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Leema

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Nov 22, 2019
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Location
Birmingham
Hi, I have 3 rabbits , I think one of them is a female (grey) and two of them are male(black) +(grey and white). The femal rabbits was collecting hay in his mouth and moving it to the other side of the hutch and I dont understand why. Also, the grey and white male rabbit always chases the black rabbit for no apparent reason and idk why. Please help. Thank you.
 
Welcome:)

How old are they, older than 4 months? How is their setup?
If they are not spayed and neutered and had contact during the last month:

Either the female is pregnant and about to deliver very soon, or it's a false pregnancy. Get her a nestbox, lots of hay, privacy and rest, keep the bucks seperated. If it's a false pregnancy it'll be over soon, that happens from time to time to intact does when hormones rage. But treat it as the real thing if there is any chance she met one of the bucks about a month ago, better safe than sorry.
First of all, remove the bucks if they are with her. They can awfully mess up delivery, and can impregnate her right again.

Males more likely than not don't get along when puberty hits, it doesn't always get violent, but if you keep them togther intact chances are high that there'll be problems, like injuries. The smaller their space is the more likely there's trouble when they can't get away from each other. If there is a fight, chances are getting smaller that they ever get along even when neutered. Read up on bonding rabbits, and about what combinations have which difficulties.
Mixed couples are easier (at least one desexed), same sex couples more difficult, and it really depends on the individual characters if they get along.

I keep bucklings together up to 5, 6 months, most times it works, it was only once in 6 years that there was real carnage (had to cull 3 out of 5 right away).
 
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Thank you for your reply.

All of the rabbits are netherland dwarves. They were all bought together not separately. I believe that they a little bit over 4 months. They haven't been neutered and all three of the rabbits stay in the same hutch; so, they are always in contact with each other. I think that one is a female and the other two are males but i'm not definitely sure on that, but it seems like that because the other two are always jumping on the females back.

If the rabbit is pregnant, where would I place her as they are outdoor rabbits and they're not allowed inside (my parents decision). Right now, they all live in a hutch which is a decent size for them as they have space to run around, they also have a run.

I'm new at this pet thing, so it's a bit of a learning curve.

again, thank you so much for your reply :)
 
You need to separate her from the bucks. Because if she’s pregnant and have kits, the bucks can make her pregnant again.

Rabbits know how to breed fast and it can become really harmful and stressful for them living together when no one it’s neutered or spayed.

You will need to fix a place where your doe can give birth to her kits and hope for the best.

So you will need to fix another outdoor cage. She’s probably going to give birth soon if she’s pregnant and starting to fix a nest.
 
could i use a cardboard box as a nesting box and just place it in the hutch
 
could i keep the male rabbits in the run and leave the female rabbit inside the hutch? but as its cold and windy, i fear that they may become ill.
 
could i keep the male rabbits in the run and leave the female rabbit inside the hutch? but as its cold and windy, i fear that they may become ill.
She most likely pregnant and can give birth today or in the next 2-3 days.
She will have 4-8 babies they will be completely naked and blind.
They will need to stay in the nest for at least 2-3 weeks, they will open their eyes around day 10 and will start jumping out the nest, they will have some fur by then but still will need to stay warm.
Now, they will pee into their nest box all the time so say 2-3 weeks, cardboard box won't hold that. Also nest box shouldn't be too big and must have high sides so babies can't leave it otherwise they can die from cold.

You'd need more permanent solution for your rabbits, you can't keep males in the run for the next two months - that's how long their mother will nurse them.
As Hermelin said you would need to fix another cage/hutch and protect from wind, rain and cold, also the other two rabbits can start fighting so you will need to separate them otherwise they can even kill each other.

I would suggest to check gender of all your rabbits to be sure you have two males and a female or maybe one of your maes is also a female?

Your female who started nesting should be separated immediately as she's ready to give birth, if she doesn't have safe private place protected from wind/rain, her babies can die.

If you can post some photo of your hutch maybe we can advise maybe you can just put some divider, if you have a large hutch?

It can be also false pregnancy, but if you keep them all together until 4 months she most likely pregnant.
 
Here's video ow to build a good nest box



How to prepare your nest box



Using plastic box



Newborn babies from day 1 to day 35

 
Here's a video they don't have a nest box using cardboard too

 
Dwarfs mature early, so chances are high that she is actually pregnant. My rabbits start nesting just hours before delivering, so it's time to act quick. Put the nestbox where she started building a nest (with a sheet of styrofoam under it), put the nest in it (or make one with hay).
Bucks get disgustingly horny when the doe delivers, that's really bad. Check the doe as often as possible, if kits are born outside the nest they need to be warmed up and put in the nest. If the doe doesn't pull much fur you can help with dryer lint, cotton wool, or pluck some fur from her breast (if it comes off easily).

You can make a provisorium for the bucks in the run, any kind of sturdy, rather big box, even cardboard, with 2 openings cut in (they don't like being trapped and avoid spaces with just one entrance) will do, a little off the ground to keep it dry (like, on a pallet), and some cover to protect the contraption from the rain. Then look for a second hutch/cage. They will be fine for some months with less than the recommended space if they have access to the run regularily, but they should not be out in the dark if it can be avoided, even cats are a danger to small rabbits.

I would have the bucks neutered asap, so they are over it by the time the kits, if there are any, are old enough to go (8 weeks). Even if she doesn't kindle now you'll have to keep them seperated for at least a month since they humped her just now, and it also takes that long to render the boys infertile after ther neuter.

You're right about the learning curve, I ended up with a surprise litter in my kitchen when I took in my two first "does" for quarentine... :)

Good luck:)
 
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Leema these rabbits need to be seperated. You should not have had them togetber in the first place. Please seperate your female asap. And get the boys neutered.

They were bought together all at once at 5 weeks. I wasnt sure if they were male or female and they all seemed to get along . I've just bought another hutch which I will be collecting today
 
Dwarfs mature early, so chances are high that she is actually pregnant. My rabbits start nesting just hours before delivering, so it's time to act quick. Put the nestbox where she started building a nest (with a sheet of styrofoam under it), put the nest in it (or make one with hay).
Bucks get disgustingly horny when the doe delivers, that's really bad. Check the doe as often as possible, if kits are born outside the nest they need to be warmed up and put in the nest. If the doe doesn't pull much fur you can help with dryer lint, cotton wool, or pluck some fur from her breast (if it comes off easily).

You can make a provisorium for the bucks in the run, any kind of sturdy, rather big box, even cardboard, with 2 openings cut in (they don't like being trapped and avoid spaces with just one entrance) will do, a little off the ground to keep it dry (like, on a pallet), and some cover to protect the contraption from the rain. Then look for a second hutch/cage. They will be fine for some months with less than the recommended space if they have access to the run regularily, but they should not be out in the dark if it can be avoided, even cats are a danger to small rabbits.

I would have the bucks neutered asap, so they are over it by the time the kits, if there are any, are old enough to go (8 weeks). Even if she doesn't kindle now you'll have to keep them seperated for at least a month since they humped her just now, and it also takes that long to render the boys infertile after ther neuter.

You're right about the learning curve, I ended up with a surprise litter in my kitchen when I took in my two first "does" for quarentine... :)

Good luck:)
She keep digging and she just moves the hay again. But yeah , it is a huge learning curve and I think that because it' cold, its harder
 
If you don't have a nest box and going to use a cardboard remember that it is important to make a small area with high sides so mother can jump in but babies can't leave it at least for first 2-3 weeks otherwise they will be crawling all around the place and can die of cold, also when mother will be nursing she is more comfortable where she can stay over them and fix her feet in the corners, she'll be nursing only 1 or 2 times a day so if one get lost and missing it not good too.
Also you'd need to check regularly sometimes mother jumps out of nest after nursing and takes one of her babies with her you need to put them back and keep them warm inside the nest.

That is if it is all not a false pregnancy, which is also possible, please keep us updated how it goes, thanks for the photo now we can see your situation better.

In any way she's pregnant or not you need to separate males from female as soon as possible and two males also can start fighting if kept together un neutered so as Preitler suggested it is best to neuter them as soon as your vet is willing to do that, they usually take from 4 or 6 months depending on weight and personal development and experience of vet.
 
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Should I keep the female rabbit in the current hutch and move the male rabbits in the new one (more smaller) or the other way round. Are the rabbits still able to play with each other during the day, but just have to sleep in different hutches ? Also, would the female rabbit feel lonely sleeping by herself?
 

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