Help! My Rabbit is not getting bred after the third time!

[polish15]

My rabbit is three years old. I tried to breed her for the first time this year and after the third time around she is still not bred. Do you think this doe is too old? I know the buck has bred before but not recently. We left the buck in the cage till it fell over. The buck is two and a half years old. Any suggestions?

 

[MBLayfield]

How long are you leaving her in with the buck? How is the light where they are housed? Light effects fertility in rabbits. I keep mine in the barn and had trouble breeding. I took a few boards off the windows and i have several new litters. Heat also effects fertility. What breed are they? Mine are older than three years and so far I haven't had any problems.

 

[Maidservant]

Most breeders suggest a does first breeding be between 8 and 10 months of age. Does can become sterile if they aren't bred often enough (I think if they go over two years, could be wrong though). I've got a 2 yr old buck and a 1.5 yr old doe that are still going strong. My 8 month old NZW and my 1.5 yr old English Spot both just had litters. I typically breed every other month.

I must agree, heat (and cold) can affect fertility. Have you tried breeding, seperating, then putting them back together again an hour later? Rabbits are induced ovulators, which means the females don't go into heat until they are bred. Have you ever had any other litters from either of them? What breed are they?

Be sure to take the doe to the bucks cage, otherwise the either the buck will just sniff around and try to mark the does cage, or the doe will get territorial and can hurt the buck.

 

[lacyloo]

I leave my bucks in with the does for about 20 mins

 

[polish15]

The rabbits are blue dutch rabbits. The light is good. They are outside in a hutch. I am leaving her in for about 3 or 5 minutes. Did you breed your rabbits before the third year?

 

[NewHopePoultry]

Since she has never been bred before, it may be too late.

When ready to breed the doe, take it to the buck's cage. Never bring the buck to the doe's cage. The reason for this is that the buck has less tendency to breed in the doe's cage. He's too busy sniffing around the cage.

 

[Maidservant]

It may be too late for her. How cold is it getting at night where you are? It is still getting down into the 40's here (in NC) at night. Mine will not breed below that.

Next time, leave her in for about 20 minutes. You want the buck to fall off a few times. Then count an hour from when you remove her, and put her back in with him for another 20 or so minutes.

Hope this helps!

 

[polish15]

The doe has never had a litter before. She is a little fat. But not that fat. It is about 45 degrees when we breed them. We did take the doe to the bucks cage. The doe did let him breed her every time. We did put them back together about four hours later three times a day. We did this once a month for two months. We did it for the third time today, but the buck did not fall of this time. Should we keep trying, or do you think this is hopeless? We have never bred rabbits before.

 

[lacyloo]

Make sure she goes to his cage, otherwise he will want to check her "smelly" cage out.

But she may need more time with him ?

But If rabbits are like guinea pigs then, after never being bred and having babies by 1 year old then their pelvis bones fuse and she can not successful give birth.

 

[lacyloo]

Maby she could have been born sterile?
If you really want babies, find another doe.