New Rabbits, need a more seasoned opinion

I just bought 2 holland lop does yesterday. They are 6 months and change, the woman was going to sell me a doe and a buck, but her daughter decided she really wanted the buck, so she bred them for me yesterday morning. I just started a 4H club and a few of the families do not have rabbits yet and plan to wait to see if the pregnancy takes and how many survive. This is both does first litter.

Now, these rabbits were 4H projects for a 5 yr old, and are as sweet as pie. One of them just kind of laid down and she is just chilling, the other one is moving around, immediately started to eat, and exploring. Last night I tried to pick up the more active one, she resisted so I stopped, and then I went to clean the shavings out of her bowl and she hissed loudly and dove from the other side of the cage at me.

I am assuming that it is likely due to the various stresses that she has experienced yesterday, from the breeding for the first time, to a new home and strange people. She is also digging like hell.


Could having my mini rex buck in the same room agitate them as well? He has been jumping and running around his cage ALL day. I think it is called a binky?<br /><br />__________ Tue Dec 03, 2013 11:48 am __________<br /><br />no one has an opinion?

My rabbits dig when they are about to kindle. Is it possible that she was bred before yesterday morning?

I have one rabbit that digs a lot once she's been serviced and it gets more intense/frequent when she's about to kindle. Everything else sounds pretty normal for new rabbits in a new location - the bad attitude may simmer down once she's more secure with her new home. I do have two does that I got in September who still grunt and growl at me when I handle them but it's more talk than show.

Your buck is probably pretty excited that you bought him two new girlfriends Don't know if it's really bothersome to the does but he sounds pretty happy about his new friends!

MamaSheepdog":3i17c7r5 said:

My rabbits dig when they are about to kindle. Is it possible that she was bred before yesterday morning?

Click to expand...

I don't think so, the woman had no idea what she was doing, I had to tell her that when she does it, she needs to put the doe in with the buck, yada yada. They've never been in the same area not caged, before.<br /><br />__________ Tue Dec 03, 2013 12:27 pm __________<br /><br />

Wheels":3i17c7r5 said:

I have one rabbit that digs a lot once she's been serviced and it gets more intense/frequent when she's about to kindle. Everything else sounds pretty normal for new rabbits in a new location - the bad attitude may simmer down once she's more secure with her new home. I do have two does that I got in September who still grunt and growl at me when I handle them but it's more talk than show.

Your buck is probably pretty excited that you bought him two new girlfriends Don't know if it's really bothersome to the does but he sounds pretty happy about his new friends!

Click to expand...

Well that is good to hear, I was thinking maybe it is a combo of the stress and the hormones from being serviced.

mommaofmany":n6kyb9w9 said:

no one has an opinion?

Click to expand...

Just so you know, it can take a while to get answers sometimes. It depends on when your question appeared and who is on at the time.