Rabbit gestation is anywhere from 28-32 days. However usually they have them the 31st day.
Test Breeding
Many people check if the doe is pregnant by returning her to the buck. The theory is that if the doe accepts,
she is not pregnant, and if she does not accept, she is pregnant. This is not neccessarily true. Unlike most other animals does could
accept even when they are pregnant, and vice versa. Doe's have two cervical openings and the uterine horns aren't
connected, and it is possible that she could get pregnant in one horn and not the other. If she accepts, it may concieve another
litter in the other horn as a result of test mating. This could cause trouble at the time of kindling because of the hormonal
environment, and this could result in mummified fetuses of the other litter, and death of the doe.
Palpating
Palpating is when you check to see if a doe is pregnant. This procedure is done quickly, and is very simple.
You can even do it to a doe in her cage. I palpate my does about 10 days after I breed. To do this you feel the
abdominal wall of the doe (the lower part of the mid-section). When palpating at 10 days, the fetuses will fell like
just ripened blueberries. Inbetween the 10th and 14 day the fetuses will grow to the size of a grape, they also become less
firm. After the 14th day, it is harder to feel the fetuses, because the become bigger. A lot of breeders have trouble palpating
because they are not aggressive enough as they feel they will injure the embryos. That is very rare. When the placenta forms,
(7 days after fertilization) the embryo is sorrounded by a membrane called amnion. What is felt during palpation, is
the fluid filled amnion rather than the embryo. If that is squeezed, it's only the fluid being displaced, not the embryo.
The doe should be palpated at 28 days right before you put the nestbox in just to make sure.
Schedule
-10-14 days after you breed, you want to palpate the doe
-27 days after you breed put nestbox in does cage (breeders usually put the nestbox in on the 28th day,
but they could kindle on that day)
-28-31 days after you breed the doe is due (usually they have them on the 31st day)
-10 days after the doe kindles, the kits should open their eyes.
-3 weeks after the doe kindles, remove the nestbox.
-8 weeks wean kits. (I wean my kits gradually at 8 weeks, keep them together for one week after
that)
