? pregnant

Question
I have a wild rabbit, she has been pregnant a few times, what I need to know is , can they have a false pregnancy with all the symptoms of a real one, she has start building the nest and eats a lot, just like with the other pregnancies, but it has been already 14 days after she build her nest and usually she would have the babies by now but she hasn't gone in to labour , must I wait, I scared that if it is a false pregnancy she will have milk to feed them and get sick

Answer
Dear Susan,

It would help if I knew where you are located, so I could find out what species of wild rabbit you have.  If you are in Europe, then the species is likely Oryctolagus cuniculus, and yes, they can have false pregnancies just as a domestic rabbit (same species) can have.  If the bunny has been with a male, and he mounted but did not impregnate her, she could have a false pregnancy, but sometimes just the presence of other rabbits will trigger a false pregnancy.

If this is a cottontail (you're in the U.S.), then it's likely that these, too, can have false pregnancies, but I have no personal experience with this in cotties.

It is sometimes difficult to tell if a rabbit is pregnant without radiography (not the best thing for the developing fetuses), especially if she has a small litter.  If you have a vet you can trust, then the vet can palpate her to determine if she has babies in the uterus, and whether she might need a shot of oxytocin or other help to get labor started (if the babies are full term).

You can find a good rabbit vet here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

I would recommend that you have her examined, if you are not sure.  Best for her safety.

Hope this helps.
Dana