Got rabbits? need some info on breeding

[sillygoose4ever]

I only leave my male rabbits in w/ the females for about 5 minutes. They get pregnant every time though so far. It only take rabbits about a month to have babies when they are bred. Good Luck...!

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

As Golden sunrise Ranch said, ours have babies in 31 days also.

I was looking at your pics & if I read the captions right, the white male rabbit is the male you are using to breed, right?

The pictures may not show the sizes of your rabbits very well, but I'm not sure I would breed him to your doe. She looks like a small breed rabbit in the picture. The buck looks like a large breed. In my opinion this may give her some trouble having kits.
I never use a large breed buck with a small breed doe. I will, however breed a small buck to a large doe if I want to get some medium sized rabbits.

When we breed, we also take the doe to the buck. We stand there & watch them. The buck will "hump" the doe whether he breeds or not, but if he actually breeds her, he will scoot his back legs forward, fall onto his butt, then fall over backwards or off to the side. Some of our bucks will also squeal at this time.

If the doe won't breed, she is not in heat. We check them daily, morning & evening, until she comes in & breeds. After breeding, we take her out & wait for about 10 minutes & try again. We may do this 2 to 3 times. We do have some bucks that will breed does several times in a row while she is in their pen.
We also try again the next day, but most of our does only will breed one day, and a few will breed for 3 days in a row.

Keep us informed how it goes. And you can also email me too if you have any more questions. I can tell you what works for us.

Jean

 

[bantymum]

Hey friends, do your bunnies have a comfy spot to lie down away from the wire? Thei'r little tootsies dont like treading on wire all day, perhaps a carpet square in a corner!!!!

Im a bunny saviour as I was a bunny in my previous life!Joke
I used to breed mini lops but freeranged them except for nesting time. I couldnt find NICE homes for my babies so I had the males desexed and prevented any more litters!
Have fun and good luck!

 

[goldensunriseranch]

Mine are pretty comfy. They have a thing called a foot-saver in their cages and lots of hay to make a soft spot with. Plus nest boxes. For having over 100 I'd say mine are quite spoiled.

Carpet in the cage would be a no-no. They could eat it (which is very likely) and get a digestive block. They make grass mats that would work well for someone with a very small # of rabbits, mine destroy them into bits instantly however.

 

[bantymum]

Oh good on you, thats lovely, mine never ate the carpet, I guess they had lots of other things to chew on.
They love apple/pear tree branches, they must taste sweet.

 

[okiechick57]

Quote:
Hi, I have an enclosed section on the smaller hutch, which holds the doe......she is taking all the alfalfa I am giving her to eat and already making a little nest................so it must have worked......I am planning on putting a piece of carpet in with the bucks........... thanks for all the advie everyone.........

 

[okiechick57]

Quote:
Hi, No I bred her with the smaller brown and white buck...the White buck is HUGE and he came after the fact......so when I find a larger doe..........he will get a "wife"

I will keep you informed for sure.............so many helpful people here.......

 

[okiechick57]

Quote:
OVER 100?

wow........ 3 is sounding like enough for me.......

 

[Rafter 7 Paint Horses]

okiechick57

I am glad to hear that you bred to the Dutch buck. I was a little worried about mentioning my concerns about the sizes. Sometimes when suggestions are posted, it is easy to take offense to them. Since you can't tell by words, the tone it is intended in. I am usually a very matter of fact type person, & I have watch how I word things to not sound like I'm telling you how to tend to your business. LOL!

I agree with goldensunrise about the carpet being a no-no. Besides them eating it, if the doe tears it up to make her nest, the fibers can get wrapped around the babies necks & kill them. I've heard this happened on another board.

Another thing you will need is salt in their cages. We use both a white salt & a mineral salt spool in every cage. That way they can get what they need when they want it.

I have heard that some people use pieces of drywall in the cages for them to get off the wire. I was told it had to be replaced often, but haven't used it. I use scrap lumber (untreated) for mine right now. It gives them something to chew on also. I have 2 for each cage, & when they wet on them, I change them, clean the wet one & let it sit in the sun to dry.

I'm trying to figure out a way to fix a hay feeder for my rabbits so they don't waste so much, anybody have any ideas? I can't buy the plastic ones, I also have over 100 cages of rabbits, so cost is a big factor to me. I need ideas of homemade ones. Hay is so expensive here right now, I need to waste as little as possible.

Jean

 

[okiechick57]

Quote:
Oh Please don't worry about me taking things the wrong way....I have learned to read words and not read anything else into them.........you did it very well. NO offense taken ....... Also..you did tell me the buck was a dutch.I didnt know that

Thank you for all the advice........I will forget the carpet and she has takin all her hay into her little part of the den that is comfy and covered,it has a wood floor and with all her fur is quite nice now........ her coop came with a miniature hay feeder that is metal....... but I also need to figure out another way for the bucks........hope someone else has an idea or two for us.........