Tre3hugger's Rabbit Thread

Im so nervous/excited! Expecting two kindlings of bunnies tonight. I don't worry about maple. She did great last time and has been stuffing her mouth with hay and fixing up her nest box. Crewella on the other hand had her last litter on the wire and doesn't seem as crazy/hormonal right now about her nest. I covered her whole cage with hay so if she does have the babies out of the nest it wont be right on the wire. I will go out to the barn every time I wake up to pee tonight to see if she had them on the hay and I will move them into the box if necessary.
 
It is the morning of day 32 and still no buns. I have read this is fairly common, with 31 days being more of an average than an exact number. Both does have pulled fur and made up their nest. Can any one offer any reassurance?

ETA:
Well I didn't have to wait too long! Maple just gave birth to 13 kits, 11 alive and wriggling! She is truly amazing. I just went to check and she was acting like nothing even happened, except that she had pulled MUCHO more fur so I stuck my hand in the box and felt warm bunnies! I started counting/inspecting them and they just kept coming out! On the very bottom of the pile was two malformed kits which I promptly interred in the compost pile. I am so proud of Maple. She is everything a meat rabbit breeder could want.

Maybe the smell of birthing discharge in the air will trigger something in Crewella. Ill keep ya posted!
 
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Tre3hugger said:
It is the morning of day 32 and still no buns. I have read this is fairly common, with 31 days being more of an average than an exact number. Both does have pulled fur and made up their nest. Can any one offer any reassurance?

ETA:
Well I didn't have to wait too long! Maple just gave birth to 13 kits, 11 alive and wriggling! She is truly amazing. I just went to check and she was acting like nothing even happened, except that she had pulled MUCHO more fur so I stuck my hand in the box and felt warm bunnies! I started counting/inspecting them and they just kept coming out! On the very bottom of the pile was two malformed kits which I promptly interred in the compost pile. I am so proud of Maple. She is everything a meat rabbit breeder could want.

Maybe the smell of birthing discharge in the air will trigger something in Crewella. Ill keep ya posted!
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Congrats on the bunnies!! Yes, they can be very tricky and hide the kits well. Just keep an eye on them to see if they are all getting fed (their tummies will look fat), but you will probably end up with a runt or two who just don't get as much milk so they grow slower. If the other doe has a smaller number you might want to foster some of the first litter to her so the litters are more even.
 
Day 34 for Crewella and still no buns. She pullet lots more fur last night, and I observed her sitting in her nest for a long time. But no babies. Starting to worry a bit. I fed her a green salad today and had a talk with her but I am not sure I got through. I guess they gotta come out some time!
 
Tre3hugger said:
Day 34 for Crewella and still no buns. She pullet lots more fur last night, and I observed her sitting in her nest for a long time. But no babies. Starting to worry a bit. I fed her a green salad today and had a talk with her but I am not sure I got through. I guess they gotta come out some time!
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Did you stick your hand in the nest? I have a doe that hides them very well and the nest looks completely empty and unused.
 
Larsen Poultry Ranch said:
Did you stick your hand in the nest? I have a doe that hides them very well and the nest looks completely empty and unused.
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Yes I checked it very thoroughly. I can also see the babes kicking in her belly when she lays on her side!
 
I think it is safe to say Crewella has miscarried. Her belly has shrunk and she isn't acting pregnant anymore. If she expelled anything solid she must have cleaned it up because I am yet to find even a piece of a kit. Seeing as this is her second failed litter, I have decided to retire her. Usually that'd mean the soup pot but my wife has taken a real liking to this rabbit, so has decided to take responsibility for her and raise her as her garden bunny. I am a little discouraged, but am also hopeful. I am picking up a new pedigreed AmChin today around 11. She is 5 months old and very pretty. I will give her a month or two to grow, and after the high heat of summer I will try breeding amchins again.
 
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