cage. I love your avator pic, I also like your names that you pick for the babies.

 

[BlackBunny]

Thank you Mary Ann you should see the kits, too cute and no she had no buck near her so it boggles my mind as it was almost a solid two moths between breeding her and the kindling.
She was ready to have her litter in late april, was pulling fur for a few days making her nest and the night or night before she was due we had the bear scare and no kits happened, no stillborn, nothing, next month 2 beautiful babies.

So just wondering if this has ever happened to anyone before as its strange.

 

[-HRanchito]

Your avatar really is mesmerizing. Were you out of town at all? Friends and neighbors sometimes aren't so careful. Is there some way you could figure out who the father is by color? Also, pictures?

 

[BlackBunny]

I only have 1 buck so I know who the father is and no I never went anywhere and I'm the only one to really looks after the rabbits, my husband is chef baby bunny cuddler but that's it.
I'm hoping to put up some pics by the weekend to share, as I call them, "stupid cute bunnies".

I only have 5 bunnies, not including the 4 babies I now have, 4 does and a buck, had to downsize dramatically when I moved and only kept my best, I really need to find myself a buck soon so I don't have any problems but true ND's are hard to find in my area.

curiouser and curiouser. ancake:

 

[MamaMandy]

That's crazy! Never heard of such a thing. It's amazing what the pregnant body can do though. We'd love to see pics of the babies! And I also love your avatar! Too cute!

 

[themangoavenger]

Maybe your doe gave birth to the rabbit messiah?

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Actually, I want to say that I have heard or read somewhere that they do that...

 

[Stormy]

That is WILD! I have never heard such a thing. Were the babies unusually large?

 

[Tegan]

Maybe your doe gave birth to the rabbit messiah?

Thanks...I was drinking when I read that....now my sinuses are killing me! LOL



Perhaps you had the sex change fairy visit? But surely the does you have now you KNOW are does....hmmmmmm.....odd. From everything I've read they CAN'T retain sperm.

 

[Stormy]

I've never heard of a mammal retaining sperm. The sperm simply wouldn't be able to remain alive that long - I believe the sperm and ovum are able to live only a few short days. Plus the fact she was nesting makes me think she went into some kind of frozen stasis with her babies! If they were more further developed that would make the most sense.

Otherwise, I agree, these rabbits may need to be revered for possible holiness!