Pseudopregnancy is also referred to as phantom or false pregnancy. It occurs most commonly in entire (unspayed) female rabbits due to hormones rising during the seasonal breeding season.

Pulled fur on the dewlap due to a false pregnancy ©Brendan Carmel

A pseudopregnancy is when the rabbit acts and looks as if it is pregnant, but it is not, there is no fetus. The condition is usually driven by hormones, causing the rabbit to believe it is pregnant, often right up until it is due to give birth. Pregnancy (real or imagined) can be stressful to the rabbit, and it will usually need some support during this time.

Pseudopregnancy occurs most commonly in entire (unspayed) female rabbits due to hormones rising during the seasonal breeding season (late winter to early autumn). Hormones are at their peak in spring and if there is a male rabbit housed nearby, or an attempted breeding, the female rabbit can develop a pseudopregnancy.

Typical signs of pseudopregnancy include:

• Increased hormonal behavior: during a pseudopregnancy, the rabbit is likely to become increasingly hormonal, with an increase in aggression and territorial behaviors such as biting, lunging, and growling.
• Nesting behaviors: rabbits will collect nesting material (fur and hay) and take this to a secure nesting area. They are often seen carrying the fur, with hay and straw from the environment, in their mouth.
• Fur plucking: rabbits will pluck fur from their stomach, flanks, and dewlap (chest) to use as nesting material. If they are housed with another rabbit, they may pluck fur from them as well.
• Mammary development: even though the rabbit is not pregnant, during pseudopregnancy their mammary glands may increase in size, and there may be some milk production.

Most pseudopregnancies last from 16-17 days and will resolve on their own without any treatment or intervention; however, they can reoccur if the rabbit is not neutered.

Pseudopregnancies are extremely stressful for the affected rabbit. Territorial defense and plucking fur from other rabbit companions can cause fighting and bonds to break down. Excessive fur plucking can lead to the rabbit’s skin becoming red and sore. Plucking can sometimes lead to swallowing excessive amounts of fur which can block the gastrointestinal tract. This condition can be fatal if not treated immediately. If the rabbit is hiding away, it might not be eating as frequently, or passing droppings normally. These can lead to gut stasis, so it is important to ensure the rabbit is eating, drinking and passing feces normally. Sometimes the condition can be seen with an infection of the uterus known as pyometra or hydrometra. Early signs of these conditions include signs of blood on the fur around the vulva or in the urine. There may also be enlargement of the abdomen as fluids accumulate in the uterus.

During pseudopregnancy, the rabbit believes it is pregnant so supporting its needs is important to minimize stress. Allow the rabbit a safe place to build a nest where it can have some privacy from others. Avoid removing any attempts it makes for a nest as this can cause it further stress and make it more likely they will pluck further fur to make another. Provide secure nesting places and plenty of hay that it can use as nesting material as this will reduce the likelihood the rabbit will resort to plucking much of its own fur. Make sure your rabbit keeps eating and passing droppings as normal. Ensure it has a good diet, high in fiber (lots of hay and grass), with a small portion of nuggets and some herbs and safe vegetables. If you are concerned your rabbit is not eating normally or passing their normal amount and size of droppings, contact your veterinarian straight away. Contact your veterinarian if you see any abnormal signs such as a sudden increase in the size of the abdomen, decreased appetite, abnormal droppings or urination, excessive sleeping, excessive drinking or urination, lack of responsiveness, any signs of bleeding, any signs of discharge from the nipples, or one side of the mammary glands appearing more swollen than the other or feeling warm to the touch.

Pseudopregnancy can be less likely to occur if the female is not housed near a male rabbit, and if mating does not occur; however, the only reliable preventative is neutering (spaying) of the female rabbit. Neutering (spaying) is especially important for female rabbits who have an extremely high risk of uterine cancer. In fact, up to 80% of female rabbits will get cancer by the age of 5 years if they are not neutered. Neutering is also important for welfare reasons as it reduces stress on the rabbit if she does not have to deal with repeated pseudopregnancies. It also improves welfare as it makes it possible to house the rabbit with another rabbit as a companion. There are many other health and behavior benefits to neutering both male and female rabbits, including: Females

1. Makes them less hormonal and less aggressive.
2. Improves litter training habits.
3. Removes the risk of having pseudopregnancies or from getting pregnant.
4. Removes the risk of uterine infection such as pyometra, and hydrometra.
5. Removes the risk of uterine and mammary cancer.

1. Improves temperament.
2. Improves litter training habits.
3. Stops/lessens mounting behaviors.
4. Stops/lessons the spraying of urine to mark objects/people.
5. As with female rabbits, it also means they can have a companion rabbit.