Pregnant doe pulled fur day 18

[Maplesfamtree]

I have a just over 1 year old NZ doe. Last month I tried to breed her for the first time and it was a false pregnancy. She pulled fur on about day 10 to 12 and was building a nest with all the hay I gave her. She got over it quickly but I waited until day 35 just in case it was some weird first time pregnancy thing.
I rebred her with the same buck (also not proven, but he did a lot better this time.) Bred morning and evening on the 5/19 and she pulled fur this morning 6/6 on day 18. I'm thinking it could be a real pregnancy because of how early she pulled fur on her false pregancy.
I keep the nesting box in cage just because she likes to play in it (she doesn't go potty in it) she didn't make a nest and isn't nesting hay or the grass I give her. All she did was pull fur. The other thing I too is I had to put her brother in the cage beside her because i don't want him going steril in the heat. (The baby daddy is not her brother)
So, I'm wondering if pulling fur on day 18 is normal (since she nested so early in false pregnancy before) and I'm also wondering if her brother being next to her may have caused her to pull fur early. She doesn't seem disrupted by him.
Thanks for your thoughts.

 

[golden rabbitry]

could be a false pregnancy, just wait and watch. My does pull fur days 26 earliest, latest is after kindling. Most of my does pull a day to a few hours before kindling.

 

[Maplesfamtree]

Well, today would be day 22 for her and she pulled a lot fur now. Yesterday she was a little less interested in her nest but it could be because she is done for now. She did hop in it today. I also put her in with two different bucks (including her brother) and she was upset and tried hump them.

 

[caroline]

Many of my does routinely start carrying hay by day 17.
That's my signal to put their nest box in.
I continue to provide fresh hay for them
in a 5# coffee can wired inside the front of the cage
until they are satisfied and stop carrying.
Some pull lots of fur then too. Others don't pull fur until
they are close to, or at, kindling.
A very few does wait until the last few days to build a nest.
I put the box in by day 27, if they haven't started yet.
If no nest is built by day 29, I cover the floor of the cage
with hay, in case she decides to have on the wire.
If that happens, I move the kits and any fur into the box
as soon as I find them (I am checking through the night
every few hours starting day 29)
the mommas that have done this have always been willing to feed
the kits in the box after I have moved them.
Any does that routinely kindle on the wire are culled.
I have too many that do a much better job building early
and caring for large litters IN THE BOX to spend the extra time
it takes to clean up and worry about the ones who won't do it "the easy way."

 

[Maplesfamtree]

Many of my does routinely start carrying hay by day 17.
That's my signal to put their nest box in.
I continue to provide fresh hay for them
in a 5# coffee can wired inside the front of the cage
until they are satisfied and stop carrying.
Some pull lots of fur then too. Others don't pull fur until
they are close to, or at, kindling.
A very few does wait until the last few days to build a nest.
I put the box in by day 27, if they haven't started yet.
If no nest is built by day 29, I cover the floor of the cage
with hay, in case she decides to have on the wire.
If that happens, I move the kits and any fur into the box
as soon as I find them (I am checking through the night
every few hours starting day 29)
the mommas that have done this have always been willing to feed
the kits in the box after I have moved them.
Any does that routinely kindle on the wire are culled.
I have too many that do a much better job building early
and caring for large litters IN THE BOX to spend the extra time
it takes to clean up and worry about the ones who won't do it "the easy way."

Thank you for the info. My doe seems like she would be a very good first time mom. I'm wondering if any of your does that start making a nest early continue to work on it until they kindle or they just leave it be until birth. She has kind of left her nest alone but she really gets upset when she sees the buck that bred her. Today she got upset when I tried to pet her. I'm hoping she is pregnant but after her false pregnancy I'm a little worried. Only 8 more days to find out though. This picture of her was taken today. Do you think she looks pregnant. I've read sometimes some does don't look very pregnant until a couple days before kindling. Thank you for your help.

 

[caroline]

Once the nest box seems well filled, most does tend to leave it alone, although some have liked to rest in it themselves.
I ca't say if she looks pregnant. Guess you will just have to wait & see.

 

[Cak920]

Many of my does routinely start carrying hay by day 17.
That's my signal to put their nest box in.
I continue to provide fresh hay for them
in a 5# coffee can wired inside the front of the cage
until they are satisfied and stop carrying.
Some pull lots of fur then too. Others don't pull fur until
they are close to, or at, kindling.
A very few does wait until the last few days to build a nest.
I put the box in by day 27, if they haven't started yet.
If no nest is built by day 29, I cover the floor of the cage
with hay, in case she decides to have on the wire.
If that happens, I move the kits and any fur into the box
as soon as I find them (I am checking through the night
every few hours starting day 29)
the mommas that have done this have always been willing to feed
the kits in the box after I have moved them.
Any does that routinely kindle on the wire are culled.
I have too many that do a much better job building early
and caring for large litters IN THE BOX to spend the extra time
it takes to clean up and worry about the ones who won't do it "the easy way."

That’s interesting! Everyone of my does waits until the last second to nest. My Cali didn’t do anything until day 33 then made a nest and had her babies all in about an hour.

 

[Maplesfamtree]

I want to update this post in case anyone is reading this in the future (I read a lot of inconclusive rabbit forums)
The doe did have a false pregancy. I believe she could have built up some internal fat over the winter so I started to give her less pellets and lots more hay. I bred her again and we will see how she does this time. Third times the charm!

 

[White's family farm]

I want to update this post in case anyone is reading this in the future (I read a lot of inconclusive rabbit forums)
The doe did have a false pregancy. I believe she could have built up some internal fat over the winter so I started to give her less pellets and lots more hay. I bred her again and we will see how she does this time. Third times the charm!

Did the third time work out for her?

 

[jencosta1]

Many of my does routinely start carrying hay by day 17.
That's my signal to put their nest box in.
I continue to provide fresh hay for them
in a 5# coffee can wired inside the front of the cage
until they are satisfied and stop carrying.
Some pull lots of fur then too. Others don't pull fur until
they are close to, or at, kindling.
A very few does wait until the last few days to build a nest.
I put the box in by day 27, if they haven't started yet.
If no nest is built by day 29, I cover the floor of the cage
with hay, in case she decides to have on the wire.
If that happens, I move the kits and any fur into the box
as soon as I find them (I am checking through the night
every few hours starting day 29)
the mommas that have done this have always been willing to feed
the kits in the box after I have moved them.
Any does that routinely kindle on the wire are culled.
I have too many that do a much better job building early
and caring for large litters IN THE BOX to spend the extra time
it takes to clean up and worry about the ones who won't do it "the easy way.

 

[jencosta1]

My doe was pregnant last December. On day 29 she gave birth and all 10 babies were premature, skin was transparent and you could see the organs, all 10 died. She is pregnant again and today is day 21. I just saw she’s pulling fur. Why is she birthing prematurely?

 

[RabbitsOfTheCreek]

On day 29 she gave birth and all 10 babies were premature, skin was transparent and you could see the organs, all 10 died.

I've never heard of transparent kits before

 

[jencosta1]

Their skin was so thin I could see their organs

 

[RabbitRegis]

Usually a false pregnancy around here.