Fluffball's Possible Pregnancy Diary

[BlueGiants]

Becca wrote:

Okay, so here is what I know so far,

Give her the nest box on the 11th or 12th

About 27 days after the breeding, she should have a nest box. Put in whichever corner she does NOT poop or pee in.

Make sure she gets enough food to satisfy herself and the babies

Give her the same amount of feed for a day or two after she delivers. Gradually increase the amount of feed you give her. The babies will not come out of the nestbox to eat until they are 15-18 days old.

Weigh her every week to see if she will give any hints of being preggers

Some rabbits gain so little weight, it's hard to use that as a gauge to judge if they are pregnent. But either way, it doesn't hurt to track her weight.

After about 10-12 days palpate her (maybe) but I need to research that first.

If you haven't been taught to palpate, don't use that to guess if she is pregnant. Aside from the danger of squeezing too hard and hurting her or the fetus', most people feel the fecal pellets in the interstine and assume it's babies. (At that point they are almost the same size.)

When she does give birth:
Make sure they have "ping pong" bellies, if not make sure they get fed somehow even if I have to bottle feed them.
When they are old enough to be off mummas milk seperate them from her - though do I put them in a seperate cage? And leave them?
Becuase the double one Fluffball's in now can be made into single by putting the divider down the middle, the divider is made from wood and chicken wire, so they will still be able to touch each other, though then they may be able to feed from her still ???/....

Plan on taking the nest box away from her and the litter when the babies are 21 days old. You can leave it longer if it's cold or drafty where they are, but it has to be cleaned frequently.

We do not feed our babies anything except a well balanced pellet mixed with rolled oats (dry Quaker Oats) until they are 4 months old.

Wean the litter (take them away from mommy) at 6 weeks of age. Sex the babies by 8 weeks and seperate them, boys from girls. At 8 weeks, you can start sending them to their new homes. Prepare a bag of feed to send witheach bunny that they can use to wean the babies over to their feed.

 

[Wabbitdad12]

I feel that the purpose of this forum is to help each other out, not to criticize!! Many ofus have had unexpected litters. Instead of making Beccafeel bad, let's support and help her and her bunnies out....ANDit's not definite that the bun is even preggers!

And by the way, have any of you ladies found yourselves pregnant unexpectedly?? Or men, did you get a message from your significant other saying, "Oh, btw...." And then did someonecriticize your unplanned pregnancy? Good grief!!

Thanks, BlueGiants, for being thevoice of support and reason!

 

[LadyBug]

irishbunny wrote:

Happi Bun wrote:

I suggest you do a lot more research on what is involved with raising baby rabbits- If you don't know about weaning.

I second that

i third....motion passed, LOL!


:biggrin2:

 

[JadeIcing]

Becca maybe you should read some of the stuff in here. Breeding and Care of the Young

Than come back and post any questions you have.

 

[Becca]

Thanks BlueGiants, Wabbitdad and Ali, I will check out that link now

 

[irishbunny]

Sorry if I seemed rude to you awhile ago, I wasn't trying to be.

 

[Becca]

It's okay, everyone makes mistakes, I am only 13 though by the way and I am quite short tempered so I sometimes say things I don't mean, but its all good

 

[irishbunny]

I'm usually not like that, I was in a bad mood

 

[Becca]

I have just looked through the "Breeding and Care of the young" pages, I just have a couple of questions and a few things I think are right but need them confirmed.

How many babies can be in a litter?

How long before I should start handling them?

Is a "peanut" a baby that has got the dwarf gene from both parents and has minimal chances of living?

And I think i know what a runt is but can someone please explain!

 

[Becca]

irishbunny wrote:

I'm usually not like that, I was in a bad mood

No problem :hug:

 

[BlueGiants]

Becca wrote:

I have just looked through the "Breeding and Care of the young" pages, I just have a couple of questions and a few things I think are right but need them confirmed.

How many babies can be in a litter?

A litter can be any number from 1 up to 14... Average is usually between 4 and 7.

How long before I should start handling them?

I handle our babies from the day they are born. You need to make sure they are all alive and well. Remove any that didn't make it, clean up any "after-birth" (placenta's) that the momma doesn't clean up. Don't stress out the momma, give her a little treat (parsley, carrot, apple) pet her, then check the nestbox. And I check them once a day after that, to make sure they are getting fed, everyone is together inthe nest and warm, and to make sure the nestbox is clean and dry (if not, I clean it out).

Is a "peanut" a baby that has got the dwarf gene from both parents and has minimal chances of living?

A "peanut" inherited dwarfing genes from both parents and usually will not survive. A large number of them have under-developed digestive systems that can not absorb nutrients. Both parents have to carry the dwarfing gene for that to happen.

And I think i know what a runt is but can someone please explain!

A runt is usually the smallest baby in a litter. May have been the last egg fertilized, may have been squeezed by siblings in the uterine horn, may not have had full placental attachment in the utereus... a lot of them survive just fine, they are just smaller. Some will always have problems, (digestive problems, lower immunity, etc.)

Please ask any questions that you might have now, before any babies get here. Rabbits only give you 31 days (at the most!) to get educated and prepared.

 

[Becca]

Okay thanks,

What can I use for a nest box? Could I use a box that I got my new boots in?

 

[BlueGiants]

The nest box should be about 10" x 12 ", with at least 4" sides (6-8" is better with a "dip" cut out for an entrance). I like to line the box with shavings or absorbant material (cotton batting, etc.) and pack the rest with straw or hay. Momma will dig out a hole in the middle and should line it with her fur. Some does pull fur the day before they kindle (deliver) some won't do it until after they kindle. (If she doesn't pull fur, you will have to do it for her. After she kindles, her hormones actually loosen the fur and make it easy to pull off her belly. You would pull enough off to cover the babies.)

 

[irishbunny]

You might want to gather up all the info you find, put it together, print it off and give it to your so they also know what to expect and what to do since you won't always be around.

 

[Becca]

Okay,and if she is pregnant I have made this sheet for the babies possible owners to fill out to make sure their worthy of having a bunny :biggrin2:
Here it is so far, I don't know what else to put, help me

Name: __________________________________

Address: ____________________
____________________
____________________
____________________


Have you owned a rabbit before?
____________________

Or
Do you have a rabbit now?
_____________________

Is he or she neutered or spayed?
_____________________

Are your sure that you would have enough money to pay for vet bills, food and bedding?

___________________________________

Will you have enough time to give him or her attention and love everyday?

____________________________________

 

[BlueGiants]

That's a good start. But you need to continue educating yourself, because if they have any questions or problems, YOUmay be their first line of information. If I place a rabbit in a home, I will be there to help out in anyway I can, for the life of the rabbit. I also make sure I tell them, I will take back any of my rabbits, for any reason, if they can't keep it.

 

[Becca]

Okay thanks, I will keep learning

 

[TinysMom]

For lionheads - I've had anywhere from 2 babies in a litter- to 9 babies in a litter. My average litter size was around 6 I think - however, I had larger does and let them mate about 3 times with the buck in a breeding session.

 

[Becca]

Oh Thanks Peg, Thats good to know

 

[Sabine]

well,for all it's worth, however this pregnancy came about it will be a great experience for you whatever happens. And with your passion for your rabbits they'll sure be the best looked after babies in the country (and most gorgeous too)
if some of the breeding terminology isn't that familiar to you at the moment I'm sure within a few within you'll be driving your family around the twist with breeder's jargon at the dinner table
Goodluck and enjoy the experience!