My pregnant rabbit is overdue and nesting. Why isn't she giving birth?

Thanks for reaching out about Spot. This is not normal. Is she actively contracting? Usually parturition (birthing) is fairly quick in rabbits since the fetuses are very small. Spot should be seen by a veterinarian as soon as possible to assess and provide a diagnostic/treatment plan. In the meantime try to disturb her as little as possible, to reduce stress. Good luck.

She may go off her feed or eat more, get aggressive, dig in corners or pull clumps of fur out to fortify a nest. She will build her nest and kindle where she feels most comfortable. You can use a rolled up towel or washcloth to make a border on the edge of the nest if you want. Whatever you do though, don't stress her out as this could cause her to a random the kits or worse.

If she is acting abnormal then you need to get her to a vet for an exam. If she is acting normal this just could have been a late expulsion of a placenta from the last kit that was born. If she is sick, not eating, lethargic, etc then she needs a vet right away as there may be a dead kit inside her still.

Thanks for reaching out about Lola. Late in the pregnancy you might be able to palpate fetuses, but should be careful not to damage them. With pseudopregnancy she can nest build, have mammary development and vulvar engorgement and lactate, so not easy to tell. A veterinarian should be able to ultrasound, but you will know in a short time either way as gestation is less that a month. Good luck.

At this point in time, she should be physically examined by your veterinarian or a vet experienced in treating rabbits. Pregnancy can be confirmed or ruled out by the vet. Any underlying cause of pain can also be diagnosed and treated. Supportive care can be administered as indicated.

I am happy that you are paying close attention to your rabbit and her babies. It's likely that she is being super clean and actually eating the feces and cleaning away any urine from her nest as soon as its produced to keep her babies clean as well. Make sure she has plenty of food, hay and clean water. Rabbits prefer to raise their kittens without being disturbed so try not to handle her too much.

They are quite cute! The best way to determine pregnancy in a rabbit is via a physical exam. Other symptoms include weight gain, nesting, fur pulling or aggressive behavior. Gestation is short, about 4 weeks. They can mate as soon as a few days after kindling (giving birth), so it would be recommended to separate them until you can determine genders and pregnancy status. You can read about how to determine sex in rabbits at the link below. https://www.petcoach.co/article/sexing-rabbits/