New to rabbit husbandry

[Smyles]

Hi. I am Susan and I have a lop and a giant chinchilla. The giant chinchilla showed up in our yard. I have learned they are a rare bred. Our indoor-outdoor rabbit was outside and the two spent the day together until I could get home and look for the owner. I discovered it was a female and she is pregnant. This is my first experience with a pregnant rabbit. What can we expect with the offspring? Lops? Erect ears? Litter size based on her breed? When to remove the nest box? Any advice for the well being of the mom and kits is appreciated. Since we have not been able to find her owners we intend to keep her and have both her and our lop de-sexed.

 

[Preitler]

Hi, about getting a litter, there isn't that much to do. Is it already obvious that she is pregnant, how do you know? If it is plainly visible, give her a nestbox now. There is no hurry to remove it, I keep them in for months, my does nurse the kits in there.

Just give her rest, privacy, and lots of hay to build a nest with. Once she gives birth give her privacy, don't disturb her but check regularily if there are any kits outside the nestbox. That little voice in her heads, their instincts, can be droned out by too much meddling. When she's done check the nest, replace all soiled hay and make sure the kits are well covered with fur. You might want to use rubber gloves.
Is she indoors? What kind of nestbox are you going to use (I prefer wooden boxes with one entrance ca. 3-4" off the floor, a ramp outside (most times just compressed hay) and removable top, but others work too)?

Is she with ayour other rabbit? Is this rabbit male or female, fixed or intact? You would need to seperate an intact male before she gives birth. Since they aren't a pair for a long time I would keep them apart when she starts nesting until she starts eating again after kindling. Intact buck would need to keep seperated until one of them is fixed and healed.

 

[Smyles]

Hi, about getting a litter, there isn't that much to do. Is it already obvious that she is pregnant, how do you know? If it is plainly visible, give her a nestbox now. There is no hurry to remove it, I keep them in for months, my does nurse the kits in there.

Just give her rest, privacy, and lots of hay to build a nest with. Once she gives birth give her privacy, don't disturb her but check regularily if there are any kits outside the nestbox. That little voice in her heads, their instincts, can be droned out by too much meddling. When she's done check the nest, replace all soiled hay and make sure the kits are well covered with fur. You might want to use rubber gloves.
Is she indoors? What kind of nestbox are you going to use (I prefer wooden boxes with one entrance ca. 3-4" off the floor, a ramp outside (most times just compressed hay) and removable top, but others work too)?

Is she with ayour other rabbit? Is this rabbit male or female, fixed or intact? You would need to seperate an intact male before she gives birth. Since they aren't a pair for a long time I would keep them apart when she starts nesting until she starts eating again after kindling. Intact buck would need to keep seperated until one of them is fixed and healed.

I bought a large wooden one for her because of her size. Our buck’s room is downstairs although he does hop freely in the house. I moved her cage to our office on the 3rd floor yesterday for her privacy. He doesn’t normally go up there and we found his presence was aggravating her. And yes- they are of course indoors as they are very spoiled bunnies.

 

[Hoppy]

Welcome to the forum.