Is my Doe Pregnant?

This post is aimed for breeders who are unsure if their bunny has 'caught' after being mated. Like most mammals, the females stomach will expand when carrying babies as they grow- this is the most obvious sign of pregnancy! Aside from the obvious weight gain, she will likely begin to eat more food, and most does will also seem to get extra moody as the pregnancy advances.

• ​Weight Gain: I weigh my does post mating and then weekly after they have been mated. This is not always 100% accurate as weight gain doesn't necessarily mean babies but for my experience in the first week of pregnancy the doe gains around 30g, the second week she will gain around 60g and after the 2 week mark, she will start to gain weigh more rapidly- my does gain in between 280g-580g at day 28. 
• Palpating: After around 10-12 days post-mating, you should be able to feel multiple marble-sized bumps inside the rabbit's belly. These small lumps are the baby feotuses and these will be just big enough to gently feel at this time. You will be able to feel the kits at the lower abdomen of the doe. using your thumb and forefinger gently press and rub your fingers into the does lower stomach. You should not palpate after the 12th day of pregnancy as it can damage the kits. 
• Harder Tummy: After a week of mating I tend to find that my does stomach starts to feel more 'bloated' and harder. This is not a for sure way to tell if a does pregnant but it is a 'symptom' I have noticed. Similar to a pregnant human, the does belly will be firmer to the touch and not doughy. Around day 28-33 your does stomach will go rock hard, this will be just before labour/birth.
• Mood Swings: Your doe will become increasingly more aggressive/cranky. This may be portrayed with her throwing her toys round, lunging at you, growling, biting, being less friendly etc
• Appetite: Your doe may want to eat more, and you will find yourself having to give her extra handfuls of hay to usual. In the last week of pregnancy, I increase the amount of food for my does and give them a handful of alfalfa hay alongside their normal hay.
• 'Don't touch my Belly': In the last week of pregnancy I find my does growl/squeak at me when I try and touch their stomach. They may also try and bite you or run away to void being touched. This is normal, as instinctively they are trying to protect their young.
• Nesting: Your doe may not nest until right before thy give birth, but often the does will nest early. After being mated, you may walk in on your doe running round with hay in her mouth. The most obvious sign that a rabbit is beginning to nest is if she's piling up bedding or digging into a corner of the Hutch. A nesting rabbit may also pull her fur out to line the nest, you do not want to be seeing this until at least day 18, as usually if they pull fur before day 17, it indicates a false pregnancy. A doe *usually* pulls fur when in labour or a couple of days before she is due.
• Baby Kicks: You will see small, sharp kicks outwards from inside the doe. This should not be mistaken for gut movements which look more like rolls of the stomach. You will not see kicks until usually the last few days of pregnancy,
  
• Baby Bump: At around the 2 week mark the does stomach will start to grow dramatically. Here is a photo of where the babies are carried on a pregnant doe.