# could she be pregnant or is it a health problem?



## Spring Flower (Mar 23, 2019)

Hey guys.
 So I have been having trouble breeding  my silver fox since I got her about 6-12 months. 

I noticed tonight that she is really shedding mostly from her dewlap. none of the other bucks or does are shedding. And she look a little fatter but I cant say for sure...shes just uhh  normally chunky haha. I put in a nest box just in case.

I guess my question is could she be pregnant even without any fall offs despite his best efforts haha? She just wont lift.
Could it be a health problem that is causing her sudden shedding?


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## rachels.haven (Mar 23, 2019)

I don't keep rabbits, but as I was growing up my parents kept meat and show rabbits extensively.

If nobody else answers, here's my advice: Watch and wait. It is spring. She could be starting to shed. She could have a fungal or parasite issue especially if her dewlap is large and it gets in water and food and she can't groom it well or it's humid. She could very likely be pregnant. I'd leave the nest box if you're in doubt. Just keep it pee free in case babies arrive. Extra hay for hay in the box may help clue you in.

I think as far as getting more and better answers go, pictures help. Putting your approximate location in your profile might help so people close to you can give you advice or we can at least get a feel for your climate. Other than that, good luck.

PS: Do you have you palpated her lately? Might be too late if she took, but might not and might help you.


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## Spring Flower (Mar 23, 2019)

Thanks. She doesn't really have a big dewlap and I've seen her clean under it.

I really hope she is but I'm not sure. I was originally thinking it was just normal shed but it's just her. But one of our horses shed before the others so I dont know. I will keep a best box in just in case.


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## promiseacres (Mar 24, 2019)

Is she pulling the fur and making a nest or is it coming out on its own? Does physically pull their hair for a nest. Hair coming on its own generally is shedding.


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## Spring Flower (Mar 24, 2019)

She isn't nesting or pulling hair. The hair isn't falling out on it's own but it is really easy to pull out. Easier than it normally is and easier than the other rabbits. This morning I went out to check every one and apparently that time of the morning the sun shines in all of her cage. She was either breathing heavy or panting.. if rabbits do that. I put up a board to block the sun. Normally when I open her cage she jumps up and runs to the corner. She has always done that. This time she didn't get up and she let me pet her a little before she got up.

I'm hoping she isn't sick and will be okay. Pregnant works amazingly to but as long as she's okay

I took some pics after the board was put up.


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## Spring Flower (Mar 25, 2019)

GUYS she built a nest!!! There is no hair but there is a nest!


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## rachels.haven (Mar 25, 2019)

Good luck!


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## Hens and Roos (Mar 25, 2019)

for kits!


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## Spring Flower (Mar 25, 2019)

I am really scared it's just a false pregnancy. She hasn't lifted for any buck in months. I hope some how it's possible for her to be pregnant without fall offs... I know he... Um.. yah but she never lifted.


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## animalmom (Mar 27, 2019)

I currently have a doe with three kits and I never saw her lift nor did I see the buck fall... 

Most of the times rabbits are lusty breeders but sometimes they are stealthy.

Good luck with your doe.  Looking forward to seeing pictures of all the kits.


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## Spring Flower (Mar 27, 2019)

She keeps rearranging her nest but it still looks like a nest. It's giving me hope she will have babies.


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## Spring Flower (Mar 28, 2019)

So what does it mean when you feel there bellies lightly like not pushing just kinda... Rubbing and it feels lumpy under the skin?

I'm really hoping it's babies but I'm not sure so I thought I'd ask.


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## Spring Flower (Mar 29, 2019)

She just had 10 babies!!!!


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## Hens and Roos (Mar 29, 2019)

Congrats!


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## Mini Horses (Mar 29, 2019)

WOO HOOO-- Guess you answered your own question   It means lumpy babes  


She did good.  Not all of them want to lift and fall  -- discreet.     Hoping it all goes well with the kits.

Congrats!!


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## Spring Flower (Mar 29, 2019)

Oh I'm sooooo happy. This is the....I think fifth or sixth time I've tried to breed her and only the second time she ended up with babies the first time she didn't take care of them. This time she kinda put hair in the nest but most she had tucked in a corner so I put that in the nest and brought everyone in to keep them warm.


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## animalmom (Mar 30, 2019)

Congrats on the kits and best wishes to your doe.


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## promiseacres (Mar 30, 2019)

Congratulations


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## Spring Flower (Mar 30, 2019)

10 little bunnies. I made a baby doll swaddle a while back and it was just sitting in a drawer.. I thought it would be cute to use that to move them and set them on instead of the concrete floor in my basement.


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## AmberLops (Mar 30, 2019)

Congratulations!! Adorable little babies! <3
Not sure if you've already tried this...but I thought I'd mention that when I have a doe (usually always first-time breeders) that doesn't want to 'lift' I can usually get it to happen if I put my hand under her and lift her slightly when the buck mounts


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## B&B Happy goats (Mar 30, 2019)

Congratulations


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## Spring Flower (Mar 30, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Congratulations!! Adorable little babies! <3
> Not sure if you've already tried this...but I thought I'd mention that when I have a doe (usually always first-time breeders) that doesn't want to 'lift' I can usually get it to happen if I put my hand under her and lift her slightly when the buck mounts



I have tried that as well. She usually just screams louder but sometimes she lashes out. I know alot of people would have sold her or cooked her... But my schedule is my mom's schedule and she's been to busy to take her to someone else and she was the first rabbit of mine I bought myself for a "pet"( my plan was to breed her and sell the babies as pets. It was the only way I could get her) rather than the meat rabbits. 

So given everything I figured if I had her here might as well try. 

Thank you guys for everything ❤️

I will probably post weekly pictures of my bunnies... Should I make another thread for that or would this be fine?


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## Bunnylady (Mar 30, 2019)

AmberLops said:


> Congratulations!! Adorable little babies! <3
> Not sure if you've already tried this...but I thought I'd mention that when I have a doe (usually always first-time breeders) that doesn't want to 'lift' I can usually get it to happen if I put my hand under her and lift her slightly when the buck mounts



I'm curious to know how often forced breeding works out for you. I remember seeing a study that was reported in Domestic Rabbit many years ago, where they recorded only about a 20% conception rate when force breeding, and about 80% when the rabbits bred voluntarily. It seems that most of the time, the doe's refusal to lift is probably because her body isn't at the correct phase of her cycle to breed, so (for the participants in this study, at least) 4 times out of 5, it was a waste of time.


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## AmberLops (Mar 31, 2019)

Bunnylady said:


> I'm curious to know how often forced breeding works out for you. I remember seeing a study that was reported in Domestic Rabbit many years ago, where they recorded only about a 20% conception rate when force breeding, and about 80% when the rabbits bred voluntarily. It seems that most of the time, the doe's refusal to lift is probably because her body isn't at the correct phase of her cycle to breed, so (for the participants in this study, at least) 4 times out of 5, it was a waste of time.



It works out almost every time...about 4 out of 5. The times when it doesn't work well is when it's a doe that has been bred and had a litter before and for some reason she doesn't want to breed even weeks or months after kindling.
That is when intervening doesn't work for me and I just have to wait until she's ready.
When it's a first-time breeder who doesn't know what to do, holding her up just makes it easier because after she has a litter, she'll always breed on her own.
Refusing to breed has never proven to be part of a cycle to me, because it will go on for many months and even up to a year if you wait that long.


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## Spring Flower (Apr 15, 2019)

I gave them a bucket to hide in just incase they got scared. They would run under there rabbit house and then it takes me ten minutes back and forth to get them out.


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## AmberLops (Apr 15, 2019)

So adorable!! I love when they're that age


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## Pioneer Chicken (Apr 20, 2019)

Aww, so cute!!


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## Spring Flower (Apr 22, 2019)

Guys new problem! I don't know rather or not I should post a new thread or not but....

Apparently baby rabbits are the best escape artist . They were getting out of the cage somehow so I gathered up the babies for the night so I can go to the store and get some hardware cloth. The babies were on our second story balcony. We got back and since it was dark we went ahead and feed everyone and counted them in the meantime. We are two babies short. We looked everywhere outside and on the balcony and can't find them. We have two cats and four dogs so I'm scared that didn't end well for them.

Anyway my problem
I went down the hill to see if the babies made their way down the hill to their mama. I heard her digging in the house. Sooo I felt bad for her and figured she missed her babies so I was gonna bring her up and put her with her babies right..

SHE WAS BUILDING A NEST...... Is it because she is going crazy without her babies or..... See I didnt know she was pregnant to begin with...Soo I did try and breed her to Flinn about 29 days ago but she never lifted then either...
Why is she building a nest?


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## AmberLops (Apr 23, 2019)

I'm sorry that this happened!
Babies can squeeze through very tight spaces which makes it really easy for them to escape.
Hardware cloth will save your other babies.
Mom could be building a nest because her babies are gone (that happened to my does a few times) or it could be that she is pregnant. Keep an eye on her, keep her nest in there and wait and see.
How old are her babies now?


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## Spring Flower (Apr 23, 2019)

Her babies now are three 25 days old


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## AmberLops (Apr 23, 2019)

It could be hormones from the babies being gone but if she was bred then there's always that chance that she is pregnant. Just wait and see, if you know the date she was bred and when she'd be due then wait until a few days after that date. If nothing happens and she doesn't have babies then you should rebreed her since she's pretty much done with the babies she has now


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## Spring Flower (Apr 23, 2019)

Rebreed her so soon? Her babies are only 25 days old...


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## AmberLops (Apr 23, 2019)

Spring Flower said:


> Rebreed her so soon? Her babies are only 25 days old...


You sure can! I rebreed my does about a week after kindling and I wean my babies at 4 weeks. By that time the mom is 3 weeks pregnant and her milk has time to dry up before her next litter


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## Spring Flower (Apr 23, 2019)

I'm going to give BB some more time off. This was her first litter and it was ten babies. After she gets her weight back up I will consider it.

Should I do it after she gets her weight up or wait until my other rabbits babies are sold so I can start them on the same cycle.


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## AmberLops (Apr 24, 2019)

Ten is a lot!
You should do whatever you prefer...if you want them to kindle at the same time then you should wait


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## Spring Flower (Apr 24, 2019)

I don't really now what I want... 
Is it better to give them a break during the summer or winter? I'm thinking about breeding her and than starting them back the same time after a break.


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## AmberLops (Apr 24, 2019)

In the fall, around September/October, rabbits pretty much become 'sterile' and it's nearly impossible to breed them.
That's when I give my does a break from breeding  It's fair and it happens naturally for them. Rabbits like to breed, it's their purpose! And when I don't breed my does, for any reason (especially in spring) they start pulling hair and making nests and act miserable without kits.
Depending on where you live, rabbits can breed all winter. Unless it's too cold for the kits to survive...then you'll need to get heat lamps/mats for nest boxes.
If it's really hot where you are in the summer (90-100 degrees) then your rabbits might become sterile then too, unless they're in a cool place.
Hope this helps!


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## Spring Flower (Apr 24, 2019)

It does get to the 80-90s. My rabbits live in an outdoor walk-in cage. They have some houses for shade and rain protection although the seem to perfer to be in the rain unless in really pouring. I'm planning on getting some vines to grow on the fence and some elephant ear plants to help with shade. The elephant ears will most likely be on the outside so they don't eat it. I will probably give them a break August (since that's when it's hottest here) through October. BB put all her hair on the outside of her nest box so if she still does that then I won't breed her in the winter.

Thanks alot you've been alot of help.


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## AmberLops (Apr 25, 2019)

You're welcome!
Usually with first-time moms they will make a few mistakes...like putting the hair outside the box. Next time she'll probably put it in the nest


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## Spring Flower (Apr 27, 2019)

I did go ahead and breed her.
I want to share an update on her 7 babies left. I think I am gonna keep the biggest female...I accidentally named her.. Everdeen.


 



These guys are THE BEST escape artist ever. They would run full blast up the hardwire cloth and hop out so I had to bend the top down so they could not get out anymore.


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## AmberLops (Apr 28, 2019)

She's adorable!!


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