[Emily94]

Hello,
I recently adopted 2 bunnies, a male and a female. They were brother and sister and never separated. My male rabbit had recently died(about a month ago), and now the five month old female is attacking anyone who puts there hand in her cage! Its hard to even feed her! Please help. I am wondering if she is depressed?
And what would make her feel happier!
She has everything a bunny would want. Salt licks, water, food,a large cage, she runs around the house when she feels like it(we leave her cage open), and she tears up the newspaper under her shavings and just makes a HUGE mess of her freshly cleaned cage!
I just hope someone can give me answers that will help my once lovable friendly rabbit come back to being herself!!
Thank you and take care! :confused::confused::confused::confused::confused: :confused:

[tickle]

Are you sure about your timing, as to when the male died. The female could be pregnant and that accounts for her behavior.

[Alty]

I have to agree with tickle, a pregnancy is a possibility.

She's 5 months old, a bit young to be pregnant but it's possible. But, if she's not, it sounds like you are getting some aggression due to hormones.

Your rabbit is sexually mature or fast approaching sexual maturity, the aggression is a classic sign of this. An unspayed female will be less tame, less easy to handle and more likely to die of uterine cancer. It's time to get bunny fixed, she'll be a much happier, calmer bunny all around.

For the time being realize that yes, she is probably a bit sad about losing her buddy. Rabbits are very social animals and we just aren't enough for them. Getting another rabbit friend for her may do the trick, but not until she's fixed.

If you can't do this right away then start slow with her. When you feed her open her cage, offer her favorite treat, make her come to you to get it. Try this for a week, when she's comfortably eating the treat from your hand, try petting her while she's eating. A week of this and then try putting your hand in her cage to take something out. A week of that then pick her up and so on...

Be patient. Bunnies can be trained, they are very good pets and a wonderful addition to any family. Just show patience and love but most of all, get her fixed, you'll be surprised at the change in her.

Good luck. :)

[Emily94]

Altenwag, I've read a lot of your posts and you seem to know a lot about rabbits. But I cannot even put my hand in the cage or she attacks me, so I can't put my hand in her cage to giver her treats, she was fine up until a little while ago. If she is pregnant what are some symptoms, I don't want to make a costly vet appointment if there is nothing wrong?

[asheridan]

If she had a male with her at five months she probably is pregnant. Don't waste your money on a vet just get her a nest box right away. If she has them out in the open she will kill them. I hope this has gotten to you soon enough to avoid that grisly scene. Otherwise if it isn't pregnancy, many females will also be ornery when they are in season and they come in roughly every three days so if you have no intention of breeding her in the future spaying her may help. This is especially likely if she is growling at you when she strikes out. She is young so you may be able to work with her to modify her behavior but she is likely to always be a little unpredictable. Some breeds are especially prone to this notably the dwarves which are popular pets. I had a havana buck once that was so mean and impossible to feed and water that I threw him out on the floor of the rabbitry and he commenced to terrorizing anyone or anything that came into the farmyard. As a kid I got a big kick out of this but alas my little sister being closer to the ground wasn't so amused. When she either has her bunnies or you are sure she isn't pregnant I would handle her gently with leather gloves as often as you can. Preferably a few times a day for short ten minute intervals gradually making it longer until she is comfortable with being handled and you are comfortable without the gloves. You may always have to wear gloves when you remove her from the cage and then once you are out of her territory she should be calmer. Good luck.

[Silverfoxkit]

Has she started shedding a profuse amount of hair lately? I'm not a bunny expert but a neighbor I had bred his rabbits and the females would always start shedding and pulling out fluff and making a nest out of it.

[Alty]

Silverfox is correct. A rabbit will use her own fur in order to make a nest for her upcoming babies. Usually she won't do this until shortly before or the day that her babies are born. Buy a nest box for her and place it in her cage with her.

The gestation period for a rabbit is between 28-35 days, but since you don't even know if she's pregnant much less when she conceived, be prepared now.

She will need twice her normal intake of food while pregnant and 3 times as much when she is nursing her young.

Her aggressive behaviour is a sign of pregnancy, but I still think she's quite young to be pregnant. If she is, keep a close eye out, her age could affect the quality of the litter and also her ability to care for them once they are born.

Whatever you do, don't palpatate her stomach to determine if she's pregnant, this can harm the kits if not done correctly. It's better if a professional does this.

If she hasn't had a litter within 40 days of her mating, then she's not pregnant or she's re-absorbed her kits.

If she does have a litter, let me know, I can get you some info that will help you help her care for them.

On a side note, if she doesn't have a litter, please make an appointment to get her spayed. She'll live longer, be healthier, happier and friendlier.

There are so many rabbits put to sleep yearly because of over population and lack of info from people purchasing this cute little animals.

Good luck, I hope it all goes well. :)

[Emily94]

She has not been shedding hair, but she us stuffing shaving into one side along with the newspaper she shreds.

[Alty]

That's nesting. She may not pull at her fur or she may only do it shortly before she delivers.

Make sure she is getting more than her normal share of food, at least twice as much, she'll need it. Sounds like you may have a litter on the way.

Here's a great site I found that gives the basics on baby bunny care.

http://www.mybunny.org/info/newborn.htm

Good luck and let us know how it goes. :)

[Emily94]

Her bowl has never been empty so she can eat as she pleases. I'm quit nervous. But latley she is just laying around... looking very tired?

[Emily94]

Also, I am going to make a nesting box's but since she has a "nest" made would she use the box? Should I move her "nest" into the box? My sister even commented how fat she is getting... so she is gaining weight, and in the last week she has been gaining twice as fast. I'm worried she won't take care of them there so young. Would looking after a baby bunny be the same as a newborn kitten?

[asheridan]

Hi Emily,
I'm so glad that we weren't too late and you didn't come home to dead bunnies on the floor of the cage. I raise large satin rabbits and they consistently kindle their bunnies at 32 to 33 days after they are bred. I also feed and water free choice so that they can eat all they need. I can't really say I have noticed a lot of aggression from pregnant does but they are definitely aggressive when they are in season and at the very least growl when I put my hand on their back to pick them up. I have had them stomp their front feet at me when they have bunnies, especially when they are old enough to come out of the box and run around the cage. I would just treat your rabbit as pregnant because she was exposed to the buck at an age that she could have come into esterus. As long as she has a nest box with some straw bedding she should pull hair from her dewlap (underside of her neck just under her chin) and her belly to make a nest when she is ready to kindle. Really at this point there is nothing you can do but wait. If she is outside and it is cold you will want to put a heat lamp over the nest box as newborns are very suceptable to the cold.

I wouldn't worry about her. In thirty years of raising rabbits probably amounting to hundreds of bunnies I have never had a doe die from complications of birth. At the risk of offending the litterbox set, although I have sold or given away the odd bunny as a pet - in general we do not raise them to sell as pets. I know you are attached to yours and it is always disappointing to lose even one baby. As far as her being tired, these big fat satin does that I have are pretty lazy so it is hard to tell if that is a rabbit symptom but it would be reasonable as I know when I was pregnant I was exhausted all the time and I only had one baby as opposed to a rabbits six or eight. :)

If you don't have a box you can get usually get one at a livestock supply or feed store like Tractor supply or you can make one from plywood. Go on line and Google rabbit nest box and I'm sure you will be able to find the directions and dementions you need to make your own. Then just relax and wait. No need to be anxious - if you have done all your preparations, nature will take it's course and it should be a lot of fun to watch your bunnies go from little hairless blind things to cute bouncy balls of fluff. Don't hesitate to write if you need anymore info - glad to help.

[asheridan]

Emily,

Just noticed your last post. She definitely needs the box. Newborn bunnies will crawl around and come out of her nest. Rabbits do not make a nest in the same way rodents like rats do and without a box she will probably kill her babies. Move her nest into the box. Even if she isn't pregnant rabbits love nest boxes. It isn't as obvious as a pregnant dog but rabbits do show when they are in the late stages of their pregnancy if you look close. Even as young as she is she will likely take care of her babies. They rarely just abandom them though - they either raise them or kill them. If she has a nest box and is in a quiet spot where she feels safe she should be fine.

Bunnies are extremely difficult to bring up. Raising them from birth is almost impossible. I have raised everything from baby gorrillas (worked at a zoo of course :) to raccoons and skunks to jackrabbits and have had very little success with domestic rabbits. They choke very easy when you are trying to bottle feed them and finding a bottle the right size is next to impossible, as is getting the formula right. Don't fret about it though. Even though she is young she will have all those wonderful mommy hormones telling her what to do when the time comes. With all mine I slide the box to the door of the cage and check the bunnies over everyday and remove any dead ones. I never have them kill their bunnies because of handling. If you want to be safe though leave them alone until they are a week or so old and then you can handle them and check them over. Be sure no dogs or cats have access to the area around the cage for obvious reasons.

Nothing you can do now but relax and hopefully enjoy the process.

[Emily94]

She has been laying around lately, not doing much of anything. She looks very tired...

[asheridan]

That could be a good sign. She may not start building her nest until shortly before her bunnies are born.

[Alty]

I have to agree with Asheridan, sorry, had to spread the rep so I couldn't give you a greenie.:)

I've had rabbits all of my life, but I've never had a doe get pregnant. I spay and neuter my rabbits so there's no possibility of pregnancy.

I hope you read the link I provided, it does have some helpful info.

[asheridan]

Hi Emily,

Just wondering if you have any new arrivals yet.