Sunday, January 24, 2010

Why is my rabbit drinking over a pint of water a day?

I have a pregnant doe that was due on April 17th. It is now the 20th and no babies. She continuosily drinks over a pint of water a day. I am not sure this is normal. It is not extremely hot and her cage is shaded.Why is my rabbit drinking over a pint of water a day?
If the 17th was the 31st day after breeding, then today is the 34th... there is a pretty good chance that the breeding did not ';take';. Rabbits do not usually go ';over'; their due date by more than 3 days. Either she ';missed'; or she re-absorbed the fetus'. (Could you have miscounted days since the breeding?)


Not knowing the breed (and size) of the doe, I don't know how much water she usually consumes, but my giants can drink more than that normally...


Keep an eye on her and if you still think she has babies in her, take her to a vet to be checked. If she retains a baby, it can kill her if not expelled.Why is my rabbit drinking over a pint of water a day?
She's thirsty! And remember, there are likely several babes in that sac...which contains amniotic fluid. The fluid is scarce at this point - not much room for the fluid. It's quite likely she's already had her water break and she is trying to replenish...it's just her body keeping it from dehydrating.

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