CARE
By Christine
Rabbits are known for their exceptional reproductive abilities. The female buns or does can get pregnant in the blink of an eye, or so it seems.
Putting together an intact male and female rabbit on purpose or by accident almost always leads to a litter of fluffy bunnies. In this case, you’ll need to know how to care for a pregnant rabbit to ensure that the baby buns or kits come out into the world healthy and strong.
When Can Rabbits Get Pregnant?
Rabbits can mate and get pregnant upon maturity. For female buns, this occurs between 4 and 8 months, depending on the breed. Smaller bun breeds mature at around 3 to 5 months, while larger breeds reach that state at 5 to 8 months.
At the outset, you won’t see many signs that the doe is carrying her young in her tummy. But as the pregnancy progresses, your pet will exhibit certain behaviors and physical changes that will tell you that she’s going to have a baby, or several babies as often happens.
How to Tell If Your Rabbit Is Pregnant
Digging
Not all pregnant buns will have the same symptoms, but here are the more common ones.
Aggression
Nesting Behaviors & Fur Pulling
Aggression
Weight Gain
Movement in Her Tummy
Sometimes, a doe will exhibit signs of pregnancy, such as mood changes and nesting behaviors. This happens because the rabbit is convinced she’s carrying her young even when she isn’t.
A Note about False Pregnancies
♥ Sexual stimulation caused by mounting:
Some reasons behind the phantom or pseudo-pregnancy are the following:
♥ Stress
Because does are always in heat, being mounted, even by neutered males or female buns, can stimulate them and make them think they’re pregnant.
Being in stressful situations can cause a rabbit to ovulate.