Buzz
Rabbits are adorable creatures, often bred either for companionship or for commercial purposes. Sometimes, sellers may not be aware of the rabbit's condition, which could lead them to sell or give away rabbits without knowing whether they have been spayed or neutered. Whether you are planning to breed a rabbit or have recently adopted one and are concerned it might be pregnant, understanding the biological characteristics of rabbits and learning how to detect pregnancy signs will help you plan and prepare accordingly for the rabbit.
Steps
Determining if a Rabbit is Pregnant
Palpating the Rabbit. Female rabbits typically show few external signs of pregnancy unless they are carrying multiple babies. This is why veterinarians and breeders must palpate, or gently use their fingers or hands to feel the rabbit's abdomen, to determine whether the rabbit is pregnant. After about two weeks of fertilization, you may be able to feel the baby rabbits inside the mother's womb. However, you need certain skills to safely palpate the pregnancy without harming the rabbit. This is just a general guideline, and you should not attempt to palpate the rabbit unless you are a veterinarian or an experienced animal breeder.
- Do not palpate a pregnant rabbit after 14 days of fertilization. Doing so can potentially harm the baby rabbits.
- Gently hold the rabbit's ears and the skin on its shoulders with your right hand to steady the upper body of the rabbit.
- Use your left hand to gently lift the rabbit’s lower body, between the hind legs and pelvis.
- Carefully place your right thumb on the rabbit's belly and the other fingers on the left side of the belly. If the rabbit is pregnant, you will feel the embryos inside its abdomen.
- When palpating the rabbit’s belly, each embryo will feel about the size of a grape.
Take the rabbit to a veterinarian for a check-up. If you are unfamiliar with how to safely palpate an animal, it is best to take the rabbit to a veterinarian. The vet will know how to check for pregnancy without causing harm to the baby rabbits inside the mother's womb.
Weigh the rabbit. Similar to humans, a pregnant rabbit will gain weight throughout its pregnancy. However, the weight change may not be very noticeable or significant. The most accurate way to detect pregnancy through weight is to use a precise digital scale and compare it with the rabbit's weight prior to pregnancy.
- On average, a pregnant female rabbit will gain 29g in the first week of pregnancy and around 57g by the end of the second week. After the second week, the weight will not increase much.
Take the rabbit to a veterinarian for an ultrasound. Ultrasound is the most accurate method for confirming pregnancy, with 100% accuracy after the rabbit has been pregnant for 6 days. The veterinarian can perform an ultrasound in the clinic to quickly and precisely determine whether your rabbit is pregnant.
Learn about the biological characteristics of rabbits
Understand the rabbit's life cycle. Most rabbit breeds reach sexual maturity between 3 and 6 months of age. Female rabbits can become pregnant at 12 weeks old, but this is not recommended for their health and safety.
- If your rabbit is younger than 12 weeks, it is unlikely to be pregnant. However, if your rabbit is between 3-6 months old, it is sexually mature and may be able to get pregnant.
- Rabbits over 2 or 3 years old may be too old to conceive. In this case, it is unlikely that your rabbit is pregnant.
Pippa Elliott, MRCVS
Veterinary Surgeon at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Veterinary Surgeon at the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
Veterinary Surgeon Pippa Elliott, MRCVS warns: "Never rely on the idea that a rabbit being 'too old' means it cannot get pregnant as a form of contraception for rabbits. Rabbits are highly reproductive animals, and their natural instinct is to always seek to increase the population of their kind!"
Understand the rabbit's reproductive cycle. Rabbits can reproduce year-round, although male rabbits tend to have reduced fertility during extreme weather conditions in winter and summer. Rabbits generally have the highest fertility in mild weather during the spring and fall, but it's important to note that rabbits can reproduce at any time of the year.
- Unlike many other animals that experience estrus cycles, rabbits undergo ovulation. This means that a female rabbit is ready to conceive within 8 hours after mating with a male rabbit.
Observe the nesting behavior of the rabbit. Female rabbits have an instinct to create a nest when they are pregnant. A rabbit about to give birth will often line the nest with its own fur and be ready to defend it. If you notice your rabbit making a nest, it is likely pregnant. However, some female rabbits may experience "false pregnancy," where they build a nest without actually being pregnant. Therefore, while nesting behavior can indicate a rabbit may be pregnant, it is not always a reliable sign, even though it reflects the rabbit's maternal instinct.
Prepare for the baby rabbits
Separate female and male rabbits. Once you've confirmed that the female rabbit is pregnant, it's crucial to separate her from any male rabbits. The reason is that male rabbits can cause the female to conceive again within hours after giving birth, leading to stress for the female and preventing her from adequately nursing her first litter before the second is born.
- Some animal experts recommend allowing the female and male rabbits to interact while not housed together. This is because female and male rabbits may struggle to reacquaint themselves after the female gives birth if they haven’t had any communication during their separation. If possible, try placing the female’s cage and the male’s cage next to each other so they can interact through the barrier.
- There is a possibility that a male rabbit might attempt to mate with his own daughter. It's important to separate the male and female rabbits to prevent this from happening.
Understand the rabbit's pregnancy duration. The pregnancy of a rabbit lasts between 31 and 33 days. If a rabbit's pregnancy exceeds this time frame, it could indicate a false pregnancy or that the fetus has died within the mother. Some veterinarians recommend intervention to assist the rabbit in delivering after 32 days of pregnancy to avoid complications from a stillborn fetus.
Ensure proper nutrition for the pregnant female rabbit. When a female rabbit is pregnant, it’s important to provide her with adequate food and water. Experts recommend gradually increasing the amount of food given to pregnant rabbits. Provide her with plenty of alfalfa hay, as it is rich in nutrients and essential for both the pregnant rabbit and her nursing offspring.
Advice
- Gently massage the rabbit's abdomen with your fingers, allowing the abdominal muscles to relax.
- Avoid palpating the rabbit in the later stages of pregnancy as it may cause harm to the unborn babies in the mother's womb.
- Try palpating before the rabbit becomes pregnant so that you can distinguish between small, hard food pellets and normal lumps versus round, grape-sized embryos.
- Allow the female rabbit peace and quiet when caring for her babies.
- The female will pull fur from her body to cover the newborns. You may need to check to ensure there is an opening in the fur “blanket” to prevent the babies from suffocating.
- Remember to separate the female rabbit from the male to reduce her stress.
- Avoid interacting with the mother rabbit as she may become stressed and refuse to nurse her babies.
- Never approach the mother rabbit too closely as she may bite, which can be painful and cause injury.
- If the rabbit is building a nest or showing signs of aggression when you are around, it’s a clear sign she’s pregnant.
Warning
- Keep your veterinarian's phone number handy in case any issues arise during the rabbit's pregnancy, birth, or afterward.
- Do not allow male rabbits to stay in the female's cage while she is giving birth. A female rabbit can become pregnant within hours after giving birth, and the male may attempt to mate with the female while she is nursing her babies.
- False pregnancy can occur in female rabbits. They may build a nest and experience labor-like symptoms, but they are not actually pregnant. If you suspect the rabbit is in pain, consult a vet.
- Do not house male rabbits with their offspring. Once the babies reach sexual maturity, the male may attempt to mate with his own daughter.
