A friend for a breeding buck? And light..

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Zab

Zab

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I know.. my rabbits own me. >_>

Aaaanyway.. I'm rethinking my plan of set-up.. instead of building a new pen next to the other two, I could just put a net in one of the old horse stalls.. it gives more space (about 14 square metres.. 150 square foot if that converter is right.. :? ) with less work and money. And keep the does in a colony style.. only downside with that is light.. even with all doors and windows open there's not overly bright in that corner.. Will a regular bulb hanging from the ceiling do? I mean it's not completely dark in summertime with doors open, but there isn't any direct sunlight.
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And.. my poor buck Koriander would be all alone outside in the other pens.. at first I figured I could keep one breeding doe in the pen next to his but then I remembered I need that pen for the male kits when they're separated from their mothers. So I need that pen empty all other times.
Do you think my breeding buck could like it with a neutered buck or doe? I mean.. I could always find an unwanted pet rabbit, it's not like they're rare. Some may think I should just keep him forever alone but I don't like the idea of that.. I won't be social with him and rabbits are not solitary animals in that sense. He likes being with the does and he stopped trying to breed them when they had said no for a day or two (he's willing again now they've been separated of course ;) ). Id feel better if he had company and I wouldn't mind feeding a non-productive rabbit for that purpose. But would it work? It would probably be two adult rabbits not knowing each other that would be kept together.. I guess a neutered doe would have the best chances of going along together with him?

I don't want him to be in the doe pen all the time since I want to know how and when they kindle, give them breaks etc. I'm a controle freak like that.

My poor head, I'm killing it with all this thinking..
 
its highly unlikely the unnuetered buck would leave a fixed partner alone, but every rabbit is different so its to the particular rabbit. You could always put a rabbit caged next to him to groom him through the cage. but id worry about him trying to breed his mate and it start fights.

It IS possible though, its just finding the right partner for him
 
One thing I have done, is put weaned kits into the cage with an older buck. If he doesn't try to hump them right away, then he will usually be fine. It gives the buck some company and it gives the kits some extra adult socialization.
 
The does should do just fine in the barn. One of our members, Akane, has a colony set up in a barn. :)

As for the buck, there is no reason he can't "raise" the kits that you are planning to put in the other pen. Bucks usually do quite well with young rabbits.

I believe you are planning to get two more does so you can have staggered litters from two does kindling together, so you could put the youngsters with him until the next ones are weaned and then move the older ones over to the cage beside him.
 
MamaSheepdog":1k87kqft said:
The does should do just fine in the barn. One of our members, Akane, has a colony set up in a barn. :)

As for the buck, there is no reason he can't "raise" the kits that you are planning to put in the other pen. Bucks usually do quite well with young rabbits.

I believe you are planning to get two more does so you can have staggered litters from two does kindling together, so you could put the youngsters with him until the next ones are weaned and then move the older ones over to the cage beside him.
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We must be sharing the brain this morning, Sistah! :lol:
 
I'm just not sure that I'll have that other cage filled up all the time. :)

I had him with my both does for a little more than a week, he tried to mate a while but soon gave up (which is why I don't know if they're expecting or not).. that's why I think he might actually leave a neutered doe alone once he figure she's unwilling. He lived with his brothers untill he was 6 months old and never fought (that was before I bought him), I'm not sure if that's a sign of good temper or just normal..

Of course I'd have to keep a close eye on them in the start.. but there's room for the doe to walk away from him (I saw that much) so I think a sweet doe would do that rather than fighting..
 
Zab":2pp0jijr said:
I'm just not sure that I'll have that other cage filled up all the time. :)

I had him with my both does for a little more than a week, he tried to mate a while but soon gave up (which is why I don't know if they're expecting or not).. that's why I think he might actually leave a neutered doe alone once he figure she's unwilling. He lived with his brothers untill he was 6 months old and never fought (that was before I bought him), I'm not sure if that's a sign of good temper or just normal..

Of course I'd have to keep a close eye on them in the start.. but there's room for the doe to walk away from him (I saw that much) so I think a sweet doe would do that rather than fighting..
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You will have better luck with putting young kits in there than another adult rabbit....
 
Hm.. :/ That requires me to have kits all the time. ..which I guess I will, but IO don't want to have it as a ''I must'' thing..

Or I guess I could keep at least one young rabbit alive in the cage next to his untill I have a new litter of kits to place in the pen, and then cull the company rabbit. Why does that feel so much more horrible than other killing I'll be doing? It would die either way, I'd just be giving it a few more weeks to live.. the hides would get stronger too..
 
Zab":3o5y9dyu said:
Hm.. :/ That requires me to have kits all the time.

Or I guess I could keep at least one young rabbit alive in the cage next to his untill I have a new litter of kits to place in the pen, and then cull the company rabbit. Why does that feel so much more horrible than other killing I'll be doing? It would die either way, I'd just be giving it a few more weeks to live.. the hides would get stronger too..
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He doesn't need to have a constant companion...but keeping one a bit longer sounds workable, and yes, it would give you a better hide to work with.
 
I'd feel better if he wasn't alone without even seeing other rabbits for periods of time :)

Would it work to put a couple of kits in his cage, a couple in the other cage and then re-unite the kits in the second cage again? I'm just thinking so they get more space..then again.. it's not like they'll live forever.. could I expect him to be ok with male kits untill theyre as old as 16 weeks? That's how old this breed tends to be before it's big enough.
 
That would depend on how quickly they reach sexual maturity. You could also put doe kits with him. :)
 
I'm afraid of keeping doe kits with him that long since I rather not find half-ready kits when I open them..ever.. I've heard horror stories. :3

I guess I'll have to just try.. in worst case I'd have to put a temporary wall in the pen untill the kits are big enough, and next time I'd know how it works :)
 
You could also put a cage in the horse stall so he can visit the colony. Watching the goings on for a few hours each day would certainly be good enrichment for him.

Getting him a companion really depends on his and the new rabbits temperament. As long as his sex drive is not too high i think a slightly bossy neutered female would keep him in his place and these rabbits are usually the ones people give away for free.
 
Zab, IMHO, it would not be teasing the buck if you simply put one of the does in the pen next to him during the day (while you are at work?) and then put her back in the stall pen at night. You could even rotate the does giving everyone more enrichment :D

I also regularly house my bucklings with an adult buck after I seperate them from the doelings. You will also be able to move the bucklings into the cage next door as they mature enough for the senior buck to start harrassing them ... which I find happens over several weeks as kits mature at different rates. You can also house all the doelings with the senior does as there will be very much less fighting for dominance between the females.
 
How about this? Put the weaned kits in with him and then have one neutered at the appropriate age. The rest go to freezer camp. He will probably do best with a neutered female and you will already know that they get along together.
 
Thanks for all ideas and suggestions :)

This is what I decided to try; Keep the does + doe kits in the new pen (barn). Put buck-kits either with Koriander in his cage or in the cage next to his (depending on how many they are and how fast they get big enogh etc) and simply keeping at least one buck in the cage next to Koriander (unless they keep going well together or such, but keep one for his company) untill a new litter needs the space. Since I'd like to learn more about tanning hides and such, it could even benefit me to keep some rabbits longer so their hides get better quality. :)

If that would fail somehow, I'll go back and read here again :p
 

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