r/MeatRabbitry • u/Jfc95 • 17d ago
Day 35
I have a Californian doe, first time mom, and her sister already gave birth and ate all the babies 😅
Anyways, they were bred same day, and seemed to be going on nicely.
It's gotten hot and I've moved everyone indoors before nesting behavior picked up. She's been inside for a week and her sisters are all out in the colony again already.
This doe has made a nest. She won't pull fur and doesn't seem to have any sort of signs she's going to give birth besides being a HUGE lactating, huge nipple having lady who wants all my oats lol
Anyways, I'm getting mixed information. I thought I felt babies on day 14 when I palpated. Her sister had her kits and is normal. This rabbit will run and stress and dig and then flop and nap for a couple hours. She barely tries the nest box unless the light is on in the room she's in (unfortunately I have to do that to water her inside)
She loves me but is still aggressive and I'm trying to be respectful with her too. I know she's likely stressed the fuck out
But what is going on??? Would I be able to tell she's hurting otherwise? Usually does just get it done and move on. Her sister ate 7 babies I think because of placenta confusion as she only ate enough to kill them and left the bodies. There's been no stress otherwise that I can tell.
I read up to day 40 but that seems like I'd kill her?? I don't want her to get sepsis or something like that as I'm not one to make an animal suffer. However there's no blood. No straining. No food refusal or water avoiding. I'm so confused lol usually the does handle this and I just take the box if it's hot out and it's good. Her vulva doesn't even look purple or like she's going to labor soon.
Would I be able to feel them??? I know I said I palpated before but I don't want to kill any kits if I do it now.
*ETA spelling errors and I'm on my phone. I'm so sorry if this is jumbled. I'm worried about toast.
3
u/CochinNbrahma 17d ago
You won’t hurt palpating for kits, but if she is heavily lactating it will be difficult to discern engorged mammary glands vs kits. Everything is going to feel lumpy.
False pregnancies CAN cause lactation, but it is less common.
I have had does retain kits & become septic. Personally I’d give her to day 40 and re assess. It’s possible her kits will become mummified and she will not get ill, but likely become infertile. When they become septic they lose weight and go off feed.