Are my female rabbits pregnant

Question
Ok, i had all my rabbit in one cage a while back and i caught him trying to do the deed on both of my females. now both of them have this roll of extra fur.skin inder their head.mouth. Could this mean that they are pregnant? How long are they usually pregnant beofer they have the babies? and How many do they have in one litter? Thanks. I hope you can help! Emily

Answer
Hi Emily

Your rabbits may very well be pregnant.  They usually don't gain much weight from being pregnant but an experienced breeder can usually tell just by feeling their stomachs.  I will attach a web site that I found that will show you how to palpate.

If they are pregnant they can deliver the babies anywhere from 28 - 33 days.  Smaller breeds usually have smaller litters but they can have anywhere from 2 - 10 babies.  Larger breeds usually have bigger litters but again 2 - 10 babies is about the best guess your going to have.  Rabbits are all very different so it is really hard to tell.  The first time they have babies they might have 5 and the next 2 etc.  You need to give them a nest box at 28 days from the first time they were with your buck.  You can make a box out of untreated wood and make it just big enough so they can turn around.  If you can't make one yourself you can buy metal boxes from many supply stores.  If you need a list please let me know.

That web address is

http://www.freewebs.com/hgrabbitry/frequentlyaskeds.htm

If you need anything else please let me know

Pam