Pregnant Rabbit spotting?

[jani]

I have a situation I have never seen before. I have 2 does, full sisters. One is day 26 and the other is day 24. They appear to be pregnant, I do not palpate. But they are big in the middle, increased appetite, dew laps getting huge etc. This morning BOTH does had small blood spots on their resting boards. Like 2 little drops. Urine is clear, normal poop, normal appetite. No moustaching, fur pulling etc. Their rear ends look fine, clean. They are perhaps a little quieter then usual. But I was exhausted a few days before birth too! I saw the spots this morning at feed time, nothing since. What I find very strange is it happened to BOTH girls at the same time even though they are 2 days apart gestation? I was going to pop a nest box in tomorrow on doe #1s day 27 and Monday for doe #2. I am wondering if this is normal in a first time doe as sign of impending birth (like spotting in women?) or if it means they are miscarrying? Isn't it late for a miscarriage normally? About day 25, progesterone drops I think- is this a sign of that? But as they don't seem to have nesting behavior yet of any kind?? I have had rabbits before, either I did not notice as I now have a new swanky WHITE cage system, or this is a normal silver fox thing (previous buns were calis and NZ). Am I just a nervous granny or should I stress the poor girls out by running to the vet ASAP? Has anyone ever seen this before?

 

[eco2pia]

I have not had a swanky white cage system, but I have occasionally noticed spotting. Generally things turned out ok.

However, I have rarely had a vet even look at my rabbits, not because I don't care, but because vets in my area don't seem to know a lot about rabbits, and by the time there is an issue it is usually too far gone for heroic efforts, or it is already resolved and clearly mending. If you are thinking of the vet, maybe call them first to see what, if anything, they think they could do in such a situation. I know quite a bit what can be done for an animal in dystocia (difficult/stuck labor) but I know little about what can be done to halt premature labor in a rabbit. Additional stress from transport to a clinic does not intuitively make sense to me.

 

[jani]

I have not had a swanky white cage system, but I have occasionally noticed spotting. Generally things turned out ok.

However, I have rarely had a vet even look at my rabbits, not because I don't care, but because vets in my area don't seem to know a lot about rabbits, and by the time there is an issue it is usually too far gone for heroic efforts, or it is already resolved and clearly mending. If you are thinking of the vet, maybe call them first to see what, if anything, they think they could do in such a situation. I know quite a bit what can be done for an animal in dystocia (difficult/stuck labor) but I know little about what can be done to halt premature labor in a rabbit. Additional stress from transport to a clinic does not intuitively make sense to me.

Thank you so much! That is helpful to know! It maybe that, but also my breeder said that it could be that I gave all my rabbits prunings from my apple trees yesterday! She said that when she gives her rabbits tree cuttings their urine tends to darken and can look like blood with certain trees. I never noticed it before as I have given them prunings before as they were in all wire floor tractors. Both girls seem comfortable, all stretched out for their usual afternoon naps so not at all in pain and nothing unusual since. So I am thinking my breeder friend is correct, it was just the tree cuttings. Which makes sense as they both had the same thing at the same time! Funny it did not happen to the buck, but he tends to pee on the wire at the back corner and misses the white tray! Just to be sure I am going to check with hydrogen peroxide to see if it was actually blood... but I am thinking the tree cutting thing makes the most sense. So here is hoping I have kits next Wednesday and Friday! She said their line tends to nest only a day or 2 before they kindle so that I should not be worried they are not fur pulling or moustaching yet. She said very, very rarely a doe will not make a nest and that this line of rabbits tends to be exceptional mothers. Their full sister had a first litter of a healthy 7 kits yesterday so here is hoping!

 

[CedarRidge]

I've had two kindling with first time does. The first doe spotted dramatically about 2 weeks in. I thought she was miscarrying. Still, she went full term and delivered 8 kits. She built her nest, pulled fur, and kindled all in a matter of 3 hours a day late. My other doe did not spot, but she did nest build 2 weeks in. Then pulled fur and delivered on the due date. I've just about given up on predicting anything with regard to delivery. In both cases the mothers were great and delivered during the day where we could observe. I will say in both cases each delivered one kit that got pushed to the side and the doe did not clean off the placenta. In the first case I didn't want to interfere for fear of messing up the mother's delivery process and it died from suffocation. In the second case I found it just as it took its last gasp. I snuck it out, pulled off the placenta, and checked for breathing. No luck, so I gave it a couple of tiny breaths and it got going again. Then I stuck it in front of mama's nose, while she was delivering, and she did her thing. 8 delivered and 8 still alive today.

 

[jani]

I've had two kindling with first time does. The first doe spotted dramatically about 2 weeks in. I thought she was miscarrying. Still, she went full term and delivered 8 kits. She built her nest, pulled fur, and kindled all in a matter of 3 hours a day late. My other doe did not spot, but she did nest build 2 weeks in. Then pulled fur and delivered on the due date. I've just about given up on predicting anything with regard to delivery. In both cases the mothers were great and delivered during the day where we could observe. I will say in both cases each delivered one kit that got pushed to the side and the doe did not clean off the placenta. In the first case I didn't want to interfere for fear of messing up the mother's delivery process and it died from suffocation. In the second case I found it just as it took its last gasp. I snuck it out, pulled off the placenta, and checked for breathing. No luck, so I gave it a couple of tiny breaths and it got going again. Then I stuck it in front of mama's nose, while she was delivering, and she did her thing. 8 delivered and 8 still alive today.

OK great! I am happy to know spotting can be normal in first time large does like these ladies! The one girl that had 2 breedings with 3 fall offs each 8 hours apart is positively HUGE! The other girl is significantly smaller, but still a big tummy which maybe fat as I have been giving them free choice food. She only had ONE fall off and when I put her back with the buck 8 hours later she was super aggressive with him- I thought he was going to have to be renamed nutless! So I am pretty interested to see the results with both these girls, hopefully next week between Tuesday and Saturday!

 

[jani]

I have not had a swanky white cage system, but I have occasionally noticed spotting. Generally things turned out ok.

However, I have rarely had a vet even look at my rabbits, not because I don't care, but because vets in my area don't seem to know a lot about rabbits, and by the time there is an issue it is usually too far gone for heroic efforts, or it is already resolved and clearly mending. If you are thinking of the vet, maybe call them first to see what, if anything, they think they could do in such a situation. I know quite a bit what can be done for an animal in dystocia (difficult/stuck labor) but I know little about what can be done to halt premature labor in a rabbit. Additional stress from transport to a clinic does not intuitively make sense to me.

I am super lucky in my small little town, the young vet who recently took over my local vet shop, where I have taken my dogs and cats to for years is actually specialized in rabbits! She was so fascinated when I told her I have silver fox, she said she has never ever seen them in our area. I said I know, I had to bring them in from the other side of the country! I agree though, I would not want to put a doe so very close to term in a car unless I absolutely have to. I am fairly confident however that this young vet would make a house call if it is required. For a fee, or course.

 

[eco2pia]

Thank you so much! That is helpful to know! It maybe that, but also my breeder said that it could be that I gave all my rabbits prunings from my apple trees yesterday! She said that when she gives her rabbits tree cuttings their urine tends to darken and can look like blood with certain trees. I never noticed it before as I have given them prunings before as they were in all wire floor tractors. Both girls seem comfortable, all stretched out for their usual afternoon naps so not at all in pain and nothing unusual since. So I am thinking my breeder friend is correct, it was just the tree cuttings. Which makes sense as they both had the same thing at the same time! Funny it did not happen to the buck, but he tends to pee on the wire at the back corner and misses the white tray! Just to be sure I am going to check with hydrogen peroxide to see if it was actually blood... but I am thinking the tree cutting thing makes the most sense. So here is hoping I have kits next Wednesday and Friday! She said their line tends to nest only a day or 2 before they kindle so that I should not be worried they are not fur pulling or moustaching yet. She said very, very rarely a doe will not make a nest and that this line of rabbits tends to be exceptional mothers. Their full sister had a first litter of a healthy 7 kits yesterday so here is hoping!

I have also seen this! I did not consider what that could look like on a swanky white cage, lol!!

 

[CedarRidge]

OK great! I am happy to know spotting can be normal in first time large does like these ladies! The one girl that had 2 breedings with 3 fall offs each 8 hours apart is positively HUGE! The other girl is significantly smaller, but still a big tummy which maybe fat as I have been giving them free choice food. She only had ONE fall off and when I put her back with the buck 8 hours later she was super aggressive with him- I thought he was going to have to be renamed nutless! So I am pretty interested to see the results with both these girls, hopefully next week between Tuesday and Saturday!

Best of luck! Always exciting. My first does had 1 fall of with 8 kits. My second doe had 3 fall offs with 8 kits. 2nd was super huge.

 

[Lil Acorn Acres Farm]

I have a situation I have never seen before. I have 2 does, full sisters. One is day 26 and the other is day 24. They appear to be pregnant, I do not palpate. But they are big in the middle, increased appetite, dew laps getting huge etc. This morning BOTH does had small blood spots on their resting boards. Like 2 little drops. Urine is clear, normal poop, normal appetite. No moustaching, fur pulling etc. Their rear ends look fine, clean. They are perhaps a little quieter then usual. But I was exhausted a few days before birth too! I saw the spots this morning at feed time, nothing since. What I find very strange is it happened to BOTH girls at the same time even though they are 2 days apart gestation? I was going to pop a nest box in tomorrow on doe #1s day 27 and Monday for doe #2. I am wondering if this is normal in a first time doe as sign of impending birth (like spotting in women?) or if it means they are miscarrying? Isn't it late for a miscarriage normally? About day 25, progesterone drops I think- is this a sign of that? But as they don't seem to have nesting behavior yet of any kind?? I have had rabbits before, either I did not notice as I now have a new swanky WHITE cage system, or this is a normal silver fox thing (previous buns were calis and NZ). Am I just a nervous granny or should I stress the poor girls out by running to the vet ASAP? Has anyone ever seen this before?

Well this has got me thinking. 2 of my does had a blood spot on their tile a week or so prior to kindling. I thought they cut their foot on the wire cage floor. I searched and climbed inside to find a sharp something/anything. Never found anything.
Yet another learning experience.

 

[jani]

Well this has got me thinking. 2 of my does had a blood spot on their tile a week or so prior to kindling. I thought they cut their foot on the wire cage floor. I searched and climbed inside to find a sharp something/anything. Never found anything. Yet another learning experience.

After I checked their rear ends and that all looked fine I thought exactly the same thing, I checked their feet and all over for cuts and ran my hands around everywhere to find something sharp. Then I thought maybe some kind of predator and checked my cameras. NOTHING! My rabbit friend said she never heard of rabbits spotting unless it was spontaneous late term abortion but there was not enough blood evidence for that. So I am super glad I asked here!

 

[CedarRidge]

OK great! I am happy to know spotting can be normal in first time large does like these ladies! The one girl that had 2 breedings with 3 fall offs each 8 hours apart is positively HUGE! The other girl is significantly smaller, but still a big tummy which maybe fat as I have been giving them free choice food. She only had ONE fall off and when I put her back with the buck 8 hours later she was super aggressive with him- I thought he was going to have to be renamed nutless! So I am pretty interested to see the results with both these girls, hopefully next week between Tuesday and Saturday!

Please keep us informed.

 

[jani]

I am so so happy I joined this forum! I am happy others had a similar experiences, and I am learning a lot from here! It is so strange, no matter how long you have had them, you can always learn more! It is so comforting to get answers and nobody thinks im crazy for being worried about my girls! OK, they are meat rabbits but I love them! OK, they are spoilt nuts and they are pets. And no, I am a crappy farmer and my broodstock will never ever be anyones dinner. I only cull the nasties, and I sell on only the ones I would keep. And if I had more room, believe me I would keep a lot more! I just love rabbits, the most useful pets ever! Meat, pelts, fertilizer and pesticide for very little work on my part. And so cute and sweet! Why doesn't everyone get rabbits and join rabbittalk? And to think I stayed out of rabbits because of bad early experiences with evil bucks and was worried sick about how I would ever manage to dispatch by myself (dad always did it). Sure, that part is the hard part.. but knowing they had the best life possible and a fast and kind end they never saw coming. Well, that makes me feel good about the meat. So much better then the grocery store garbage from animals that live and die in absolute misery.

 

[jani]

Please keep us informed.

Yes happy to!

 

[jani]

OK, Hope my girl who had three fall offs and then another 3 -8 hours later, who is HUGE is on day 31, no nesting behaviors at all. On the other hand, her sister Joy is on day 29, she is so small next to her sister but as of lunch today she is moustaching like crazy and trying to dig to china in her nest box. I am thinking Joy will be on schedule and Hope very overdue! Of course she took out and shredded up all the cardboard I carefully cut to snugly fit in the line the box and took most of the nest material I put in the box outside of it. But, oh well its getting cool around here and I figure if they are born outside the box by accident its better to be on hay and straw then wire. I'll save cage cleaning for a few days after the littles arrive.

 

[CedarRidge]

It will all work out. 9 times out of 10 everything goes great.

 

[jani]

I sure hope so and that kits arrive before or AFTER Sunday as I am working Saturday pm through to Sunday pm and won't be home until nearly dark Sunday night! I have a feeling Joy will kindle by then, when I got back home from work just now she had made a nice little nest, though still no fur pulling. So she I think will kindle likely in the early morning tomorrow. I am a little extra antsy as I have never kept silver fox and these are virgin does. I am thinking Hope looks like she swallowed a ballon and had a total of 6 fall offs compared to Joys 1, so maybe they need to cook a little longer. Their breeder said she has seen rabbits in this line go as much as a week and half overdue and pop out almost furred large litters.

 

[CedarRidge]

One thing I noticed in both of my does was on the day of kindling both got very restless.move from one place to another, lay on her side, 5 minutes later move again, lay down. 5 minutes later do it all again.

 

[jani]

One thing I noticed in both of my does was on the day of kindling both got very restless.move from one place to another, lay on her side, 5 minutes later move again, lay down. 5 minutes later do it all again.

Ive notice in both does a decrease in appetite and drinking a lot more water. They also are a bit more jumpy... normally I give them all scratches when I do morning feed and night check and they tend to come to the front of the cage. Both girls were clearly not in the mood for attention tonight in particular. Its also the coldest night out there we have had yet this fall. Going into the high 40s tongiht. Thankfully the rain is over for the next few days or so! They have good cover and don't get wet, I just don't like cold damp air and low pressure! I am hoping my Hope girls gets the nesting impulse tomorrow like her sister did today. Better late then never!

 

[jani]

Nothing but 2 seriously jumpy does this morning and Joy was clearly busy fussing with her nest box overnight... there is now a rabbit version of a "door" She took the cardboard I had carefully cut to the bottom and side and wedged it into the entrance and appears to have moved all the carefresh bedding to the back, straw to the front and then added a lot of hay that I so liberally supplied. Busy lady! Hope on the other hand... seems to be doing nothing in the box to speak of save hanging out to nap. She came to the front like always but when I opened the door shot like a rocket to the farthest back corner. Very unlike her.

 

[CedarRidge]

Both of our does stuck their heads in the nest box and appeared to be rearranging hay with their mouths. Not a lot of big head movements, just small adjustments. But what we thought was nest adjustments was actually labor. Caught us off guard in both cases. if she goes into labor while you aren’t sleeping and can observe it, watch for what we call “squirters,” kits that are born but slip out to the side and dont get noticed by the mama because she is starting to deal with the next delivery (ours all came in rapid succession). We’ve had this happen with both of our does.