# Rabbit is making a nest



## India (Feb 16, 2007)

Hi

I am a newbie, to the forum. 

I have 3 lovely rabbits. 

I think one of my rabbits may be pregnant, though, we accidentally let my female rabbit out with my male rabbit, 3 weeks ago, and they mated, my male rabbit, made this loud grunting noise, and fell off when he had finished mating, is this normal. 

Anyway, I fed the rabbits this morning and my female, was going frantic making a nest, she had loads of hay and straw in her mouth, making a nest, she was digging and going mad, making a hole in the middle of the hay. 

It looked very professional. Could she be having babies soon. It will be 3 weeks Sunday, since she was accidentally mated. 

I am getting my male rabbit neutered next week, my female was due to be spayed the same day, but if shes pregnant, that wont be happening. My female is nearly 7 months old, and mymale is nearly 6 months old.


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## Michaela (Feb 16, 2007)

Hi there and welcome to RO!:wave:

The gestation period for rabbits is about 31 days, though they can kindle a few days before or after this. If she's not even 3 weeks gone this seems a bit early to be building a nest, maybe she's having a phantom pregnancy?

I'm no expert though, sohopefully a moderator will come along soon and move this to the rabbitry section where breeders are more likely to see it and give you better advice than me


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## aurora369 (Feb 16, 2007)

All does are different in their nest building practices. Wildfire would build a new nest just about everyday from two weeks onward in her pregnancy. She would build some really cool looking ones, some complete with roofs!

Provide her with a nest box and lots of hay/straw to build a nest with. Normally they give birth on about day 30, but it can be anywhere from day 28 -34. 

It sounds like a succesful mating, as males will grunt and fall off when they are done the deed. So he's fine.

My bet would be that your girl is pregnant.

So, you'll have to wait till the babies are 8 weeks old before getting mom spayed. Good idea to get the male neutered now though, that way once the girl is spayed most of his hormones will be gone.

--Dawn


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## hunnybunny63 (Feb 16, 2007)

yer it does seem liek she is pregnant although she might be as Michaela said she might jsut be having a phantom pregnacy although it does sound like the mating was succesful. you should be able to tell by about 3 weeks if she has gain weight or not. start feeding her more food gradually if she is pregnant she will be needing to eat 3 times as much food by the times the kits are born! 

make sure to keep her in a seperate cage, if she is currently sharing, in a quite place with a nest box as previously mentioned.

Other than that you jsut have to wait and see if you have new additions to the family!


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## India (Feb 17, 2007)

My rabbit dosent look fatter, its so difficult to tell though. She isnt making nests today. I hope shes not pregnant, because I want to get her spayed, and I want my male rabbit, Billy to live with my female, Coco. I think they would be really happy living together, once they are spayed and neutered


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## Haley (Feb 17, 2007)

I would guess she is pregnant, as it only takes one accidental encounter. Keep an eye on her for the next week or so. If she hasnt given birth by the time you take your boy in to be neutered, you could take her and have the vet palpate her to see if she is pregnant.

Also, I just wanted to mention that even after your boy is neutered,y ou will want to keep him away from any unspayed females for at least 6 weeks to be sure he cant impregnant them again. A neutered male can still impregnate a doe up to around 6 weeks after a neuter, and even if your girl gives birth, females can get pregnant immediately after they deliver..


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## India (Feb 17, 2007)

Thanks for the advise. I will definatley keep them away from each other for at least 8 weeks. So that coco, can get over her op, peacefully, how long does it take to heal up, for a female, when they have been spayed. And for a male when they have been neutered.


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## Michaela (Feb 17, 2007)

*India wrote: *


> My rabbit dosent look fatter, its so difficult to tell though.


At this stage she probably wouldn't, baby rabbits are very small and she may only havea small litter, so you wouldn't see them,when Berri had her babies she didn't look any bigger at all, and that was with a litter of six :?

Good luck with whatever happens :goodluck


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## Starlight Rabbitry (Feb 17, 2007)

Better to be safe than sorry...I would assume she is pregnant. Take steps to create an atmosphere for her comfort. Give her a nestbox, make sure she is not with any other rabbits and is in a quiet area.Most rabbits give birth on the 31st day. By this Wednesday you should be able to feel the babies kick when you touch the mothers stomach. That is, if she is pregnant.

Good Luck and keep us posted.

Sharon


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## calgal981 (Feb 18, 2007)

Hi, I would agree with Starlight, however I had a doe that nested about day 21 and though she looked a bit fluffier than her non-pregnant size didn't look all that big. She kindled 10 yesterday on day 31. Can't always tell by looking and an inexperienced person might not be able to feel the kits. Expect her to have kits, be prepared. I would strongly suspect she is pregnant. :bunnydance:


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## India (Feb 19, 2007)

Yesterday, I was changingCoco's litter tray (which she never uses ) and I gave her some more hay, and put her food bowl in her hutch,and she got really territorial, she went for me, (with her claws)she has never done that before. she is normally really friendly, this could definatly be a sign couldnt it.


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## storminstaffs (Feb 19, 2007)

*India wrote:*


> Yesterday, I was changingCoco's litter tray (whichshe never uses ) and I gave her some more hay, and put her food bowlin her hutch,and she got really territorial, she went for me,(with her claws)she has never done that before. she isnormally really friendly, this could definatly be a sign couldntit.


yes thats normally a sign my rabbit was like that when she was pregnant and got worse when she gave birth i had to be very quick at putting her food in


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## India (Feb 20, 2007)

Hi

I definatley think coco, is pregnant, she definatley looks bigger, Im afraid to pick her up in case I hurt her, or the babies, so im a leaving her quitely. 

Just a few more things, She dosent seem to be eating much of her dried food, she is eating all her greens and carrots, and hay,but not eating much of her dried food, is there anything to worry about. Do rabbits go off there food when they are heavily pregnant.

And should I bring her indoors a few days before her pregnancy, I have a cage I can put her inso the babies dont get cold outside.or should i leave her outdoors in her hutch,


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## hunnybunny63 (Feb 20, 2007)

*India wrote: *


> Hi
> 
> I definatley think coco, is pregnant, she definatley looks bigger, Imafraid to pick her up incase I hurt her, or the babies, so im a leavingher quitely.
> 
> ...




i dont think that pregnant bunnies should be going off their food butas long as shes eating lots of somthing then i wouldnt worry!

i think you should leave her outside as she will feel happier outthere. jsut cover the hutch well and give her a next box with hay andnewspaper inside.

when my girls were pregnant i didnt pick them up as i was scared to sodotn feel like you have to! how does she normal get exercise? she stillneeds it so even if you dont pick her up she needs to be given moreroom than a hutch to stretch her legs!


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## calgal981 (Feb 20, 2007)

I have a couple of buns that will go off theirfood the last week of pregnancy. Its not at alluncommon. I try to tempt them with a bit of driedoatmeal or greens and make a bowl of water available inaddition to their water bottle. I have found that does that arelactating or heavily pregnant enjoy an easy drink of water and willconsume much more. Once they deliver they will make up forthe poor appetite.


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