I'm pretty sure my rabbit is pregnant, but how can I tell when she's going to have her bunnies, other than pulling fur? She made a little burrow in her hay in her box and she's never done that before. Are there any other signs I don't know about?

-- Jessica (jaywig86@psknet.com), April 25, 2002

Answers

DO you not know when she was bred? Rabbits will have their babies anywhere from 28-35 days after conception, usually on the 31st day. If you don't know the breeding date, you'll just have to wait and see!

-- Tracey in Alabama (trjlanier@cs.com), April 25, 2002.

Jessica.......I really think it varies from mama to mama. I will have some that you know when they start the little burrow, they will be kindling soon. Then again I have had a few that made a burrow a week or so ahead and some that never made a burrow at all but just dug, pulled hair and kindled in very short order. Just keep watching and it will happen. :>)

-- diane (gardiacaprines@yahoo.com), April 25, 2002.

I put straw in the cages with my pregnant does and they will get this very perplexed look on their little face, run around with straw sticking out of both sides of their mouth, and act really restless. They build their nests with the straw and fur....but the straw in the mouth deal is something that really alerts me that the time is near. Just make sure the doe has a good nesting box there and that she is somewhere that another animal or person will not frighten her.

-- Suzy in Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), April 26, 2002.

Yep, I use the straw method to watch my does too. The look on their faces are wonderful.

-- Gailann Schrader (gtschrader@aol.com), April 26, 2002.

I would have to add, if you've never done this before to make sure she is in a cage of her own or you may be looking at a bit of trouble w/ others eating her babies or the mother just ignoring them all together.

-- Jacki (rambrozaitis@snet.net), May 02, 2002.