Stone_family3
Well-Known Member
What would be the earliest I can tell if my rabbit is pregnant?
pregnancy detection?
- Thread starter Stone_family3
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hillrise
Well-Known Member
Palpation can be done between 10 and 14 days after breeding. That involves gently pushing up on the belly between her legs to feel her uterus. Don't push too hard or you'll hurt the babies. Some does you can't feel anyway. If there are babies in there, and she's relaxed, they should feel like little marbles. After 14 days, they feel like her poops, so you won't be able to tell.
Palpation can be hard to master, so I usually don't bother with my does. I can usually tell by their behavior and belly size about 3 weeks after breeding (my does have large litters, usually). Pregnant does tend to be a little more jumpy, but will usually also be lying around a lot more, often with both hind legs stuck out to one side rather than both fully back. If she has digging areas, she'll usually also dig a lot more (I hold off giving her a nest box until day 25, though). Some does also seem to clean themselves a lot more, especially around her tail and vent. Around that time she'll also often cut back on her feed (after having increased it from about day 7). Some does go completely off their food for a couple days before they kindle.
Palpation can be hard to master, so I usually don't bother with my does. I can usually tell by their behavior and belly size about 3 weeks after breeding (my does have large litters, usually). Pregnant does tend to be a little more jumpy, but will usually also be lying around a lot more, often with both hind legs stuck out to one side rather than both fully back. If she has digging areas, she'll usually also dig a lot more (I hold off giving her a nest box until day 25, though). Some does also seem to clean themselves a lot more, especially around her tail and vent. Around that time she'll also often cut back on her feed (after having increased it from about day 7). Some does go completely off their food for a couple days before they kindle.
Stone_family3
Well-Known Member
Thanks so much. What do you use for a nesting box?
hillrise
Well-Known Member
I use a metal nesting box with a changeable wooden floor. They sell them at our farm supply store, but I get them cheaper through Bass Equipment (I buy a lot of equipment at once, so I save, even with the addition of shipping).
When I only had a few rabbits, I used wooden nestboxes I made myself out of plywood and 2x2s.
Metal ones are really lightweight and you have to figure out how to secure them into the corner so the doe doesn't move it. But, they're easier to clean and sanitize than wooden boxes. You have to have a wooden floor so the kits don't freeze, though (metal on skin just draws all the heat right out of them).
I use straw for the bedding. I've tried hay before, but the doe usually ends up eating it instead of leaving it for the kits. Newspaper strips work temporarily (when I ran out of straw and couldn't get more for a week or so). Don't use sawdust or cedar shavings. Pine shavings can work, but I still don't recommend it. Oil from cedar trees (and sometimes pine trees) can really irritate the kits.
Just make sure that whatever you use for the nestbox is sturdy (she won't eat it up--like I've seen when an unprepared person used a shoe box--it was also soaked through with urine very quickly), and just big enough for her to barely fit in, but not comfortably. Having too big of a nest box will encourage her to hang out with the kits, which usually results in trampled kits. She should only be in there long enough to nurse, and then get out.
When I only had a few rabbits, I used wooden nestboxes I made myself out of plywood and 2x2s.
Metal ones are really lightweight and you have to figure out how to secure them into the corner so the doe doesn't move it. But, they're easier to clean and sanitize than wooden boxes. You have to have a wooden floor so the kits don't freeze, though (metal on skin just draws all the heat right out of them).
I use straw for the bedding. I've tried hay before, but the doe usually ends up eating it instead of leaving it for the kits. Newspaper strips work temporarily (when I ran out of straw and couldn't get more for a week or so). Don't use sawdust or cedar shavings. Pine shavings can work, but I still don't recommend it. Oil from cedar trees (and sometimes pine trees) can really irritate the kits.
Just make sure that whatever you use for the nestbox is sturdy (she won't eat it up--like I've seen when an unprepared person used a shoe box--it was also soaked through with urine very quickly), and just big enough for her to barely fit in, but not comfortably. Having too big of a nest box will encourage her to hang out with the kits, which usually results in trampled kits. She should only be in there long enough to nurse, and then get out.
Stone_family3
Well-Known Member
Okay thanks. I was considering using an old fruit crate but I think that might be to big now.
