# Is there a way to tell if your Doe is succesfully mated?



## Jennifer Brewer (Aug 3, 2005)

Is there a way to tell if your doe is succesfully mated? Or a way to tell if she is pregnant? I have a doe that is about 7-8 months old, and I thought she might have been ready so I put her in with the buck, and it looked like things went fine. But it has been 3 and a half weeks, and she isn't nesting (although this is her first) and her vulva is light pink. She still seams pretty slim too. This is my first time with rabbits so I'm not really sure what the signs are. I mated my older doe Jan 2, and she is showing some interest in her nest- but again, I'm not sure what to look for? 

Any help would be great!


----------



## MaggieJ (Feb 6, 2006)

When you say that "it looked like things went fine", do you mean that the buck fell off? Usually a successful breeding is ended by the buck falling off backwards or to one side. If he just humps her and doesn't fall off, he may not have been successful.

Your first-time doe likely won't show any interest in the nest until closer to kindling. Most people add the nest box at 28 days and it is usually 30 - 31 days before kindling occurs. A first-timer doesn't really know what is happening and so may not show much interest, whereas the experienced doe knows what that box is for. At least... that's the way I see it. :shrug:


----------



## Beaniemom (May 25, 2007)

Well, you can palpitate at 10 days, but I stink at it. I just wait about 35 days, and if there are no babies, rebreed.


----------



## SILEIGH (Jul 11, 2007)

my rabbits usually fatten up in the last 4-5 days 

first timers are clueless --- they drop the kits then go  then build a nest 

sometimes the kits dont make it they get cold and die of exposure , i shouldn't say sometimes more like alot of times

then the 'clean the baby' instinct kicks in and they can be overly aggresive doing that and hurt the kits 

i guess what im saying is its her first time and yours - cut yourself and her some slack 
first times are rough its not her fault if things go wrong or yours

she has not done this before so shes gonna mess up and learn from it

most breeders dont even expect a first litter to make it at all

my first times have done ok -- some loses but after a day or two they calm down and do ok 

and i had one experianced doe that just had a terrible survival rate :flame: if the kits survived the birth then they were ok but she lost about half the litter every time :flame: 

it just depends on the rabbit 
hope you get lucky and have a super bunny mom :hobbyhors


----------



## Beaniemom (May 25, 2007)

Mine have all been pretty much fine, assuming I KNEW they were preg. and gave them a box... I had one who came bred (and I didn't know it) and had them all over my basement, but she cared for them just fine once they were in a box.

I wonder if proper nest building/kit care is genetic? Good Moms have does that are good moms?

I have 3 first timmers due this go around, and 2 who've had litters. I'm hoping all goes well!


----------



## AprilW (Nov 25, 2007)

Palpating is a good method if you know how to do it properly. I think 10 days is a little early, I always wait until around 12-14 days. At day 14 the babies are large enough to feel. If you know of a breeder near you who can teach you how to palpate, that's the best way to learn. If you don't know a local breeder, take a doe (or buck) that isn't bred and GENTLY squeeze the lower tummy (between to the rear legs) compared to a doe on her 14th day of pregnancy. If the doe is pregnant you can feel the kits, they'll feel like grapes.

It has been my experience that good mothers come from good mothers.


----------

