false pregnancy?

Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

BethM

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 11, 2008
Messages
2,294
Reaction score
1
Location
Shawnee, Kansas, USA
I haven't posted much lately, I know.....

People who know me, know I'm a worrier. So. This evening Opal has been acting strange, digging in one spot of her pen, and I went in and she was carrying around mouthfuls of hay and putting them around the spot where she's been digging. Looks like she's making a nest, to me.

I checked through my emails, and saw that she had climbed out of her area and into Benjamin's area about a month ago. I was assured that Benjamin was neutered when I got him, but now I'm seriously worried that maybe he isn't? I've never seen testicles when I've handled him, but since he does not like to even be petted much, I only handle him occasionally, and he has really thick, dense fur.

I counted, and it's been exactly 35 days since she got into his cage. I am hoping this is too long, and I shouldn't worry about her being pregnant? I picked her up, and felt her tummy gently, and it didn't feel like she has babies, but I don't really know if I did that right, or what to feel for, where, etc. I did feel her nipples, which seem large to me. I've never been able to feel the nipples on my larger adult females.

Oh, and in case anyone is wondering, I got Opal at 3 months, and the rescue manager asked me to wait until she's 6 months for the spay. She is actually scheduled for her spay next Friday morning....
 
Opal barely ate any of her pellets from last night's feeding. She's added some fur to the nest. She did eat this morning's salad, but she gets a piece, goes into the nest to eat it, goes back for another piece...etc.

I put a barrier on Benjamin's side of the divider, where the nest is at, as he was eating bits of hay through the divider. I was worried that if she was feeling territorial, she might bite his nose, but he pulled it down overnight.

The nest is fairly small, and I couldn't see any babies this morning......

35/36 days is too long, right? Am I out of the woods here?
 
I think I remember reading in the breeding section that some does have gone 35 days before giving birth. I am hoping that she is just having a false pregnancy and that is why she is building a nest and not eating as much.

I have two female bunnies and have never seen a male unneutered bunny testicles until a few weeks ago. Let me tell you those things were HUGE! I couldn't believe it. The rabbit didn't even get up and I didn't pick him up. I just saw them by him walking around. I was really amazed at how big they were as I have never seen them before. All the males I have been around have been neutered. So I would think, if Benjamin wasn't neutered you would know even if you don't pick up. The male I saw them on was a mini rex about 5 lbs. To ease your mind, do you think you could get Benjamin to stand on his back legs for a treat and then you can look?

I will keep my fingers crossed it is a false pregnancy. Keep us updated.
 
Thank you, Amy!
Opal seems to have abandoned her nest, late Monday or early Tuesday. So I guess the "scare" is over. *whew*. She has been hanging around the third level of the condo, and seems less active than before. Her appetite has gone back up to almost normal, too.
She goes in for her spay tomorrow (a new thing for me to worry about).

I did pick up Benjamin and looked/felt for testicles, it seems that he is, indeed, neutered. He tooth-purred for awhile when I was holding him, then nipped my arm. *sigh*.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top