Pregnant doe, best environment?

Rabbits Online Forum

Help Support Rabbits Online Forum:

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

Martha2000

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 8, 2021
Messages
57
Reaction score
32
Location
Cambridge
Hi all, I’ve got a pregnant doe and she normally lives outside year round in and insulated hutch and large run connected however she is currently pregnant! So I am wondering whether I should keep her outside in her house or bring her in, in a indoor cage? I’m in south England and the weather doesn’t seem to bad but I just want the highest rate of survival and for nothing bad to happen. She lives with my neutered boy and they are bonded, should I split them up right away or wait until later into the pregnancy? Thank you all!!
 
I would just keep it as it is, changes are just unnecessary stress. You might want to add hutch space, like a second one and connect them with a tunnel so you can keep the buck seperated to give her privacy when she gives birth. Or to get out of her sight if she gets grumpy. I would do that, or divide the existing hutch if it is big enough as soon as possible so they can get used to it.

I would not seperate them, I put in a divider when one doe is about to kindle but they still get garden time together, and I don't do that longer than 1-2 days. The bond of yours might be less at risk to hierachy struggles (pregnant and nursing does don't engage in that much anyway), can't tell much about neutered bucks but my intact ones were always very friendly to kits. Keep an eye on him anyway, but I woudln't expect much trouble.
I would not split them up if there'S enough space to avoid it.

The most critical thing to kit survival imo is nestbox design and placement and making sure none is born or dragged outside of it, you can also start to collect fur from brushing etc, it's always good to have a stash of that if doesn't pull much or when it gets soiled.
 
That’s perfect, thank you so much. So am I just to leave them in the same hutch until she gets to day 26 and then seperate the houses but still allow them to see each other until she gives birth?
 
I would do changes in their setup soon, and not wait. My does give birth between day 32-35, 26 seems a bit early. I would just seperate when nestbuilding starts or other signs that it can't be long anymore like less apatite and lounging around a lot, but I reckon that's easier to see after 9 years of breeding. Depends how frequently you check on them to notice change in behaviour.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top