Thinking of trying a colony

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ajharris

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I have 17 rabbits at the moment. I have a trio of Ca's,one of the does has 2 suprise kits, 5 standard rex, and 6 NZ's. I want to start a colony for each breed. How do I introduce the rabbits to each other without fur and blood flying? I haven't even started the colony part yet, but I want to learn about them. Right now they are all in wire cages, and I figure they would be alot happier and a lot cooler in a colony setting.



Thanks,
Amanda
 
With adult does, it's VERY hard to do. I had two (mother and daughter) who lived together for 3 months, then I separated them because the SR doe was bred again...the daughter lived right next to Mama...but when I tried to put them back together, Mama tried to kill the younger. :shrug:

Juniors, seem just fine with combining, and then they form a "unit" of bonded females. I just put 3 unrelated 3 and 4 month old does into a colony and they just sniffed each other and started to play. They're grooming each other, and just generally starting to be pals.

I've found with my groups, that it's easy to put a DOE in with the buck and leave her there, tho. They seem to get along just fine. After the first few hours of the buck being only interested in procreation, he settles down and starts being friendly. Then the grooming and bonding starts. I take my Angora buck to the colony does and just plop him in with them. They all accept him and end up treating him like the little Sultan that he is ;)

I'd start by putting my juniors in with each other (does only) from your breedings, and that can be the start of the colony. Or just moving Mom and her litter into a colony, and as they grow, just remove the bucks. I'm working on an experiment with my bucks...if they grow up together, and are placed in a pen in another ROOM from the does, they seem to get along quite well. It's when they can see or smell the females that they start fighting. So far, it's working. (it's how I keep my poultry..roos in a BIG pen down on the far end of a field. No problems at all other than the normal pecking order. It's only when a female is moved in nearby that the fighting starts)
 
That's tough. I'd try by first housing them next to each other, in NOT huge cages..so that they have to sit near each other and would get used to the other does. After a few weeks of that, I would probably try the colony...Make sure the colony area is HUGE so that they can run away. probably long and narrow is much better than a same sq foot square. So...4x12 would be better than 5x5.

The colony would have to have a couple of tunnels, and at least one "house". That way the does could run through the tunnel to get away...hop into a house and hide. If they don't immediately try to kill each other, you could leave them for a bit. (I'd also put 2 feeders and waterers in...at different ends.

You'll have to watch them VERY carefully. AFter a while, if they get along, you could move them to a different configuration..square or round.

I think I would probably put the whole bunch in at once, depending on the number...up to 4...and the size you're giving them. That waythay can fight out the pecking order all at once.

OR...you breed your does, and use their offspring for your colony.
 
Thanks Ann. All my rabbits right now are in wire cages that are butted up to each other. I only have a buck and a doe that aren't caged next to the other ones. I will give it a try.
 
I've only used colony pens over two winters - to make caring for the does easier. The buck was in his own pen alongside. I had three does - a mother and two daughters from different litters. Momma ruled the roost, but apart from a few ritual laps around the pen at feeding time, there was very little friction. I may simply have been lucky with the particular rabbits. The area, as I recall, was about 5 feet by 8 feet, plus a couple of off the ground features to add interest and space.

I want to try a colony again this fall. I'll make it a bit more elaborate, with nesting tunnels and more shelves. I can give my current three does and a buck an area about 8 feet square... maybe a tad more. It must be rat and weasel proof, which makes it a challenge with scavenged materials. But I want to give it a try.
 
I've had good results introducing adult does IF:

1) All the does are introduced to a new colony at once, so they are all equally uncomfortable and new to their surroundings and have laid to claim. I really can not emphasize enough how important it is that the does are unfamiliar with their surroundings. It provides just the distraction they need to get past their differences.
2) There are lots of places to hide, obstacles if one gives chase, and plenty of room.
3) Use common sense with the rabbits. You know them, do you know two or more of them to be very dominant, pushy personalities? These will be more likely to never learn to get along. Think of "warren dynamics". There are pecking orders with rabbits like other species, and if you try to have two top does in the same space, there will be issues.

Other than that, throw 'em all in together and watch carefully for a bit. There will probably be some scuffles, but when I followed those rules I have never felt like I had to interfere for the safety of one of the animals, and they worked it out.
 
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