How can I tell if a Rabbit is Pregnant?

[Bleenie]

I was wondering if anyone knows how I can tell if my new rabbit is pregnant?

She came from the auction and was in a crate with about 6 Bucks and could possibly be breeding age, just wanna be prepared for any bunnies that might "pop out".

 

[BellLisamo]

im all ears, thanks for reading my mind.... you and i.... twins... i swear it. lol

 

[NewHopePoultry]

Breeders use palpation(feeling the kits) 11 to 14 days after breeding, but it is dangerous to do so after 14 days and since you dont know when the rabbit might of been bred, your best bet is to wait 25 days and then put in some type of nest box and then wait another few days and see if you have babies. (Rabbits are pregant for 28 to 32 days)
Does rarely show they are pregnant

Some signs of a pregnant doe are:
*pulling fur
*more aggressive towards you
*Building a nest

 

[Bleenie]

LOL @ BellLisamo.... maybe you just have too many animals like me?

thank you marebear, i will try and check her out a little. rabbits are ALWAYS hard to tell

. it's just been forever since ive had any. she has not been agressive at all or pulling hair or anything. hopefully she isn't though, i think she is quite young still.

 

[Bunnylady]

Quote:
I find that often, the last sign that marebear noted is the first I see. At about three weeks gestation, I will put a handful of hay in the cage with the doe, and see what she does with it. Many rabbits will play around with hay, but the only ones that I have ever seen pick up a big mouthful and carry it around are nesting does. Some does will dig in one corner of the cage or a nestbox as a sign of nest making. I check at least once a day, because each doe is different, until you know the doe, you can't know which signs she will show and when.

Some of my does become touch-me-nots when they are bred. I wouldn't class it as aggression, necessarily, because usually they just squeak and whine, and try to hide in a corner. I do have a couple of Dwarf does, however, that threaten to take my arm off if I put my hand in their cages, so yeah, with them it is aggression!

Fur pulling is usually the last sign I see. Most of my does only do it a short time before they kindle. Some does will pull fur as a sign that they are "in season," so it isn't really reliable as a sign of pregnancy.

Some does will get visibly wider through the midsection when pregnant, but that mostly depends on the size of the litter and the size of the doe. It's a bit subtle, as I said before, you kind of have to know your doe to spot it.

 

[vicki2x2]

The only problem is, who knows how long she was in with those bucks! She could be do in 31 days or today!! Might be safer to provide a nestbox now and just clean it out as needed if she soils it. Some people don't know or don't care and she could have been in there a while.

 

[Whitehouse Quail]

Palpating is the best bet; try feeling in the abdomen for 'marbles', don't be afraid of hurting the embryos because they are so well protected! Palpation is most effective at 10 days, so if you don't feel anything, either she is under 10 days pregnant, or not pregnant at all.

Palpate, wait ten days, palpate again. Or you can wait it out with the nestbox. (Palpate first, though! A dirty nestbox is a harbor for bacteria!)

Hope this helps!

Andrew

 

[RabbitMage]

Just wanted to toss in I've palpated past 14 days (we generally don't palpate until 16, but I've palpated does just days before they gave birth) without issue.

 

[Bleenie]

I am going to go check her out now. I am looking for marle-sized lump things right? lol..i feel so dumb right now.

 

[RabbitMage]

They'll be marble-grape sized if they're around 14-16 days, if they're further along naturally they'll be larger. If she's before 14 days, you might have a harder time feeling anything.