1st Time Breeder!

Question
QUESTION: We presented our doe (Betsy) to a buck on November 25th, all went very well - and we have been waiting & hoping to see if anything came of it.
We have checked her hutch tonight, and in her enclosed bedroom area there is a definite nest in the far corner full of her fur. I have read so many different and contradicting do's & don'ts' on the Internet - what do you suggest we do?
She normally roams free in the garden during the day and gets put in her hutch at night, she does not go to the toilet in this small separate room and it seems a shame to add nest box incase we disturb what she has done....
Your experience would be appreciated!

ANSWER: Hi Amanda,

We don't breed here...we are a rescue but I do have some friends that breed.  We also have lots of experience in dealing with pseudo-pregnancies....which are the same without the kits.  Our friends that breed...and us when we have hormonal females....leave them undisturbed and keep things as normal as possible.  It seems she has built her nest in a perfect place...dark and quiet with privacy.  She should be very comfortable in there and so should the kits.  I would suggest you continue to do the same things in the same manner that you have been doing for her.  Rabbits are creatures of habit and get stressed when things are changed.  Sometimes we change things in our sanctuary just to stir things up a bit...but with babies, I suspect she would appreciate things staying as they have been.  So unless something extraordinary happens that forces you to change something...leave everything and do everything just as it has been done recently.  That way she will feel safe and secure in motherhood.  You can always provide some more nesting material should she feel the need to build another nest or add to the one she has.  But just follow her lead and things should be fine.  And what a Christmas present...the miracle of life.  Sounds like it should be any time now.

And I am assuming you know that the mother usually does not stay with the kits like a dog or cat.  Most rabbits nurse once or maybe twice a day and it's usually late at night or very early in the morning.  This is a holdover from when domestics rabbits were wild and they still follow that instinct.  I have been contacted by many people, including vets, that have attempted to force the mother to stay with the kits and nurse every couple of hours like dogs and cats.  It has been met with tragic results due to the stress on the mother.  Just let her handle things.

Just a personal note....we rarely get to work domestic kits in our rescue since we don't breed.  But I also do wildlife rescue and take in hundreds of sick/orphaned/kidnapped cottontails each year.  It is amazing to watch the very fast growth these guys do.  Hate to set them free when the time comes...but that is the way nature intended.  Please let me know when she has her babies.  

Randy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your prompt response, this has really helped reassure me!
I popped out this morning with some fresh vegetables and extra hay, whilst she was occupied a had a look in the nest but nothing yet - will keep my fingers crossed and you posted on any changes.
Maybe she will give birth on Christmas Day?? how lovely if she did.  My only other concern is how cold it is in the UK at the moment, last night the temperature was 3.c will the kits be ok (if she is pregnant?)

ANSWER: Hi Amanda,

A Christmas gift on new life would be awesome.  My friends that are breeders do have kits that are born here in the winter and they have generally done well unless it gets much colder than that.  But it might be a good idea to plan to offer some supplemental heat if necessary.  Something that is quite simple is to use pack socks with uncooked beans or rice.  Heat it in the microwave.  It will hold heat for quite some time.  It would help if her nest were in an enclosed box with only a small opening for an entrance.  That would be easier to heat.  If possible, I might would cover most of her hutch with clear plastic to keep the wind, rain and drafts out.  I would check on them often.  They should be tightly packed together in the nest....and they should be pink and wiggly and warm to the touch.  If they are all of those...they are fine.  But do be thinking about adding supplemental heat if they start to cool.

Randy

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: We went out Christmas morning and saw spots / trails of blood in the downstairs of her hutch, which I then thought confirmed that she was definetely pregnant and that the arrival of kits would have either have already taken place or be imminent - but 24 hours later still nothing! Little worried now, what do you think is happening or happened!

Answer
Hi Amanda,

Try to gently palpitate her abdomen to see if you can feel any kits.  You should be able to feel their heads easily....will be the size of something like a marble or grape.  If she does have kits in her for this long, a vet may have to induce labors by administering a labor stimulant.  If she is not pregnant and she is bleeding from her genitals, that is a sign of a condition similar to endometriosis or possibly uterine cancer.  Either way, I strongly suggest trying to find a rabbit savvy vet to perform a physical exam.  This condition really concerns me and I think a visit to a professional would be in her best interests.

Randy