pregnant or not

Question
We bred our doe 35 days ago and she is showing all signs of being pregnant (pulling out fur, building nest,etc) she just hasn't had her babies. We think she is pregnant but how long can a doe be pregnant for without it harming her? Please help.

Answer
Hi Patti,

If you are sure about the dates and are certain it has been 35 days she is probably having a phantom pregnancy.  I have only had one doe go to 35 days in 15 years.  It is very uncommon to go over 33 days but can happen on occasion.  Does who are having phantom pregnancies can have all the symptoms of if they are actually pregnant.  The biggest thing to watch for is any signs of distress.  If she is panting, hunching, or acting like she is in pain then she will need a vet right away.  If she is eating, drinking and going to the bathroom normally and not showing signs of distress she should be fine.

You can rebreed her anytime now if this is your intention.

Good luck

Pam