Doe is nesting - I think!

Hi

I'm new here, and know very little about my new rabbits, so I'm hoping someone can advise me please.

I recently rescued a doe who had been loose for a few days. Details are in my introduction thread, but cutting a long story short, it is possible she has been exposed to a male. I have some details from her previous owner, she isn't spayed, and had a first litter of 6 kits last year that all died.

This morning, when I went to change her food & water, there were bits of fluff flying around the garden. She isn't spending much time in the sleeping compartment, mostly staying in the 'downstairs' run. I opened the door by a few inches to check in there, and it's full of her hair. She also wont allow us to handle her (she was friendly last week!), and actually bit her old owner for the first time when they came to collect her (before they gave her back), and bit my husband yesterday.

I'm not sure how much food she ought to be eating (I read that she'd be eating double if pregnant), but she's getting through a couple of bowls of Johnsons Complete, 2 apples, 4/5 baby sweetcorn, broccoli by the ton and hay every day.

Is there any way to tell if she's actually pregnant or having a phantom pregnancy, or are these signs of distress?

Thanks in advance!

Carmen

I'm not very experienced with pregnant does as my recent track record goes!! But my does all pulled masses of fur out and were not long in giving birth afterwards. They also were very unhappy about being touched in any way so I left them alone. Unfortunately Spot lost her litter after a couple of days, but Fudge has got 2 week old kittens doing very well.

Thanks

She's eating at the mo, but most of the time sits in the run, come rain or shine. She goes up for food & water, but goes straight back down into the run after. If I go out there though, she dashes into the sleeping compartment.

I think time will tell. Should I just leave her, or can I look in the nest? Dont know if I will freak her out if there are babies in there? She's had a tough time this last few weeks, running away, getting caught, sent home, attacked by the original owners cat, then bought back here. So I dont want to upset her. I was going to clean the hutch today, but, from what I read so far, I should leave her shouldn't I?:?

Carmen

through pregnancy a doe shouldnt be fed any more then normal as it could make the kits bigger causig problems pushig them out during birth but after birth increase her food intake as she'll need teh extra nutrients. its possible she could be pregnant but its also that time of year for fake pregnancies i find unspeyed does ca be nice one minute and aggressive the next through homones

if she has had a few stressful days like you said that may been a cause. I always found the babies when I opened the bedroom 'door' on the hutch. Both does had theirs in the same area. As soon as I saw the nest moving I left them only to check rarely due to previous baby deaths, but increased food and hay.