# Rabbit Pregnancy Problem



## LukeMeister (Oct 9, 2015)

I have a 1 1/2 year old dutch rabbit who is 21 days pregnant (this is her second pregnancy). I palpated her around day 10, and I felt 2 or 3 babies. now she has started losing weight and eating less. I palpated her again and they felt small and hard like rocks. Did they die inside her?

(I'm new here so pardon me if I posted this wrong XD)


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## frustratedearthmother (Oct 9, 2015)

Not a rabbit person, so I can't help you.  But - there are several folks on here who can give you some good advice!


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## animalmom (Oct 9, 2015)

@LukeMeister, first off,welcome to BYH and post away!

I'm not going to be of much help as I don't palpatate, but could you have felt fecal berries the second time you felt her?  Was her first pregnancy successful?  Let's see if we can get some of the other breeders to post: @Bunnylady, @Samantha drawz, ladies any ideas?

Keep us posted on your doe's progress, and of course we'd love to see pictures of the happy outcome, please and thank you.


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## LukeMeister (Oct 9, 2015)

animalmom said:


> @LukeMeister, first off,welcome to BYH and post away!
> 
> I'm not going to be of much help as I don't palpatate, but could you have felt fecal berries the second time you felt her?  Was her first pregnancy successful?  Let's see if we can get some of the other breeders to post: @Bunnylady, @Samantha drawz, ladies any ideas?
> 
> Keep us posted on your doe's progress, and of course we'd love to see pictures of the happy outcome, please and thank you.


Thanks!

You could be right! Maybe they were fecal pellets. Not exactly, she delivered 2 alive and 4 dead .


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## Hens and Roos (Oct 9, 2015)

Sorry to hear of the dead kits , even though we raise rabbits I cant help you out as we don't palpatate.


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## secuono (Oct 9, 2015)

Could be poop.

Gently rub the balls together, if they glide, fetuses. But if they grit any, poop. 

Also, they easily hide them.

Is she sick, any symptoms of anything, moldy or old food? Are you feeding her more?


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## JakeM (Oct 10, 2015)

What you probably felt was fecal pellets; babies have never felt hard like rocks to me when palpating. And at 21 days they should start feeling more like a kit than just an embryo. So you should be able to feel the head, body and limbs of each individual fetus.

How much weight is she losing and how much less is she eating?


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## LukeMeister (Oct 10, 2015)

secuono said:


> Could be poop.
> 
> Gently rub the balls together, if they glide, fetuses. But if they grit any, poop.
> 
> ...


Ok I'll try that 

No I don't think she's sick. Yes, I'm feeding her normal food pellets, apples, carrots, banana etc...


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## LukeMeister (Oct 10, 2015)

JakeM said:


> What you probably felt was fecal pellets; babies have never felt hard like rocks to me when palpating. And at 21 days they should start feeling more like a kit than just an embryo. So you should be able to feel the head, body and limbs of each individual fetus.
> 
> How much weight is she losing and how much less is she eating?


Ok, I have another pregnant rabbit and I did (think I did anyway) feel a kit with the limbs and stuff.

She has stated gaining weight again but she lost about 3/4 to 1 pound I think, and she has started eating more again but I think she was eating about 2/3 of her original diet, and again, both are estimates.


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## secuono (Oct 10, 2015)

You cannot feel anthing but soft balls. If you're feeling little arms and such, you are pressing way too hard or feeling something else.


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## LukeMeister (Oct 10, 2015)

secuono said:


> You cannot feel anthing but soft balls. If you're feeling little arms and such, you are pressing way too hard or feeling something else.


Oh okay, I'll be more careful next time.


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## Bunnylady (Oct 11, 2015)

Yikes! 3/4 lb is a lot of weight for something as small as a Dutch to lose!

No idea why your doe would go off her feed at that stage of pregnancy. Many, many years ago, I had a Dutch doe that did that, and it nearly drove me crazy! I was so worried that she was developing GI stasis and was going to die . . . . but she didn't; she raised that litter with no issues (I can't remember if she did it more than once - this was, like, 30 years ago). It's not unusual for fetuses to die; does can even reabsorb them if environmental conditions stress them enough. I have seen does give birth to dead, partially formed fetuses at the same time as fully developed babies; clearly, the dead ones died as much as a week before the delivery. In some animals, a dead baby is a catastrophe that can cost the life of the mother, but in rabbits that isn't the case. A baby that doesn't get born can mummify inside the doe, and she can carry on with life as though nothing is different. Frequently, a doe with a fetal mummy inside her is sterile, at least on the side where the mummy is, but I have had does that gave birth to litters and there was a mummy among the live kits (weird looking things, to be sure!) 

Does frequently will not eat for maybe a day or so just prior to kindling, but not all do this.

For me, palpating has been hit-or-miss. I once had a Holland doe that I palpated and would have sworn was open give birth to 8 kits a week later. 8 is a big litter for a Holland; where she could have been hiding them is beyond me. A long time ago, I took a page from another breeder - her advice was not to try to count kits, but just note whether it feels like there seem to be more "insides" than you would find in a non-pregnant doe when the animal is at about 2 weeks post breeding. Also, when the doe is at about 21 days, I give her some hay and watch to see what she does with it, because most does start nest making at about this stage. Rabbits may play with their hay, but the only ones that I have ever seen pick up big mouthfuls and carry them around are pregnant does (or at least, those that think they are pregnant). I don't usually give a doe a box until day 28, and I might palpate her at that time - kits are pretty big at that point, and I can be pretty sure about whether the doe is actually expecting, or just doing a false pregnancy. Either way, she won't breed again until her body no longer believes itself to be pregnant, so there's no point in putting her with the buck until she thinks she's ready again.

Good luck


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## LukeMeister (Oct 11, 2015)

Bunnylady said:


> Yikes! 3/4 lb is a lot of weight for something as small as a Dutch to lose!
> 
> No idea why your doe would go off her feed at that stage of pregnancy. Many, many years ago, I had a Dutch doe that did that, and it nearly drove me crazy! I was so worried that she was developing GI stasis and was going to die . . . . but she didn't; she raised that litter with no issues (I can't remember if she did it more than once - this was, like, 30 years ago). It's not unusual for fetuses to die; does can even reabsorb them if environmental conditions stress them enough. I have seen does give birth to dead, partially formed fetuses at the same time as fully developed babies; clearly, the dead ones died as much as a week before the delivery. In some animals, a dead baby is a catastrophe that can cost the life of the mother, but in rabbits that isn't the case. A baby that doesn't get born can mummify inside the doe, and she can carry on with life as though nothing is different. Frequently, a doe with a fetal mummy inside her is sterile, at least on the side where the mummy is, but I have had does that gave birth to litters and there was a mummy among the live kits (weird looking things, to be sure!)
> 
> ...


Well 3/4 of a pound is just my estimate.

Thank you, that was very detailed


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## LukeMeister (Oct 12, 2015)

Well, I palpated her this morning and I didn't feel anything . I think (and hope) she terminated her pregnancy (or was never pregnant). We do have another doe that I'm almost certain is pregnant, I can feel two or three kits (or I think anyway). And I also saw her picking up dry grass and putting it in her nest box. I realize it could be a phantom pregnancy, but I think not, as she looks like she has a grapefruit in her belly!


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## pnptrapp (Oct 12, 2015)

When I was regularly breeding rabbits I always tried to palpate for pregnancy, but found the results were at best a 50/50 shot. After I realized that I quit palpating. I think rabbits are unique with the way they show pregnancy compared to other animals.


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