Rabbit won't have babies

[Lrfry]

I am new to breeding rabbits and I bred my new Zealand on July 5th. At 32 days she built her nest....with her hair and everything. Today is day 43 and no babies. She is acting fine and dandy. Could someone please tell me what could be going on? Thanks

 

[Shorty]

How old is she, how old is the buck, is this their first litter, did the buck fall off?
Maybe @Bunnylady @samssimonsays @promiseacres can help too

 

[Lrfry]

They are both around a year old and she has had litters in the past I was told.

 

[Alexz7272]

Not an expert but where is she housed at? Outdoors or indoors? I have noticed my rabbits pregnancy delaying when it has been very hot here. Just a thought.

 

[Latestarter]

First, welcome to BYH. Second, I don't have rabbits, but, from my understanding, I believe that if she indeed was pregnant, they deliver between day 28-29 and day 32-34, so if you're at 40+, either she had them and ate them, or she was never pregnant.

Maybe some of the Rabbiteers with years of experience could offer some thoughts. @samssimonsays @Bunnylady @Hens and Roos @Pearce Pastures @Pastor Dave @chiques chicks and there are many more...

 

[promiseacres]

Latestarter is correct either she had a false pregnancy or she ate them. In the summer heat bucks can become temporarily sterile due to the temperatures. (I have not yet discovered what temperature is too hot) I would rebreed her, early mornings and evenings. I usually breed 2 to 3 times, 4 to 8 hours apart. The first breeding will cause the ovaries to release her eggs. I expect kits on day 31, 32, put a nest box in at day 28. By day 35,36 I pull the box and rebreed.

 

[Hens and Roos]

Latestarter is correct either she had a false pregnancy or she ate them. In the summer heat bucks can become temporarily sterile due to the temperatures. (I have not yet discovered what temperature is too hot) I would rebreed her, early mornings and evenings. I usually breed 2 to 3 times, 4 to 8 hours apart. The first breeding will cause the ovaries to release her eggs. I expect kits on day 31, 32, put a nest box in at day 28. By day 35,36 I pull the box and rebreed.

x2

 

[Bunnylady]

Promiseacres pretty much nailed it. I'd always heard that does with false pregnancies usually quit at about 3 weeks "gestation," but I have had quite a few does go all the way to day 31 or 32, make a nest, pull fur, etc, and produce nothing. Giving birth is a messy business, eating the babies is even messier; if there had been babies produced, there should have been blood signs somewhere.

Rabbits don't show 'heat' like a lot of other species do, but they do experience hormonal peaks when they are more fertile and more likely to breed. One of the highest peaks occurs right after a pregnancy ends, whether the pregnancy is real or not. Does typically pull fur right before or right after kindling; if a doe doesn't produce babies within a day or two of fur pulling, I'd be thinking false pregnancy. Some does will pull a few mouthfuls of fur when they hit a hormonal peak when they aren't pregnant; it can be a hint that it's a good time to try if you are wanting to breed her.

 

[Lrfry]

She grunts and doesn't seem to want the buck. I have tried re-breeding but she won't lift or anything. As for eating her young there was no sign of birth at all. I'll try again. Yes the buck fell off three times when I bred them.

 

[promiseacres]

Make sure both are free of disease. Check her vent for any postule or abnormalities. When she is most fertile it should be pink. To light or dark may affect her mood. Take the doe to the buck you can 1. Give her time to accept his advances or 2, scruff her and lift her hind quarters with the other hand.
My velveteen lop bucks seem to loose interest before the does are ready to lift on their own so I usually just hold. Usually the 2nd or 3rd breeding they lift on their own.