I may be a grandmother! (need tips for a kindling doe)

[Eyssa]

Well it looks as though Spice is going to be a mother due to accidental misgendering on the part of her two previous babies, so as someone who hasn't really had to deal with the troubles of a pregnant rabbit (well, I have had to deal with it once, but I figured out that there were already baby rabbits around six days after they were born!), I'd like to get some advice.

Currently, Spice is in our basement in a "twenty gallon" plastic bin with high sides and straw as bedding. The top is open aside from two wire crates weighted down to keep her inside. In the basement with her are two other rabbits in close proximity, but in separate cages. About two or three days ago I noticed that she was picking up clumps of straw in her mouth and carrying them around... not eating it. Additionally, today she was doing the same thing and now there's clumps of hair lining the cage.

What I want to know now is: Will she be okay with the other rabbits in close proximity and a smallish (it's not exceedingly small, just not very large) plastic bin as her nest box? Are there any dangers that she will kill the kits? She's had one litter before (another oops litter) and this will be only her second. Also, would you be able to estimate when she will give birth with the presence of fur lining the cage and the action of picking up and carrying straw?

Also, I don't know if it's worth mentioning, but we keep our dogs in an indoor kennel in the basement. The dogs are in another room, but will the smell and sounds cause her distress?

Thanks!

 

[irishlops]

i dont know/ she might be edigy

 

[tonyshuman]

Moving to Rabbitry section.

Rabbit breeders can help you design a good nestbox and help you determine that she's taking good care of the babies.

 

[BlueGiants]

The nestbox only has to be big enough for her to turn around in...

IF she is used to the smell and sounds of the dogs. they shouldn't bother her. Same for the sounds and smells of the other rabbits.

I'd assume that if she is carrying straw around and pulling fur, she is due to kindle any time now.


Edited to add: Can she get away from the kits after she kindles? Can she hop out of the box? Did you line the box with shavings and straw? Give her extra hay and straw, incase she feels the need to "improve the nest".

 

[Eyssa]

(Oops, I thought the rabbitry section was only for established breeders' topics...)

The nestbox is plenty big enough for her to move around in, but she doesn't have a place to get out of it. Our basement is exceedingly small and there is literally no place to put any sort of pen; add that to the fact that she's not litter-trained, and you've got one big mess.

I did line the box with straw, but I'll give her a little extra just in case she needs it. The only other option I have, as far as moving her into something a bit bigger, is a kiddy pool... but that's currently being used for one of my male rabbits, and if I move her in there he won't have anywhere to go (I'm currently planning a new and improved giant rabbit hutch).

Also, how old do the babies have to be in order to determine gender?

 

[BlueGiants]

The Breeder section is for ANYONE having a breeding/kindling/litter question. You are VERY welcome to post here... (your doe is bred, she is kindling, and she will have a litter!)

She will need a place to get away from the kits. She will only feed them twice a day. The rest of the time, she will need a place to go. To get away from them, eat, drink and stretch out. The tub alone will not be good for her. Maybe an old heavy shower curtain on the floor and an X-pen around her would help. If you see whar she likes to urinate and deficate, you can put a litter box (another smaller tub?) there.


Edited to add: You can usually tell sex around 3-4 weeks of age, but (BIG BUT!!) it is not always 100% accurate. Little boys may "present" as girls and visa versa... until they are older... (we call it getting whacked by the Gender Fairy!). Had it happen to me this past weekend at a show... I SWEAR I sexed that rabbit two weeks ago when "she" was 3 months old... Double checked it! Suddenly "she' gets disqualified for being a Buck in a Doe class. DUH! Good thing I named "her" Nebula... fits for a boy too!

 

[BlueGiants]

Any update? Did she kindle? How is she doing? (How are YOU doing?)

 

[Eyssa]

Ack, sorry! I got extremely busy...

Okay, so she kindled! I now have four healthy little babies, and I *think* that two of them are going to be double maned, because they were bald on the underside and flanks. And if you're curious, one looks to be more greyish, another is solid white, and two are sable points (although I won't know exactly what their colors are til they're older).

But yeah, they're doing great! I still have to find a larger place to keep them. :-/ That is proving to be very, very difficult.

 

[BlueGiants]

Congratulations! Very happy for you to have 4 bundles of fuzz! Yeah, I understand, the space issue can be a problem. As the weather warms up, any chance they could go outside to a larger hutch? You will have to wean them at 6 weeks, and Momma will have to be moved away from them at that point. And then, within 5 weeks, the babies will have to be sexed and seperated... to prevent any morre "OOPS litters".

May we have some pictures..... please??????

 

[Bo B Bunny]

YES PICTURES! YAY!

 

[whaleyk98]

:yeahthat: :biggrin2:

 

[Eyssa]

Yeah, we have a small hutch outside... if I can get it cleaned up and build some sort of a stand for it, that will be do-able.

And yes, pictures! I shall try to get a few good ones here soon. My camera keeps running out of batteries (ugh, I need a new one)... but I'll see if I can get them up here. ;-)