When to remove nest box

[Jbickford]

Hi there, we took a couple of sweet rabbits into our home and decided to breed them once before neutering our male. I wasn't present for the actual breeding although my son said it definitely looked like he fell off. They continued to live in the same cage for the next 2.5 weeks. At this point, it's 39 days from initial contact breeding. She made a nest 3 days ago with pulled fur but nothing since. At this point I was expecting a kindling by now. Has anyone had any experience with this? I don't know when to remove the nest box as it's been a significant time now. Could this be a phantom pregnancy, or perhaps she didn't become pregnant for a week or so after being together, or absorbed the kits? I'm kind of at a loss as to why she built a nest, but there's no babies and no physical sign of pregnancy. She is a mini Rex. Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[SableSteel]

I'd wait at least 35 or 36 days from the last day that the two were together. They can go longer than that, but generally the kits won't make it when they're that overdue (mine don't make it after 32 days). Rabbits don't really show any signs of pregnancy up until the day they give birth, so it's hard to tell, but it's better safe (and leave a nestbox in there even if she isn't pregnant) than sorry (and find kits scattered around the cage, without a nest)

 

[Marie28]

I would wait till at least 35 day if not 40 from the last day they where together. Our buck made a great escape into our does cage (they where temporary cages that apparently had some flaws) . She made a nest at about 25 days with stinky bedding, we cleaned it up at day 27 gave her a box which she made another nest a couple days later and then did not kindle till 34 days. We kept talking about removing it and finally she had the babies. It better to be safe then sorry.

Edit: she had one very large DOA (about twice the normal size) and then one alive kit.

 

[Jbickford]

She built another nest outside of the box with just hay. She has a nesting box that she wouldn't use so pulled hair and had it in the corner. I picked up the hair and Put it in the box in the corner she chose but this morning she's built another nest in the opposite corner. I'm in and Canada so te nights are chilly still even this time of year (40s-50s) should I put the kits in the box if they're born with her fur and hope she feeds them, or move the fur on top of them in then nest she made and leave them out of the nest box. They're in a wooden crate lined with fresh hay, so it wouldn't be on the wire.

 

[SableSteel]

Move the nest into the nest box is what I've done, and its always worked well for me

 

[SarniaTricia]

Jbick
If you have room.... put two nest boxes in there.... that way she can pick box A or B... either way, babies go in the box and fur should go in there with them.... moma will find them.