Rough first time - now what

So I purchased two Netherlands Dwarfs with pedigrees and wanted to try my hand at the breeding thing and see how it went. We newly moved to a farm and I have a young daughter who is seven. I recently built a nice large indoor hutch for them with a partition that can be added to separate the doe and buck. They are from different rabbitrys and did bond amazingly on the first day. They are like two peas in a pod! Anyhow I figured she would get pregnant right away. I guessed the 31st day and there was no sign of the hay moustach or fur pulling, but on about day 35 that started like mad - digging her litter all over the cage, the haystache, and fur pulling. She and he were allowed to be together up until that day and are allowed to free range around the house during the day. She picked a spot in a little cat house (that the cats never use) to make her nest. So I took apart the cat tree, put the house in the hutch, put the divider in and let her do her thing. My daughter noted that she had something hanging out of her and I got her to the hutch and closed her in. About 4 hours later the poor thing was still hanging out of her, was cold to the touch and it was clear she needed help. My daughter was amazing I held Lavendar on my lap and waited for contractions and I pulled gently. Eventually the kit came out, but (sorry sad and disgusting) the head came off. It was a HUGE kit considering her size. I measured 6.5 inches (without the head). She was still bearing down throughout the night, and the following morning she passed the head. What a beauty he would have been, so cute and tiny toungue hanging out of mouth. Today she pushed out what seems to be the placenta (?) firm sac like thing with long thing attached. She seems to be back to "normal" now - no more pulling fur - pushed hay and fur out of her nest, and is eating normally now and free ranging the house. We have still kept her and the buck separate though. So my questions are - when is a good time to allow them together again? She actually climbed up the hardware mesh and squeezed through the small gap and got into his side this morning. My daughter caught them and we separated them right away. We would like to try again and I have heard the sooner the better. Once we try again and we are sure they have bred - can they still be allowed to be together? Are singletons normal? Was he so huge because she was a few days past due? I hope we did the right thing by gently pulling him out. All this first time stuff is a little scary! :?

Dwarfs can have a problem with large kits if they only have one and if they go over the due date. I'd just let them together once so that you know when she was bred, and then only let her in cage when it come close to the due date so that she builds the nest in a proper nest box. Netherlands dwarfs often have problems with giving birth, and are considered hard to raise.

Give her a bit of time before you breed her again - while she is probably pretty fertile right now, she is probably really sore too. I'd give her a couple weeks

Yikes... yeah, that's not a fun way to start!

I will say, if she managed to sneak over to his cage, I would go ahead and mark that day down and have a nest box ready. It takes a mere seconds for them to breed successfully!

Yeah, she probably is already pregnant

Unfortunately it sounds like the kit was breech/tail first as well as being huge

Normally I recommend waiting a week or two after a traumatic birth so she can heal before getting bred again which can potentially introduce bacteria to the reproductive tract

Please keep a close eye on her for lack of appetite or fever or vaginal discharge that could indicate infection

Yes, would have liked to wait at least a week - can't believe the bunny shenanigans ! This morning alone I had to make three adjustments to the hutch I built as she was trying EVERYTHING possible to get to him. He is just chilled out in his side, but she is digging at the side of the hutch, climbing the hardware mess, managed to squeeze past the side of the divider I made... Luckily all while I was there watching so I was able to make the adjustments! I think the other morning they were only together for a few seconds, but my daughter said he was trying to "ride" her (lol) so I have marked down the date...

Goodness.



I was able to get a good look at her vent today and she looks much better no swelling and she has been eating and drinking really well again.

What an adventure. :shock: