# Rabbit pulling hair out to make nest ...???



## JulieinPA (May 3, 2013)

Hello everyone, I'm new here. I would take time for introductions, but I have a rabbit problem ....
We have a mini lop rabbit (we "think" it's a female ...?). She? is approx 1-2 years old. We recently moved her into a new (larger) hutch with a nice nest box built into it. She's been in it for about a week now. She's been a happy camper in there. We had some hay in her nest box, but last night we added a lot more to it. So she has a good bit of hay in there now (since last night) .. and this morning my daughter went to feed her and opened the nest box to look in there, and in addition to the hay we put in - she has alot of fur in there to - in a circle like a nest.

WE DO NOT HAVE MALE RABBITS ... infact, we do not have ANY other rabbits for that matter. And there is no way she could've been around a male ... not even a wild rabbit. The bottom of her hutch is like 2 feet off the ground. And her old hutch had a tray under it and was like 3 feet off the ground ... so to my knowledge there's no possible way that a wild rabbit could get even close to her. So I know she can't be pregnant.

So then WHY is she pulling her hair out and making a nest!???


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## JulieinPA (May 3, 2013)

JulieinPA said:


> Hello everyone, I'm new here. I would take time for introductions, but I have a rabbit problem ....
> We have a mini lop rabbit (we "think" it's a female ...?). She? is approx 1-2 years old. We recently moved her into a new (larger) hutch with a nice nest box built into it. She's been in it for about a week now. She's been a happy camper in there. We had some hay in her nest box, but last night we added a lot more to it. So she has a good bit of hay in there now (since last night) .. and this morning my daughter went to feed her and opened the nest box to look in there, and in addition to the hay we put in - she has alot of fur in there to - in a circle like a nest.
> 
> WE DO NOT HAVE MALE RABBITS ... infact, we do not have ANY other rabbits for that matter. And there is no way she could've been around a male ... not even a wild rabbit. The bottom of her hutch is like 2 feet off the ground. And her old hutch had a tray under it and was like 3 feet off the ground ... so to my knowledge there's no possible way that a wild rabbit could get even close to her. So I know she can't be pregnant.
> ...



Well after doing some further research, I've learned that she is apparantly going through a false pregnancy.


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## KeltonB (May 3, 2013)

That sounds about right...if there's no way she was in contact with a male, then that would certainly be the most reasonable explanation. I don't think rabbits generally fur line a nest unless she is expecting to deliver.

Welcome to the forum!


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## whitelop (May 3, 2013)

Sounds like a false pregnancy. My bun just went through one and pulled enough fur to make her bald in a lot of spots. Just let her have her nest for a few days and she'll figure out that she's not pregnant and then take it away. But if you take it away too soon, she'll be inclined to make a new nest and you'll have a bald rabbit! haha. 

Getting her spayed would stop the false pregnancies, but other than that there isn't much you can do about it. You just have to let her make the nests or get her spayed. 
Wild rabbits and domestic rabbits can't mate and produce offspring, they're like genetically different enough to not be able to mate. 

Welcome to RO!


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## minmelethuireb (May 3, 2013)

My female rabbit used to have false pregnancies also. It happened maybe once a month, until I got her spayed.


You should consider getting your rabbit spayed, because unspayed female rabbits have a HUGE risk of getting reproductive cancer. You can read all about spaying rabbits here: http://www.rabbit.org/faq/sections/spay-neuter.html

Risks of not spaying: http://www.rabbitnetwork.org/articles/spay.shtml


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## Nancy McClelland (May 3, 2013)

In need of a neuter, for sure.


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## woahlookitsme (May 3, 2013)

What was her history before you got her? If she was used for breeding it could just be a learned behavior when she is given a box with hay. We had a doe who was expecting but didn't have anything. She still pulled fur and made a nest. 

And yes it is probably just a false pregnancy


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