Female rabbit making a nest?! what shall i do?

I've had her for 17 days she is almost six months old i brought her off a breeder who said she hadn't bred from her as she is to young. I have a male rabbit but he is neutered and her cage is up stairs and his downstairs so they don't see each other. Today she has started digging in her cage and carrying straw in her mouth and putting it in the hole she has dug. I'm really worrying that i brought a pregnant rabbit! or could this be a phantom pregnancy really need some advice. Thank you.

All you can do now is wait I'm afraid, maybe give her a covered box and lots of hay and extra bedding just in case, then she can nest in there.

At her age her hormones will be going bonkers, it could well be a phantom but as you have not had her long only time will tell. If she is close to dropping then you don't want to stress her out so I wouldn't go to the vets, just keep her calm. If this is a phantom get her spayed quickly then you can be sure you don't need to worry again, about babies or cancer!

Good luck :wave:

I am no expert in this by any means and have never experienced 'nesting rabbits' until the last month! We rescued 7 buns - five of them girls all unspayed. Two were pregnant, one started nesting and gave birth within 20 minutes. Another started nesting but nothing happened until she finally gave birth a week later to a still born baby. A third started nesting and we went in to panic mode but worked out she had been with us so no where near a male to get pregnant for 40 plus days so our vet advised us to clean out her cage, put all fresh bedding / hay etc in and let her settle which she did.

I guess you have to sit tight and see if there are babies on the way or not. I believe gestation is 30-31 days - alternatively you could take her to the vet to see if she is pregnant but I would be reluctant to move and mess around a pregnant girl bun and as you don't know, I would sit and wait. Give her a quiet place, some extra hay and keep an eye on her.

Perhaps somebody with more experience will be a long in a while....

Good luck :wave:

im afraid it might be a game of wait and see as 6 months is often the time breeders start breeding their does but they can get pregnant younger than that. the gestation period is about 31-33 days(i think) so until that time has passed i would keep a very close eye on her. nesting can sometimes start near birth. there is a thread on here about accidental litters if she does have babies which is very helpful! i will try and find it for you in a sec. make sure she has loads of hay more so than straw as it very imporatant for their digestion and soft for babies in the nest. :wave:

here you go, just in case all the best and any questions ask on here:wave:

http://forums.rabbitrehome.org.uk/showthread.php?327923-Accidental-Litters-and-Taking-on-Babies

Thank you!

Thanks for every ones advice i suppose i will just wait and see. She makes a low groaning noise when i touch her belly so i'm just going to leave her for now. I'll stock her up with my hay and straw and let nature take its course.