Do you have a pet rabbit? If you have a female, it will be convenient that you know how to distinguish if your pet is going to have young, especially if you usually have it in outdoor spaces such as gardens since it is more likely to be fertilized by a male of its species.
You must be prepared for this fact, and the more you know their physiology, the less surprises you will have with reproduction. We tell you how to know if your rabbit is pregnant so you can start planning her future.
Palpation
The best method to know if your rabbit is pregnant is by palpation since if your pet expects a considerable litter, there will surely be some external signal. Veterinarians often gently inspect the doe's abdomen with their hands to see if she is expecting young; it will be possible to feel the babies from 2 weeks of pregnancy.
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You must be very careful and skilled to notice fetuses without doing any harm, and if you don't seem capable, see a doctor do it. It is not recommended to feel a pregnant rabbit once 2 weeks have passed since the last reproduction because it could harm the fetuses' development.
To do the palpation, you have to take your rabbit and, with your right hand, grasp her ears and one of her shoulders so you will keep her upper body immobile. With your left hand, gently grasp the lower part of your body between your pelvis and your hind legs; then place your thumb on the right area and the rest on the left. If your female is pregnant, you will surely feel the embryos inside. They will be tiny, the size of a grape, or a cherry.
Weighing
Another way to know if your doe is expecting babies is by weighing her. The normal thing is that if your female is pregnant, she will gain weight, although that variation will not be very drastic. To detect, use a precision scale to compare your old weight with your current one.
A pregnant rabbit gains an average of 0.030 kilos in the first week of pregnancy. And at the end of the second week, your weight will increase by about 0.060 kg. After these small changes, few more oscillations will be observed.
Consult a Veterinarian
The safest option to know if your rabbit is pregnant is to go to the veterinarian for the examination and palpation. A good professional will know how to touch your pet's body without harming its progeny; Also, you can also do some tests such as ultrasound or ultrasound to be 100% certain after the first 6 days of pregnancy. With this test, you will have a definitive answer about the state of your rabbit.
Learn About Your Rabbits
If you cannot afford this alternative every two to three, you should learn the rabbits' life cycle: in general, rabbits reach sexual maturity between the ages of three and six months.
You must know that rabbits can begin to conceive from the first 12 weeks of life, although it is not recommended for their safety and well-being, that is, if your pet is not yet 3 months old, it will not be pregnant. But from that moment, and up to 6 months, the chances of conceiving begin to increase. Once your doe is more than 2 or 3 years old, she is considered too old to have young, so the probability of pregnancy is much lower.
Learn About the Reproduction Patterns of Your Rabbit
It is also convenient that you know the reproduction patterns of this species. Rabbits can reproduce throughout the year, although males are less fertile both in high and low temperatures, the most normal thing is that they conceive in autumn and spring.
Despite all this, the reality is that rabbits are capable of reproducing at any time. Rabbits do not have a heat period. They have what is known as induced ovulation; that is, the female prepares for conception 8 hours after interacting with the male.
Look Out for Nests
Another sign that your doe is pregnant is that you find some nest since, by instinct, they tend to build nests when they are expecting babies. Typically, a pregnant female covers her nest with hair and protects it very carefully, so if you have noticed that your doe protects an area, she may be in a state of grace.
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This fact is not very definitive because many females experience psychological pregnancies. A nest assumes that the female is developing her maternal instinct and maybe an indication.
Adapted and translated by The Cop Cart Staff
Sources: Uncomo
