NEST Building?

[cocorabbit]

Ok I have two 4-5month old girl rabbits still in tact.

This afternoon I came home and went to bring MoCho and Coco some herbs they usually love. Coco ate, but Mocho ignored me! Then I saw newspaper being shredded by her, she'd shred a bunch, collect it in her mouth and then go into a cardboard box with a small hole in it (that the two had created over weeks). And repeat. It looks like she's making a nest.

Is this ok? Or should I be worried? I haven't seen her use her own fur, just the newspaper. Coco isn't participating at all.

I will post pics and hopefully some video..

 

[cocorabbit]

Here are some links to see all the pictures:

http://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.284929251558257.87367.100001235544897&type=1&l=94c6bbb1cf

here is the link to see the video (kinda' funny):

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smButilDORU[/ame]

http://youtu.be/k-LMCLBzw-M

 

[cocorabbit]

 

[MarisaAndToby]

Well if you're certain that they're both females and neither has been in contact with a male, then it's very likely that she is going through a false pregnancy. Most unspayed females (and some spayed females if I recall correctly) will go through false pregnancies and make nests and pull fur because of their hormones.

Only fix is to have her/them spayed!

 

[cocorabbit]

is a "false pregnancy" dangerous to their health?

the vet confirmed they're both females. And they have no contact with outside or other rabbits.

 

[MarisaAndToby]

I have a male, so I can't be certain, but I don't think so.

They can get very territorial though and may become aggressive because of the hormones. There's also the possibility they may get into a fight and unbond.

Females are also very prone to reproductive cancers; most people on this site will suggest you have them spayed.

But as I said I don't THINK there's any harm in it, I've never read that a false pregnancy is anything more than strange for the owner and "out of character" for the bun.

 

[cocorabbit]

oops... spoke too soon. Now she is pulling out her hair.

poor Mocho... need to get her spayed

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

My bunny (a doe) Jelly always did this. Well, not always but several times a year. She wasn't fixed but we've had no bucks so I knew she wasn't pregnant. Its not harmful that I know-my bunny wasn't fixed but was always fine. She'd go through building a nest and pulling out fur and then be fine. It usually happend after she tried humping our other doe Speckles. Crazy bunny.

 

[I_heart_Fraggles]

Yep its a false pregnany. Fraggles is spayed but every once in awhile she builds a nest. We let her guard it for a few days and once she loses interest we throw it away. She even pulls hair.

 

[Nancy McClelland]

Bonnie, who was neutered also used to make newspaper nests. You're sure both are female?

 

[BlueCamasRabbitry]

Is the vet rabbit savvy?
Even I have had a hard time sexing rabbits before, and find out they're the opposite when the judge DQ's them from the table. So if the vet doesn't know rabbits, it's very likely that you could have a buck and a doe on your hands.

At that age, the bucks testicles should have dropped, so flip him over and check to see if there are little "bags" on either side of his area.

Emily

 

[cocorabbit]

BlueCamasRabbitry wrote:

Is the vet rabbit savvy?...

At that age, the bucks testicles should have dropped, so flip him over and check to see if there are little "bags" on either side of his area.

Emily

Yes my vet is rabbit savvy.

Usually Mocho bosses Coco around, and the only time I've seen Coco actually mount Mocho is usually on the head- Coco is a bit smaller than Mocho so I think it's easier for her to hump the head than the backside. haha

But later I will try to peek at Coco's underside and see if there's any boyness to her. Thanks!

 

[cocorabbit]

Bunnylova4eva wrote:

My bunny (a doe) Jelly always did this. Well, not always but several times a year. She wasn't fixed but we've had no bucks so I knew she wasn't pregnant. Its not harmful that I know-my bunny wasn't fixed but was always fine. She'd go through building a nest and pulling out fur and then be fine. It usually happend after she tried humping our other doe Speckles. Crazy bunny.

Since you've experienced this before, and it's my first time... was there anything else "unusual" Jelly did while she was having a false preg? Like, behavior wise? Just curious... anything I might see Mocho doing during this time that is different from normal.

 

[Bunnylova4eva]

No, besides pulling hair, gathering hay and making a nest, she acted normal.

She always went after my bunny slippers though (which I have several pairs of because I love bunnies so much) and after I'd see that, I knew a nest would be arriving shortly.