Uh-Oh…. Harlow is building a nest in her dog box.

[Flint]

My baby girl is building a nest in her dig box. She’s 3 – almost 4 months old and was kept with other rabbits. What are the chances of her surviving a pregnancy this early on??

[kcomstoc]

I’m no expert on female rabbits (in fact I’ve never owned one) but from another post on here, a female rabbit can make nests but not be pregnant….are you really sure she is? It could be a false pregnancy…like I said really don’t know but there is another post on here about it.

[Flint]

I was just telling my fiancé yesterday how big she’s gotten since I got her. That’s why I’m concerned.

[NuggetBuns]

You should try feeling her abdomen for small lumps. I think rabbits can get pregnant as young as 4 months old, but sometimes they don’t survive since their bodies haven’t fully developed yet. If the male rabbits she was kept with were also 3-4 months old, they were probably too young to impregnate her too. My male’s testicles did not descend until he was 5 months old and that’s when he started to hump. Take Harlow to a vet for a check up and they can confirm your whereabouts.

[RabbitPam]

I would take her to the vet to confirm whether it’s a real or false pregnancy. Is this an unplanned “oops” litter?
(Intentional litters and breeding are not allowed on this forum, but we can refer you to others. We also don’t allow photos of any babies, even if unintentional.)
Assuming it’s not what you wanted, you can either have the vet terminate the pregnancy,
or
give you some advice on what to do to prepare for the litter when it comes. We have some older, closed posts here from people who had oops litters, and they are full of good advice on how to handle it. I would do a keyword search in the forums for those to read.
Your bunny will probably be fine throughout. A false pregnancy is not uncommon, and a spay now if she’s not pregnant, or shortly after having the litter if she is, is a wise choice that will maintain her good health. Meanwhile, you can do some local research on where you want to bring babies for adoption once they are born and about 8 weeks old (old enough to leave her.)

[Roberta]

Hi Suka, Pam is right getting her checked at the vet is a good idea and if possible having her spayed immediately. (I recall in another posts you mentioned the difficulty in getting to one, where are you and I will see if I can find one in reasonable distance) If by getting bigger you mean full around the body then it is possible. How long has she been with you ? Gestation is usually between 28 – 32 days but they can hold them in a few extra days which is not good for them. Bunnies can get pregnant from 12 weeks old but it is not good for them especially if they have mated with a rabbit of a much larger breed.

[Beka27]

If she’s nesting now, and is in fact pregnant, babies should be here within a few days. It’s too late IMO to do an emergency spay. Hopefully she’s not pregnant and it is a false pregnancy. Are the other rabbits your rabbits? Have they all been separated?

[NewBunnyOwner123]

If she is indeed pregnant, don’t be surprised if she eats her babies. I’ve heard that’s a common problem with first time moms, especially if they are young too.
Just keep an eye on her and keep her in a quiet, calm environment. If she is actually pregnant then she should be having the babies in 1-3 days.

I would def take her to the vet asap to confirm an actual pregnancy that way you are aware if she is having issues giving birth. Which could be dangerous for a bunny :/

[jerseygirl]

If Harlow was with any males 6months or older then its very likely this is real pregnancy. It’s so unfortunate you’re having to deal with someone else’s actions. I’m sorry for that. Be assured you’ll get support here.

This article from HRS is full of helpful info.
http://rabbit.org/domestic-baby-bunnies-and-their-mom/

Assuming this is the real deal, give Harlow unlimited food and make sure she has somewhere to go away from the babies. They don’t stay with them but only visit briefly for nursing.

If possible, check in on her while birthing. You might think she’s all done and she leaves the nest, only to return a little while later to birth another kit.
I dealt with this early last year with my rabbit Maple. She lost 3 of the kits as they were 2 big. The last she had 30 minutes after the others and this one became stuck. I had to help in the end because she became distressed. So im thankful i was there but not thankful she was pregnant in the first place. Being a dwarf, she did have difficulty.

If you are there, youll see she’ll eat the afterbirth (I think each time??). This can be where mishaps occur if the accidently bite part of the kit. Especially with young mothers. You may have the chance to safely move the kit and settle it in the nest.

[Author]

Messages