One has always been a biter so I have not tried to pick it up in ages
and have not noticed the gender identity. We looked when they were 7
weeks old and they appeared to both be girls. The other one is kinder
and calmer and we pick her up. The calmer one has suddenly started
nesting, has pulled out all her belly fur and put it in a box that they
have always had in their hutch.

It looks like from your website that this is a sign of pregnancy. If
she does have babies , should I remove the other bunny? Will he hurt
the babies?

Yesterday I took everything out of their hutch and sanitized it as we
live in a rain forest and things were moldy. That’s when I noticed the
nesting fur. I put new bedding in and put a handful of the fur back in
thinking it was warm and soft. If she turns out to be pregnant will
this activity have done any harm??

Thank you!

Hi there

Well done for noticing signs that your rabbit could be pregnant. If you see that the stomach is also getting a little bigger and she is continuing to make a nest then you should remove the boy rabbit. Try giving the female more straw as well and she may bite these smaller and carry it in bundles into her nest box. The boy should be removed until the babies are born and old enough to eat for themselves. Then you must re-introduce the rabbits to see if they get along and of course separate girls from boys! The vet will be able to help you with correct sexing of the babies. Do not worry about touching the fur. Give her straw and she will organize and nest accordingly, just be sure not to disturb the bedding again and it should be fine.

Smiley

Hi there Smiley,

I stumbled on your blog. I have  a pregnant doe. She has mated one week ago. We have her now, alone in her cage and she is frantically digging and scratching at the same corner. Why is that?

Pregnant does tend to get very nervous and agitated before birth, this is why they start to dig and some get aggressive.  As long as she has her own corner that you pad with some extra bedding, she will be fine. Even though its sometimes unnerving to watch this behaviour, it is quite normal. If you are able, let the doe out for a run every now and then – protecting any flowers/plants you have as she will likely dig a corner in the garden. She will probably keep digging like this until the last few days before birth You will know when she is about to have her litter when you see a large mass of fur padding in one corner of the hutch. The doe is best left alone at this point as she will likely have her litter early morning or very late evening when no one is around.

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So, you have just found out that the two little girls bunnies you bought from the pet shop is in fact a girl and boy – and the girl is pregnant. This is a most exciting time for a breeder, as bringing a litter of rabbits into the world can be most rewarding. However, pet rabbits are often left un-spayed and un-neutered, leaving the possibility of having countless numbers of bunnies quite certain.

Rabbit owners should always enlist the advice and help of a vet if they feel that they cannot handle a pregnant rabbit or its babies.

Rabbits are pregnant for about 30-31 days and are fairly calm during this time. You know a rabbit is nearing the end of her pregnancy when she becomes very nervous, digging frantically. She will also not want the attention of any male, especially the one with whom she mated. This is the perfect time to take Daddy out and have him neutered – he will be in a strop with you for a day, but you can always tempt him back with a carrot!

The female will also be pulling her fur out at this time – don’t panic if you notice this! It can be overwhelming to lift the lid of your hutch and find a massive pit of fur but trust your bunny – she knows what she is doing! The fur is placed normally in a corner. As the owner it is your job to leave the female to do what she knows to do by instinct – it is very tempting to touch the ‘nest’ and move it or pad it with more bedding but please don’t. Any contact with the nest and babies may cause the mother to reject and possibly mutilate her little ones once they are born.

It is advised to provide your rabbit with a nest box – this is simply an enclosed area of the hutch where the female and her babies can keep warm – the furthest corner from the door is best. Provide food, fresh water and hay for the mother as normal. Once she has had her babies, resist the temptation to touch them or take them out from the nest. If you need to make sure they are all right, do so when the mother is away from the nest and stroke her before touching the nest. This will ensure only her scent is near the babies. The mother will feed them once maybe twice a day but most often when no one is around, so don’t panic if you notice she isn’t taking care of them. If in doubt, consult a vet.
Do you have a question for Smiley? Email him at smiley(@)rabbitbites.com

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