I have two flemish giant rabbits which were bred 34 days ago, it looked like multiple successful matings occurred with

Hello,

I've been breeding rabbits for over 30 years, and would like to help you. Some additional information will be useful.

Have either of the does made a nest - pulled out fur, carried bedding around, etc.?

Have the males successfully fathered litters before?

Are the two does eating normally and passing normal droppings?

Thank you.

Anna

Thank you for getting back to me, Bob. I've never had a doe go past 34 days and deliver a healthy litter. Any time they've gone longer than that, they were having problems, resulting in a C-section being needed, or the loss of the babies or mother. However, since your does haven't done any nesting and their digestive systems seem to be working normally, it's more likely that they are not pregnant. There are several reasons this could be possible. As the days get shorter in late summer, the fertility of bucks often declines. It has to doe with less daylight, so even if the rabbits are in a heated building, it can still happen. Sometimes after a successful breeding, a doe will resorb a litter. No one knows why this happens - it's just one of those things. A doe can often miscarry in the early stages of a pregnancy with no signs that anything happened. This is especially likely if she is near a buck other than the one she was bred to.

There is still a slight possibility that the does may be pregnant. Sometimes a doe may not ovulate until a day or two after breeding. The semen can remain viable in her body, and result in a pregnancy at that point. This is very uncommon, but can happen.

I would give the does a couple more days. At that point, try breeding them again. If they breed willingly, they are not pregnant. If they growl at the buck and resist mating, there is a likelihood that they are pregnant. In that case, the doe should be taken to a vet for an x-ray to determine what is going on, and what needs to be done. If you end up needing a vet, this link will take you to directory of rabbit vets:

http://www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html

I hope that won't be necessary, and I think it's most likely that your does aren't pregnant. If you have more questions, just let me know by clicking on REPLY.

Anna

(If you find my answer helpful, please click on the ACCEPT button. Thank you.)