How to Identify a Pregnant Rabbit

Rabbits are wonderfully lovable animals and are bred as pets or for business. Sometimes rabbit sellers do not know the rabbit’s condition, so they may sell or adopt rabbits without knowing if they have been spayed or not. ^{[1] X Source of Research} Whether you are planning to breed your rabbit or have just brought in a rabbit and are worried that it is pregnant, understanding rabbit biology and how to check for signs of pregnancy pregnancy will help you plan and prepare your rabbit in advance.

Table of Contents

Determine if the rabbit is pregnant or not

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Touch the rabbit. Female rabbits usually show few outward signs that they are pregnant, unless there are multiple pregnancies. That’s why veterinarians and rabbit breeders must palpate, i.e., gently use their fingers or hands to examine the rabbit’s belly to determine if the rabbit is pregnant. After about 2 weeks of conception, you can feel the baby rabbits in the mother’s belly. ^{[2] X Trusted Source Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations Go to the source} But it takes some skill to know how to feel a rabbit fetus without injuring it. This is a general guide only, and you should not attempt to palpate rabbits unless you are an experienced veterinarian or animal breeder.

Do not touch a pregnant rabbit when the rabbit has been pregnant for more than 14 days. By doing so you may cause harm to the rabbit fetus.
Gently grasp the rabbit’s ears and the skin on the rabbit’s shoulder with your right hand to keep the rabbit’s upper body still. ^{[3] X Research Sources}
Use your left hand to gently lift the back of the rabbit, between the hind legs and the pelvis. ^{[4] X Research Sources}
Gently place your thumb on the right side of the rabbit’s belly and the remaining fingers on the left side of the rabbit’s belly. If the rabbit is pregnant, you will feel the fetuses in the rabbit’s belly. ^{[5] X Research Sources}
When you touch the rabbit’s belly, you can see that each fetus is about the size of a grape. ^{[6] X Research Sources}

Know about the biology of rabbits

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Know about the rabbit’s life cycle. Most rabbit breeds reach sexual maturity at 3-6 months of age. Female rabbits can conceive at 12 weeks of age, however this is not recommended for rabbit health and safety reasons.

If your rabbit is not yet 12 weeks old, there is a good chance that it is not pregnant. If your rabbit is 3-6 months old, it is probably sexually mature and capable of becoming pregnant.
Rabbits older than 2 or 3 years old may be too old and have difficulty conceiving. In this case, your rabbit is probably not pregnant.

Pippa Elliott, MRVCS

Veterinarian at Royal Cplege of Veterinary Surgeons

Dr. Elliott is a veterinarian with over thirty years of experience. She graduated from the University of Glasgow in 1987 and worked as a veterinary surgeon for 7 years. Then, Dr. Elliott worked as a veterinarian in a clinic for over a decade.

Pippa Elliott, MRVCS
Veterinarian at Royal Cplege of Veterinary Surgeons

Veterinarian Pippa Elliott MRCVS warns: “Never rely on rabbits being ‘too old’ to become pregnant as a contraceptive for rabbits. Rabbits are fertile animals, and by nature rabbits. They’re always looking for ways to increase the number of rabbits!”

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Understand the rabbit’s reproductive cycle. Rabbits can breed year-round, although fertility in male rabbits tends to decrease during winter and summer extremes. Rabbits are usually most fertile during mild weather in spring and autumn, however, it is important to remember that rabbits can breed at any time of the year.

Unlike many other animals that have “oestrus,” rabbits ovulate. This means that the female rabbit’s body is ready for conception within 8 hours of mating with the male rabbit.

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Watch for rabbit nesting signs. Female rabbits have an inherent instinct to nest during pregnancy. Female rabbits about to give birth usually line the nest with their fur and are ready to protect the nest. ^{[7] X Trusted Source Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations Go to the source} If you see a rabbit making a nest, it’s likely pregnant. However, some female rabbits have “pseudopregnancy,” where the rabbits nest but are not pregnant. For this reason, nesting behavior is not necessarily a reliable indicator of a pregnant rabbit, although this behavior is indicative of the rabbit’s maternal instincts.

Prepare for baby rabbits

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Separate male and female rabbits. Once you are certain that the female rabbit is pregnant, you need to separate the female rabbit from all the male rabbits. This is because male rabbits can re-pregnant female rabbits within a few hours of giving birth. Thus, the female rabbit will be very stressed and will not be able to wean the litter before the second litter is born. ^{[8] X Research Sources}

Some animal experts recommend finding ways for female and male rabbits to interact when not in the same cage. This is because it can be difficult for female and male rabbits to re-acquaint themselves after the female rabbit gives birth if they have not been socialized during their separate lives. If possible, try placing the female rabbit’s cage and the male rabbit’s cage next to each other so they can communicate over the fence. ^{[9] X Research Source}
It is possible that the male rabbit was trying to mate with his female rabbit. You should separate female and male rabbits to prevent this from happening. ^{[10] X Research Source}

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Know about the gestation period of rabbits. The gestation period for rabbits is from 31 to 33 days. If the rabbit is pregnant beyond this time, it may be a false pregnancy, or the fetus dies in the mother’s womb. Some veterinarians recommend intervention for calving after 32 days of gestation to prevent the risk of complications from stillbirth. ^{[11] X Research Source}

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Make sure to feed the female rabbit an appropriate diet. If the female rabbit is pregnant, it is important that you provide enough water and food for the rabbit. Experts recommend gradually increasing the amount of food for pregnant rabbits. You should feed your rabbit a lot of alfalfa hay, because this grass is very nutritious and will provide additional nutrients needed for pregnant and lactating rabbits. ^{[12] X Research Source}

Advice

Use your fingers to feel deeply into the rabbit’s belly with a slow massage and let the rabbit abdominal muscles relax.
Avoid touching rabbits in the later stages of pregnancy, as this can cause damage to the baby rabbits in the mother’s womb.
Practice palpation before your rabbit becomes pregnant, so you can distinguish small, hard pellets and normal lumps from round, grape-sized fetuses.
Leave the female rabbit alone while caring for the baby rabbit.
The female rabbit will pluck her fur and cover the newborn baby rabbits. You may need to check to make sure the “fur blanket” has gaps so that the baby does not suffocate.
Remember to separate the female rabbit from the male rabbit. That way the female rabbit will not be pressured.
Try not to interact with the mother, as the mother may be stressed and will not breastfeed.
Never put your hand near the mother rabbit, the rabbit can bite very painfully and injure you.
If your rabbit is making a nest or acting aggressive in your presence, it’s a sign that it’s pregnant

Warning

Keep your veterinarian’s phone number in case something goes wrong while your rabbit is pregnant, giving birth, or after.
Don’t let the male rabbit stay in the female rabbit’s cage when the female rabbit gives birth. Female rabbits can conceive as soon as a few hours after giving birth, and it is possible that a male rabbit is trying to mate with a nursing female.
There is a phenomenon of false pregnancy in female rabbits. Female rabbits can make nests and give birth, but are not actually pregnant. Consult your doctor if you think your rabbit is in pain.
Do not share male rabbits with baby rabbits. When the baby rabbit reaches sexual maturity, the male rabbit may attempt to mate with his female rabbit.

Steps

Determine if the rabbit is pregnant or not

Know about the biology of rabbits

Prepare for baby rabbits

Advice

Warning

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