My rabbit is pregnant but she isn't making a nest

by Bella
(Sacramento, North Highlands California)


So on December 23, my rabbit gave birth to 4 babies. Unfortunately we thought that the buck was fixed and they were together. When we came outside we saw a dead squished baby in the cage. We searched and there were 3 more. We quickly defrosted them and they came back to life.


She didn't make a nest or feed them once we separated them. They didn't make it, they all died from hunger and lung failure and broken legs/swollen. I was so sad.

We bred her again and she is pregnant. I'm scared that she won't feed her next litter.

We see baby kicks. Her stomach is larger than it was when she had her first litter. It is 33 days and still no babies.

She didn't make a nest well so we put in a nest box. But all she does is go and eat the hay. I'm still worried. Do bigger litters take longer to develop in the stomach?

She is a white and brown spotted mix of lion head, holland lop, and dwarf. The male is a silver fox gray Netherland Dwarf rabbit.

***** Karen Sez *****

Every one of these questions is answered in full in one or both of the following resources:

Rabbit Raising Problem Solver (paperback or Kindle).
Rabbit Reproduction (PDF).

Long story short:
--Good job on thawing out the babies, and I'm sorry they ended up dying.

--Does frequently reject the litter if they do not have an opportunity to build a nest. The next time they might do much better if they can build a nest.

--If the doe lacks maternal instincts, she will never build a nest or take care of her offspring. The three-strikes rule applies.

--Does USUALLY give birth (kindle) on day 31, but it is not unusual for more time to elapse before the kits are born. If, however, a kit is very large and gets stuck in the birth canal, you will have a medical emergency on your hands, and need a vet's help stat. I cannot help you with making any emergency determinations as I am not a vet, and am way over here.

Check out the book and e-book linked above if you need additional guidance. God bless you!

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