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Possibly Pregnant Bunny

Jem

Young Bun
On of my friends rabbits managed to get together with the other overnight(a 1 week neutered boy) so we think theres a fair chance shes now pregnant. Apparently shes already nest building (including fur plucking) and it's only been 2 weeks since the unfortunate encounter. Does this mean she is pregnant or could it be a false pregnant (what there hoping for).

Also she's a mini rabbit and the father is medium sized, could this cause complications? I did advise them to spay her back when they first suspected she was pregnant but they said their vet refused as she was too young (only 13 weeks - i did say this was old enough but they didn't want to go against there vet). Anyway they've decided to leave it to see if they're going to be lucky or not.

So what else should they look out for, will she grow much in size (she is tiny and so far no growing). Does the nest building mean she's deffinaitly pregnant and will the baby's be big like the father causing complications.

Any advice i can pass on would be great, they seem reluctant to try this forum so i thought i'd try for them.

Thanks

Jem
 
I think (but not an expert), that with REAL pregnancies, the- nest building is immediately before the birth of babies. so that would be 28-32 days after the buns got together. The nesting period doesn't last very long either. I think with phantom pregnancies it lasts a few days. Bun might need spaying to avoid phantoms, & my vet will spay 2 weeks into a pregancy to avoid babies - though not everyone is comfortable with that - I didn't used to be, but now get everybun spayed if there's a chance of pregnancy wihen I foster.
 
I think it's going to be a case of wait and see - 13weeks is still young enough that she may not be caught, most female tend to mature a little older than that, and with the addition that he was a week neutered there is the possability she's get away with it. 13 weeks is young to spay and like Angie said there is the dilema as to where you stand with spaying when the female may be pregnant - fortunately I haven't had to deal with that one yet. And yes, pregnant females tend to nest build a lot later, like the night they give birth, so she may well be having a phantom pregnancy and I would recommend, if she doesn't give birth over the next couple of weeks, that your friend gets her spayed as soon as she and the vet are happy to do so.
 
It's difficult to say, of course, but I'd say that it's more likely she's having a phantom pregnancy. These can be triggered by contact with a male, and usually last around 17 days, which is about right for the fur pulling. At 13 weeks old she'd be fairly unlucky to have got pregnant by a just-neutered buck, so fingers crossed everything will be ok. Obviously keep an eye out just to be sure, but hopefully she has been lucky!
 
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