Rabbit Pregnancy Problems

[FlopsyBunnies4]

Hi everyone,

I bred my 8mo old Holland Lop, Heidi, for the first time on July 28th. The buck had a few falloffs and even though Heidi wasn't super eager to breed she finally lifted for him about 3 times.

She pulled fur around day 20 of gestation. When I palpated her a few days before that I thought I felt babies and her belly felt firm.

It is now 31 days since I bred her and she has dug around her nestbox a little but hasn't carried any hay in her mouth or pulled fur. I very gently put my hand on her belly to see if I could feel any kicks and didn't I might have felt a little movement but it could have been her gut. Her belly does feel firm, I compared it to my other doe (who is not pregnant) and their bellies feel relatively similar. Heidi's belly feels a little tighter and lumpier. She wants nothing to do with me and is not her usual social self. She even tried to bite me.

I have given her lots of space and provided her with some dried Raspberry leaves. Could she be going through a false pregnancy? What are the chances she is actually pregnant? I guess we'll just wait and see

 

[FlopsyBunnies4]

Would a video be helpful?

 

[dogwoodblossoms]

Rabbits can also go to 33 days before they give birth. My most recent mama gave birth in her 32nd day and didn’t even pull hair until then. Some rabbits don’t nest until a few hours before birth.
Usually if a rabbit isn’t her normal social self she’s pregnant, that’s what always happens with my girls.

 

[FlopsyBunnies4]

Ok, thank you!

Should you always be able to feel the babies kicking before birth? Or does it depend on the size of the litter?

 

[dogwoodblossoms]

Ok, thank you!

Should you always be able to feel the babies kicking before birth? Or does it depend on the size of the litter?

Within the last couple of days they seem to kick more especially with bigger litters. My last doe had lots of kicking in her stomach the last couple of days and only birthed two.

 

[majorv]

First time moms can be unpredictable in their behavior. Just keep her supplied with plenty of hay and watch her close.