Doe Persuasive Speech

Fourteen days after the breeding, you can try to palpate to see if your doe is pregnant. However, it is very difficult to learn and takes a lot of practice. I have been raising rabbits for six years and still can’t palpate every rabbit. Feel around the lower abdomen with C-shaped hand, underneath the doe. You are feeling for round, blueberry to grape sized objects. At day 28 of pregnancy, you need to provide your doe with a metal or wooden nest box. A nest box should be filled with 1-2” of wood shavings, and hay. Rabbits are usually pregnant for 30-32 days. Expect babies around this time. The doe should pull fur from her belly and dewlap and make a nest. Many first time does will not pull fur or will make a nest in the nest box, it might take a doe a couple tries to have a live litter.

Make sure the kits have full round bellies and another tip, is to provide your doe with a small handful of oats, this helps the doe’s milk come in. Around ten days old, they kit’s eyes will open and they will begin hopping around the cage and it and out of the nest box. You can remove the nest box when the kits are 3 weeks old. At six weeks old, you can start to wean the kits from your doe. I usually take kits two at a time from the doe, to let her milk dry up and prevent mastitis. You might need to wean the kits earlier, depending on the doe, she will let you know when she has had enough of her babies, by running away from them and possibly nipping at them. I have two weaning cages, one for bucks and one for does, this helps prevent the kits from mating with each other. The doe is ready to breed again as soon as she has had her litter, however, it is recommended that you let her rest for a couple of weeks after