PREGNANCY QUESTIONS

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frenchy

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Hi everyone,

My french lop is expecting her first litter on April 7th,(she was bred on March 8th).

I have not bred rabbits before so this is all new to me but as said in previous posts it is not something i have decided to do overnight, I have donelots of reading/research over the last 12 months.

Anyway the 7th April will be day 30 of the pregnancy, and I would just like to check to see if I have forgot to prepare anything for the arrival.

The nest box I am going to put in on day 28, and is it also from this date I start to give the doe 'Tums' to up her calcium levels, also how much should she get?

I have kept her food the same as usual, once the kits are born is this when I increase the food a little?

Is it better to leave the nest & kits in with mom or bring them into the house and take out to her twice a day, if so do I put them in with mom morning and night just for their feed?

Mom has started to become a little aggressive/nasty/growling etc..so I have been trying not to disturb her too much by limiting contact to feed times and just to clean the area she is in, as I did not want to place unnecessary stress on her at this time, is this ok or should I try to keep contact with her at other times?

I think this is all for now, sorry for all the questions but I want to check I have got things right.

Thanks.
 
If she's grumpy and wanting to be left alone, then it's okay to just leave her be.

If the mom is feeding them and provided lots of fur for them, I would just leave them in the cage with her. Just in case she decides to feed them a little more often...

I've always free fed my pregnant and nursing does. Some breeders advise not to, so I'm not sure what the best thing to do in your case is.

--Dawn
 
Thanks Dawn,

I thought it best to leave her whilst she is grumpy.

As I said I give her the normal feed but there is always fresh hay available for her.

Ive got my fingers crossed that all goes well, Im so exited and waiting for their arrival seems to take forever!!!!
 
lol nasty, sounds like my dusty about a week before she's due, If she's getting grumpy with you I'd suggest just giving her some space hehe they're a bit like us women in the last couple of months of our pregnancies :Dthey get grumpy and just want their babies out in the world. Try giving her attention at other times but don't force it otherwise she'll feel threatened.

Unless she becomes agressive towards the kits it's best to leave them with her as although most people say they will only feed once or twice a day i have often sprung my more enthusiastic does feeding three or more times a day :D.

I have found from experience that they do best with an increase of about a quarter of thier daily feed once the kits are born until they open their eyes then feed ad lib/free feed.

-Chantel
 
I would leave her alone! You don't want her seeing you as a threat to the babies once they are born. When you go to feed her and to clean her cage, give her a treat.

I would also leave the babies with the mother. Taking them away unnecessarily puts stress on the mother as well as the babies. Breeders only do this as a last resort when there is a problem. Most of the time if I find that a baby or babies aren't getting enough, I take them out and let them nurse on their own with the mother. I put them right back for her.

I would only increase her feed a little after they are born.You will be able to tell. If she is eating all her food, give her a little more. I wouldn't increase too much before they are born or she could develop fat cells that could cause her to have complications during birth.

Good luck and keep us posted. Oh yes, one more thing, most does kindle on the night of day 31 so don't be alarmed if she has the mon the 8th or 9th and not on the 7th. :bunnydance:

Sharon
 
Thanks Chantel & Sharon for the advise,

I have been just leaving her be and not causing her too much stress by interfiering with her as I thought this would be best, If she decides to come to me when feeding etc then I give her a quick pat on the head but other than that she is left alone.

The suspence of waiting for these kits is killing me, but it looks like I am going to have to be patient and wait untill they are here, Im sure a few more days wont hurt!!!!!

I will keep you all updated and let you know when the babies are here.:colors:

:kelly




 
hehe I know what you mean, my doe Dusty is preggas and due on the 19th, lol and I'm already bouncin up and down telling her to hurry up :)but thats mainly because from yesterday and until she gives birth shes been a grumpy sh*t throwing her litter tray around, growling and she even nipped my mum!! lol butshes the sweetest thing after shes had them and in the first 2-3wks of her pregnancy lol and the rest of the time too :D

Chantel
 
Well guys, today is day 30 of the pregnancy and still no sign of any babies!!!

Been out this morning to check but nothing, daisy was just laid down all relaxed and im pretty sure I sawthe babies moving inside her.

I put a cardboard nest box in on day 28 and it didnt last 2 hours before she had destroyed it, so had to relace that with a plastic box with 1 side cut down, first thing she did was hop in and playin the lovely nest I had just created for her!! So thats how it has stayed if she prefers it that way. (At least she is not using it as a toilet)

Also some good news...........

As I said earlier she has been ever so grumpy and nasty towards me, but yesterday she came over for me to stroke her head and then let me touch her all down her body and also pick her up for a cuddle!!! I didnt want to push my luck with her though so had a quick cuddle then put her back down. At last progress, this has made me feel better as I didnt want her to feel I was a threat to her kits when she has them.

Anyway the suspence is now killing me, and ill let you all know when anything happens.

Bye for now,

Kelly.
 
How awesome. You dearies might be brought into the world on Easter. You absolutly have to keep us updated. Also I am thinking the whole forum is going to want a ton of pictures. Call it ESPN. (Haha, I crack myself up.) ((Yes, I really know that it is ESP and that what I mentioned is a sport channel. I only think I am funny. Don't worry.) and good luck for you bun(Soon to be buns), RaE
 
[align=center]:bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance:THE BABIES HAVE ARRIVED!!!!:bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance::bunnydance:
We Have Easter Bunnies[/align]

I went out first thing this morning to check and when I got there 'Daisy moo' was going mad pulling loads of fur and scattering it all over the floor of her run not in her nest box.

Disaster..... I thought she was going to have them on the floor.

Any way I stayed to watchsoI couldmove the babies to the nest if this is what she was intending to do. She then decided to gather up all the fur from the floor and place it into the nest box....Perfect.

She then went into the nest and had the babies, I am so great full to her as she allowed me to watch the whole thing, (which after her being grumpy with me I was surprised at!)

After she had done and cleaned herself up I gave her food and a little treat, and whilst she was busy eating took the nest box to check everything.

Well we have 8 babies in there all alive and look to be well, wriggling around. She has made a great nest for them and covered them in loads of fur and they all seem to be fine.

Question:

Will she move the fur that is covering them at feed times so they can get to her?

I have a few pics which I will be posting in a new thread, so go there to check them out.

Kelly.

 
Congtrats on your new babies! Thats funny about the cardboard box, if I give my does a plastic box they will attack it but they love the cardboard boxes to nest in. Except my flemish who has her own wood box.
 
Glad to know they've arrived safe and sound:DCongratulations!!!! I'm glad you got to watch the birth it's an amazing experience no matter how many times you see it!!!

-Chantel
 
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