# Double Chin (dewlap)



## stuartsmith (Feb 7, 2005)

Hi, my kids have a female rabbit that recently(last couple of weeks) has started to form a double chin. After somereading I could possibly be a "dewlap", but I am unsure why thisappears. Does it mean she is in season or even pregnant? The reason imasking this is our rabbit is a very smart rabbit &amp; has onseveral occassions managed to scale the fence by jumping up &amp;grabbing hold of the top &amp; pulling herself over into the othergarden, that just so happens to have 2 (possible) male rabbits. Herlast escape attempt was about a month ago &amp; the rabbits ownersput her with his to stop the dog from getting her, then the double chinstarted to appear about 2weeks ago. Do Dewlaps appear when onlypregnant or can they appear anytime? Am i going to be a dad (again). Isthere a way i can tell if she is up the duff . 
Thanks, Stuart


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## Bo B Bunny (Feb 7, 2005)

Well, dewlaps can form anytime. what type of bunny is she?

some large dewlaps are from being a bit overweight but it's not uncommon for a female to have them at all.

There is a possibility she is preggers.... since she was with fullmales..... it takes 31 days roughly but pretty much that is the correcttime line.


p.s. I bumped a thread for you called "THE MYSTERY OFDEWLAPS." I thought you might get a lot of information there!Plus a couple of photos!


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## stuartsmith (Feb 7, 2005)

Hi, thanks for your speedy reply. Itsmore than likely nothing, but all the dates seem about right.All she needs to do now is have some babies. Is thereanything I can do to check whether she is withchildren?I have read about gently feeling for thebabies or would her nipples swell? I have also read that shemay become aggressive, and as of yet, she has been fine. ifshe is pregnant, what should I do, apart from claiming maintenance fromthe father, what preparation is required.

Hi, I have already read that thread, but wanted to get info 1st hand.


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## lanna21974 (Feb 7, 2005)

Agrees with Bo. 

However, From my own experience with breeding...I've had does developdew lapsduring pregnancy. They didnt have one to begin with.Dew laps are not good indication of pregnancy though because as Bo saidthey can develop at any time. 

Just to be on the safe side I would count 31 days off on the calendarand plan to have kits born on that day. I usually give my does anestbox lined with about an inch of pine shavings on the 28th day. Giveher plenty of hay to make her nest. 

The only other way I know of to tell if a doe is pregnant is palpating.This can be difficult for tthe inexperienced. I still have trouble withit at times. You can try it anyway though. Here is a link that explainsit.....

http://islandgems.net/palpating.html

Best of Luck!

Lanna


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## stuartsmith (Feb 7, 2005)

Hi, I have already also checked out that link&amp; will try tonight after work. When you mention anest box, I take it your rabbits dont live in hutches? Butwhen pregnant, you set up a nestbox/hutch for them? The kids rabbitlives in a hutch, of which iskept inside until the wheatherwarms up, although she is let outside for several hours a day to getexercise &amp; possible give the male rabbits in our neighboursgarden theirs :shock:. Would her exisitng hutch be sufficientif she is with baby bunnies?


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## Bo B Bunny (Feb 7, 2005)

Glad you were around, lanna! I am not good with the breeding issues....


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## lanna21974 (Feb 7, 2005)

*stuartsmith wrote:*


> Hi, I have already also checked out that link &amp; willtry tonight after work. When you mention a nest box, I takeit your rabbits dont live in hutches? But when pregnant, youset up a nestbox/hutch for them? The kids rabbit lives in a hutch, ofwhich iskept inside until the wheather warms up, although sheis let outside for several hours a day to get exercise &amp;possible give the male rabbits in our neighbours garden theirs:shock:. Would her exisitng hutch be sufficient if she iswith baby bunnies?


Well, I have three inside bunnies. And they have cages. (all wire cages)

I have a bunny barn where I breed and raise the majorty of my bunnies. Also all wire cages. 

The nestbox is a necessity whether they have a hutch or a wire cage.Baby bunnies cant regulate their temps so a nestbox provides a closedin area where the doe can have all the babies together. They keep eachother warm. Without a nestbox you run the risk of the doe "scattering"the babies. That is...she will have them scattered across the floorarea of her cage. Even is she is free ranging it's a good idea to cageher close to time to kindle and provide a nestbox. 

The doe will nest in the nestbox with hay and make an almostburrow-like nest. Before she has the kits she will pull fur from almostany area of her body that she can reach and line the nest with it. Thisalso helps to keep the babies warm. If she "scatters" the babies andyou dont catch it in time they will freeze to death. 

Here's a pic of a nest...note the fur...and the burrow. 

Also another site but this one is about nestboxes. 

http://islandgems.net/nestbox2.html

You can build your own but this will explain the whys of giving a nestbox and give you a general idea of what you want.

Lanna


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## lanna21974 (Feb 7, 2005)

Another nest box but this time with babies....as you can see...you cant see them because theyre completly covered with fur. LOL


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## Dwarf_Angel04 (Feb 7, 2005)

Here's another person's experience. 

For instance, lanna has had does develop dewlaps during pregancy andafterwords. My rabbits on the other hand hardly ever develop dewlaps.I've got lots of smaller does that have had 4 or 5 litters and stillhave no dewlap. I've got big ugly does (breeders term for a big nonshow doe who can produce kits) that have never gotton dewlaps duringpregnancy but one developed one after kindling.In myexperience the other rabbits in my barn that have dewlaps are the bigdoes. I believe they get the dewlaps from the full feed they get whennursing. Which I don't mind on the BUD's 

As for nestboxes....

I recently had a litter born and since its inside my house with loadsof attention, I'm doing lots of experiments with them. I've had somekits who get brown crust on their nose when in the nestbox but are fineonce the nestbox is out. I brought this issue up to a fellow breederand she said to take out all the shavings from the nestbox. So I'vedone that and no longer have crusty brown on the kits noses. She saidthat the moisture of the shavings can cause the brown crust. Which Iknow believe the same thing after not using shavings. I can't think ofthe name of wood I have in the bottom of the nestbox. Its sturdy andhave little holes in it to allow feeces and urine to go out of thenestbox instead of staying inside the box. With this flooring in thenestbox, the purpose of shavings is omitted and not needed. Thisevening I'll take photos of the nestboxes I made, which I have fallenhead over heals for! 

Good Luck on the possibility of having kits. I'm looking for a threadwhere I posted how to palpate a doe. This is the only real way todertmine if you do is infact pregant. However, it takes lots ofpractice to really know what you're looking for. 

~*~Amanda~*~

I found the post... 



> I had someone try to teachme howtopalpateand it just didn't work out! I ended up having tolearn on my own with my own experience. It takes time to get good atpalpating.. its not just an overnight ordeal. I put my hand under thedoe's stomach and push up to her her behind off the cage wire/carpet. Ithen push upwards with my index, middle and thumb. I feel along theback bone area and not the sides as I don't want to mistake a kidneyetc. for a kit. I used to lift the doe with my other hand,but for some reason they didn't seem as comfy with that idea. It tookme a good 5 litters before I got the idea of paplating. I started outpalpating on day 30 and the next litter I knew what they were to feellike so I palpated at day 27, then day 22, then day 20, then 17 thenday 14. I just picked random days to feel for the kits. I haven'treally had a need to palpate at less then 14 days.
> 
> 
> Amanda


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## stuartsmith (Feb 8, 2005)

Hi, thanks for your replys. I have readthat the dewlap develops when a rabbit is reaching maturity (5/6 monthsold or there abouts), but our rabbit is about 2yrs old.Shouldher dewlap be develping at this age if she was not pregnant?

I have some pics on my phone of the dewlap, of which I willpost. Its quite impressive &amp; hangs about2" :?


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