Moulting? or Nesting?

Hi i browse the forum regularly and never needed to post anything until now

This is the first time i have had bunnies, i bought this one particular doe as a baby in september, recently she has started pulling her fur out of her back and chest, Theres no noticable patches but i caught her doing it.

I thought it was strange but figured it might be the way they moult? But when i was cleaning out the hutch, i have found a huge pile of fur in the back corner as like a nest? (but she doesnt look or feel pregnant)

She has been kept with another doe since i've had her - well i am having second thoughts of her sex now!

So really what im asking is, does anyone have any ideas on what causing this?

Stress? Moult? Pregnant? (i hope not) or bored?

Thanks in advance!

Moulting just happens - I'm not aware of them actually pulling the fur out.
It could be a phantom pregnancy - they are quite common in unspeyed does. So she is kept with another rabbit that you think is female? Have you checked to see that this is correct? Male its are usually quite easy to see!
Where did you get your rabbits and how old are they?

Lol yes i know what you mean about it being obvious But i will be getting that checked out tommorrow. Im quite a novice with buns

I got them from an auction and i did ask for them to be sexed at the time which he did and confirmed they're both females (maybe not so true) they were both around 10 weeks old (so i was told) but i had to have them both before some spoilt kids tore them to bits!

I had heard of rabbits having phamtom pregnancies and that would really make sense in this case.

Hello,

I just can you advise to take your buns to the vet if you are not shure that the sexing of them had been right. -

If you found a nest - don't destroy it. The doe will distroy it herself when the phantom-pregnancy will be over. If she is really pregnant - I won't hope it - she needs the nest for her babys.
In the case of getting babys you have to seperate her and the babys from the second bun. Don't change the placing of the nest - because does look about the placing of their nests not at the smell.

Have an eye on your doe - if these phantom pregancys would appear more than three times a year you should think about spaying her.

I hope I could help you in a little way.
Kristina

definatley 2 does, had them checked (phew) i wanted to have them both spayed a few months ago but wanted to wait till they have grown more and didnt want them to be recovering from the op in the cold weeks we have had.

So once this is over they are both booked in!!

Thanks for your help

Glad it was a false alarm! And well done for saving them from an auction
Most vets like to wait until about 6 months before does are speyed (if you know how old they are?) That will really help them - also prevents uterine cancer which is a big killer of female rabbits , so defiitely a good idea

They're now approx 8 months old so i shall definatley have them done

I did read that they should be over 6 months old but i just didnt want to recover in the cold (they're outdoor buns)

My friends poor bun died of that cancer so i suppose i have learnt from her mistake