When should I remove a nest box?

Question
I 'adopted' what is supposed to be a pregnant doe last week. She came from a friend of a friend who raises bunnys and then sells them. After getting more information about this 'breeder' I knew I had to take this bunny.. ie she sells at 4 weeks, always removes the bunnys from mom at 3 weeks.. etc. etc. I am a new bunny owner of less than a year so I am also not experianced with it all but I figured with the knowledged gained from the internet and the willing to try I could probably do better than this lady.. Anyway I adopted her on Monday of last week. The lady said that she was 'due' on Thursday. I knew it wasn't a good idea to move her so close to her due date but like I said anything is better than what she had. I added a nesting box right away and then on Thursday morning right on time she had built the nest and lined it with fur. I have allowed her privacy etc only checking a few times daily visually for kits. Nothing has happened yet and it is now Monday night (4 days after the due date) She still is fixing her nest rearranging it and seems to be adding more fur as well. She seems healthy and normal but a little shy. The woman who had her was rough and the bunny seemed terrified of her when she took her from her cage. She hasn't taken food from my hand yet but I haven't forced the issue so not to stress her but she (we have named her CoCo) is coming around and is more relaxed with us now. Question is, without any sign of kits how long should I leave the nest box in? I have not seen ANY sign of birth (no soiled hay or fur, no kit pieces etc) I appreciate your time and help. I do understand that breeding for the novice isn't the best choice for the bunny, babies or me but I didn't have a choice and had to do something. Oh, I have read about how to check for pregnancy but I am afraid that I would stress her and I am also nervous that I might injure her or something. One more question will a doe if NOT pregnant build a nest and line with fur etc?

Answer
Dear Angela,

You are so kind to take in Coco.  Backyard breeders as ignorant as that woman should be arrested.  At the tender age of three weeks, the babies are nowhere near old enough to be weaned.  They need a full *8 weeks* before it's safe for them to leave the mother.  But then, what does that creepy woman care?  If the babies die, then she'll just get to sell more.

In most states, there are laws that prohibit the sale of mammals younger than 8 weeks.  If you really want to shut down this woman's operation, you might want to check into the laws of your state and contact the Animal Cruelty branch of your local law enforcement office.

Now, on to the lucky bunny you saved!

Yes, she might build a nest and tend it if she's having a false pregnancy.  This will last for a few days, and then she'll lose interest in the nest and be fine again until the next false pregnancy cycle.  But given that breeder's expertise, who knows if her estimate of birth date is accurate?

If Coco's belly is round, and you see short, staccato-like movements (kicking), then she's still pregnant.  And if she's acting normal, eating well, not showing signs of strain or pain, then she's probably just fine.

Keep a close eye on her, and don't be afraid to gently check the nest for babies, since she will *bury* them in her fur.  They won't necessarily be obvious.

When/if the "blessed event" does occur, this should help:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/surpriselitter.html

but also be sure to consider this, once the babies are weaned:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/spay.html

You can find a good rabbit vet here to help you:

www.rabbit.org/

And here are some tips for winning her trust:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/shybun.html

Hope this helps!  Good luck with lucky Coco!

Dana