My female bred with my male by accident

Question
Hello,
Today I let my rabbits out to play in separate pens and two of them escaped.  When i found them they had just finished mating.  i'm pretty sure my female will be pregnant and i'm extremely concerned.  the male she mated with is twice her size.  I need to know what i can do to help her because i know the babies can be too big for her to give birth to.  Can there be anymore problems before the birth?  What can i do on a tight budget?  I have very little money for a surgery because none of this was supposed to happen.  Thanks for all the help :)

Answer
Hello,

One common misconception about rabbits is that they have a very high conception rate. It is really not true, at all. It is entirely possible that she did not "take" as we say (meaning she is did not get pregnant from the breeding). Of course, you should be prepared in the event that she is pregnant.

If your rabbits do not already have their own cages, ensure she has her own cage. You will also want to buy or make a nest box. The nest box will be placed in her cage 28 days after the breeding. The gestation period is 28-32 days. Here are a few links with nest box information:

http://www.bunnyrabbit.com/price/nestbox.htm
http://www.bassequipment.com/Miscellaneous/Rabbit+Nesting+Equipment/default.aspx
http://www.cagesdirect.com/rabbit-nest-box-small-p-1092.html
http://www.petmarket.com/rabbit-nest-box-small-p-2434.html

Once the time comes, I would give the mother as much privacy as possible. You will want to check occasionally to make sure she is not in distress beyond what is normal. That part will be difficult to someone who is not a veteran breeder.

You should of course keep a vigilant eye, but I am guessing everything will be fine. In general, if something is wrong with the kits, nature will abort them before she comes to term. If you are concerned, the only other thing you can do is take her to a veterinarian.

Good luck!