Magic building a nest

[Sabine]

I went out earlier and noticed that Magic was acting odd. She kept digging in the corner of her hutch. That is something she never does so i checked an hour later and nest building was in full swing: plucking fur carrying hay into the enclosed compartment of the hutch!!!
We split the hutch in two for herself and Coco and I shoved tons of hay and straw into the top compartment. We had a video camera set up but just as we thought it may come in handy for the first time we discovered the rabbits had chewed through it. David is frantically repairing it!!!!
She shouldn't have babies now as we only tried to breed her two weeks ago but could this be the outcome of the false pregnancy??? I read somewher it lasts about 17 days that would roughly coincide with her night under the shed with our neutered buck, Benny. If she does have babies tonight I am completely confused as she shouldn't have been with any intact male until about two weeks ago. What's going on???:nerves1

 

[irishbunny]

Probably a false pregnancy, possibly brought on by the warmer weather we are having lately, Princess had one a few weeks ago too.

 

[Sabine]

I guess so. It's just when I felt her yesterday her tummy felt distinctly swollen. Not as big as I would expect from a doe about to give birth but noticably bigger than normal

 

[Sabine]

Camera is all set up so we don't need to run out all the time. She is calm now and resting. We can watch her on our tv screen. I'll keep popping down during the night to check.

 

[Sabine]

There is a nice nest but no babies. Is this now the end of a false pregnancy or the preparation for giving birth which shouldn't be before Easter if the mating took?

 

[irishbunny]

Sabine wrote:

There is a nice nest but no babies. Is this now the end of a false pregnancy or the preparation for giving birth which shouldn't be before Easter if the mating took?

Princess' false pregnancy lasted about three days, she would make a nest everyday but after a few days she stopped. Of course, if she's pregnant then she's getting ready to give birth but you don't need to rule out a false pregnancy just yet.

 

[Sabine]

I will save her ur though in case she does have babies around Easter. I put her out in the run because she was rattling the cage door. Will keep a close eye on her. She normally has the free run of the garden so being in an enclosed space is restricted enough for her.

 

[Sabine]

She added more fur to the nest. I am still expecting to find baby bunnies even though it shouldn't be possible.

 

[BlueGiants]

Nest building 2 weeks after breeding is typical for a false pregnancy. Poor girl. Unless she was near a buck earlier...

 

[bunnybunbunb]

Could you possibly bring her inside? It has been way to comman lately for does to have their babies in the wrong place or them get peed on and be dead by the time you find them Any possible way you can palpate?

 

[Sabine]

BlueGiants wrote:

Nest building 2 weeks after breeding is typical for a false pregnancy. Poor girl. Unless she was near a buck earlier...

There is really no way I can see that she could have mated with another buck about a months ago unless one of the neighbours jumped in. I daubt it though and she would probably not have been so receptive to Benny (neutered buck) about 2 and a half weeks ago.
I guess it's still a good idea to keep the fur for two weeks if she destroys the nest in case she is just planning ahead

 

[Sabine]

bunnybunbunb wrote:

Could you possibly bring her inside? It has been way to comman lately for does to have their babies in the wrong place or them get peed on and be dead by the time you find them Any possible way you can palpate?

If Magic was having her babies in the place she build a nest it would be the perfect spot. In fact that's where I would have put the nest box. It's an enclosed compartment that is never used as a toilet. Changing her environment at this stage may upset her as she is always out. At the moment our temperatures are in double figures. So far she is doing everything right except that she may not be pregnant

 

[Sabine]

P.S. If her vulva turns dark red/purplish in the next few days would that mean the false pregnancy is over? Or should I still expect a litter.
Our new rabbit Oskar is going to get neutered today so we will sneak in Magic (In a different carrier of course) and see if she can palpate her.

 

[bunnybunbunb]

She may nest in a great spot but have them in a diffrent spot. I have had manya does end up kindling on the wire or in the place that they next just not getting the babies into the fur. Normally it is from the shock of going into labor that they find of panic and have them in the diffrent spots. I have saw does have their babies in 4 diffrent spots from trouble passing them or stress.

 

[BlueGiants]

It wouldn't hurt to get the vet to palpate her, if your vet is experienced.
Based on the timing, if she really is in labor, they would be premature and will not survive. But pulling fur two weeks after breeding is the most common sign in a False pregnancy. If she doesn't kindle after building the nest, I'd assume she is not pregnant. She may destroy the nest in a few days, scatter it and ignore it. You can wait until her expected due date, but if her vulva turns reddish purple again, I'd breed her back.

 

[Sabine]

We had the vet check her and she couldn't feel anything. I think a false pregnancy is the most logical explanation. It would also explain why she refused the buck's advances. It's such a shame it is such a lovely cosy nest.

I'll probably won't breed her again as Oskar, our new bun,turned out much more a commitment than expected and she is almost ten months as it is.