Don't know if she is pregnant or what?

[CiaraPatricia]

Hi guys, I figure you're the people to ask on this.

I just got a female Lionhead, 8 months old, and she wasn't kept with males but the breeder's daughter did say "I let all the rabbits hop around together" so that made me a bit suspicious that they could easily have mated when she wasn't looking.

I got the rabbit (Evie) over a week ago, and noticed when I brought her home that her belly seemed a bit big and round (a good bit bigger than the other rabbit). She is also missing hair in two stripes on her belly, where the nipples are, and has hair in a stripe in the middle. Is that normal moulting? Or did she pull it out? She hasn't been pulling hair since I brought her home, but she has lots of hay. And when I looked at her nipples a week ago they seemed very small, but now I could swear they are bigger. Should they be bigger than a male animals nipples? She's never had babies before, so they said.

She also eats and drinks at least twice as much as my male Lionhead (In a seperate hutch and run). I thought that in the last week there would have been some dramatic weight gain or sign of pregnancy to tell me, but not really. I don't really want to take her to the vet if I can avoid it, just because I'm scared she'll get stressed out and that wouldn't be good if she is pregnant.

Or could it be a false pregnancy?

Thanks anf hopefully someone can help me figure this out, or I will just have to wait and see If she is pregnant then it shouldn't be long now, and I think I am prepared for it anyway

 

[CiaraPatricia]

Or maybe I'm just being paranoid because the last guinea pig I bought was pregnant! (Or just being hopeful!)

 

[Pipp]

I'm sure a breeder will have better information than me, but its probably a 'wait and see'. I really don't think they show normal signs when they're pregnant, including fat bellies, expanded and/or hairless nipples, and with the exception of a brief period somewhere between 11 and 14 days into the pregnancy, you can't feel the kits moving.

If she was allowed to 'hop with the boys' and she's eight months old, though, I think chances are you're in for a litter.


sas :clover:

 

[CiaraPatricia]

Thanks for the reply. I guess I don't have long to wait, but the suspense it killing me!

 

[BlueGiants]

I"m afraid that at this point, it's a wait-and-see issue. Set her up with a nestbox and just be ready. (Make sure the nestbox is not in a corner that she used to poop or pee in, and check it often to make sure she isn't soiling it.)

I've never noticed strips of fur missing on any of my does (but I don't have lionheads). And most of my doe's nipples don't swell until the babies are born.

Patience.... and please let us know if/when she kindles! (Too bad you won't know which buck was the sire!)

 

[mistyjr]

She might be. But set up a nestbox just incase. You never know. I have 4 litter's coming this month

 

[mistyjr]

And I have a lionhead due on the 16th. I need to check her though and she if she's doing the same thing as yours is...

 

[CiaraPatricia]

She has a seperate sleeping area in her hutch filled with hay, and a breeder said that would be ok instead of a nestbox. She uses a litter tray too, so it should stay clean and dry.

Just now I went out to her and she was making a weird noise, AT the male, like a kind of growling/whining. I've never heard this before, she seemed kinda agitated too. My dad said maybe she was calling to him? She sounded upset though.

Wow, four litters, that's so exciting!

 

[CiaraPatricia]

I looked up online and it said she might feel threatened and growl, and the dogs were all barking right behind her hutch so maybe she was scared. She seems fine now though, she's playing with her toys and eating

 

[BlueGiants]

Personally, I prefer a nestbox to keep the litter in one place, so no one crawls off and misses a feeding. Also better for her, she can get away from them, instead of having them crawling off after her.

She might be warning him off... kind of a "stay away from me"... Or she really isn't bred and wants to be... but you have to wait at least 31 days from when you got her to try breeding her again.

 

[CiaraPatricia]

Could I use a cardboard box as a nesting box? Or should it be wooden?

 

[irishbunny]

Hi Ciarapatricia!
It's Grace from Irish Rabbits

Good luck with Evie!

 

[CiaraPatricia]

Hi Grace! Thanks

 

[BlueGiants]

Wood is good, it doesn't tip as easy and if she nibbles on it, it'll hold up. But a heavy cardboard box is OK, as long as you keep an eye on it and she doesn't eat it before the babies are born. LOL!

 

[CiaraPatricia]

Thanks

 

[iluvdutchrabbbits90]

My lionhead is Due April first. And she is pulling hair and already has a little belly

 

[BlueGiants]

A doe that pulls fur this early (if you are sure of the breeding date) is usually not pregnant, but expericencing a false pregnancy. I'd palpate her if I could.

 

[mistyjr]

Yeah, I put an cardboard box in with my Lion Head yesterday and she already ate half of it. So know we have to change it..

 

[CiaraPatricia]

If they have a false pregnancy, will their abdomen still get bigger?

I now think Evie probably had a false pregnancy, maybe she just got bigger because she was eating for 7! But I still keep checking the hutch just in case!

 

[BlueGiants]

Actually, I have seen a doe in false pregnancy gain weight, produce milk, pull fur... do everything EXCEPT produce babies. It's all hormone driven.

But the best thing to do is wait it out. Have patience, let her do what she has to ...