About that ''through wire breeding'' myth..

[Zab]

Uhm yeah, wasn't a myth, I knew that much. But I didn't think that a young, inexperienced 12 weeks kit would manage it.. seriously, she's afraid of everything new, how...?
Well I caught them in the act, through the wire as I entered the barn. I knew she was in heat (she's been riding all the other does even though they've snapped at her, and lied down flat with bum up when they groomed her) but she's just 12 weeks! 16 is young, but 12?

And Kori's still in the same pen (only wire divided).. well what more harm can he do..

So.. how's the chanses she'll pull through? Can I cause an abortion somehow, and should I try? With my current luck she'll probably be the only one that does take *sigh* Should I cull her to save her from pain if she starts showing signs of pregnancy? Or do you think she'll make it?

I feel like I'm the worst rabbit owner on the planet. :wall:

__________ Fri Feb 22, 2013 4:45 am __________

I guess wild rabbits doesn't count the weeks... but.. it feels really awful.
She's so small! She's smaller than the SP and as an adult she's supposed to be larger! She feels proportional and filled out though.. but small..<br /><br />__________ Fri Feb 22, 2013 5:02 am __________<br /><br />ok.. first panic is staring to settle.. what's done is done.. and it might work out fine.. if not I'll just have to take it as a lesson for the future.. but I hope she'll live through it and do well. I don't want to have my only nz at a risk..but what can I do now?

It will be good t have Kori in the outdoor pen caged next to mles only in the future.. but I'm not sure about putting him out now. He'd be lonely and the damage is done.. I want to wait untill the first bucklings are born. Then I can take him out and let him stay alone for a few weeks, seeing the others at day perhaps..

 

[AnnClaire]

Zab, every thing will be fine!!! Even though she hasn't reached full growth, if she was backing up to the wire, then her body was ready to breed! One thing about domestic rabbits ... they get a good, balanced diet with no shortages due to bad weather.

Just make sure you have a nest box ready for this precocious little doe in 30 days, and you might consider fencing her into a smaller, corner section of the larger pen to help protect her and her babies for the first couple of days.

I just have to laugh at this little doe ... whether you were ready for breeding/kindling or not, here it comes LOL

 

[Bad Habit]

Hey, think of it this way... at least you saw it and can do something about it. Be it mark the calendar and give her a nest box in 4 weeks, or feed her something now to try and prevent conception. Much preferable to my way of discovering the truth - finding 8 babies in a gross litter box that was probably 2 days past when it should have been cleaned.

Three months is pretty young, but she was letting you know she is ready now. Hannah came back to me pregnant, and she was only 14wks old. She delivered them fine, and is currently healthy and happy.

 

[Zab]

Thank you.. I hope she pulls it through (or doesn't take at all). I'm not really sure what to do for her.. They're already getting good enough food (maybe check her weight more carefully in a few weeks and add some food for her if she gets thinner) and there's straw and nesting places enough.. but yeah.. better than finding them in a litterbox. :3

She's so young! I shouldn't have postponed ''the talk'' with her.. :lol: I'm still a bit worried but.. well. Lets just see where it goes.

And why havn't the other two taken? I don't think Kummin will have any kits this week either. I can't feel anything different between her and Kyndel. And the only rabbit I've seen carrying straw in the mouth is the buck! Gah! (yes, I did check him.. he is a he, definetly.)

I know it's hard to tell by a picture, but do they (black ones) look fat? Could that be it? I know internal fat isn't necessarily visible..but.. They feel round and meaty, but not fat.. Not the best picture either..

They have started to develope a small dewlap. Only visible when they pull their heads in and it feels like it's mostly loose skin, not fat..

 

[Bad Habit]

Maybe your buck is sterile? The does don't look particularly rotund, and the fact that neither are conceiving makes me wonder if it's a buck issue, not a doe issue.

http://www.threelittleladiesrabbitry.com/rabbitsandherbs.php

Try that site, to see about keeping her from conceiving. There is stuff on there, I think lavendar and parsley are good for causing contractions, which would in turn prevent conception.

 

[Secuono]

They don't look fat at all.
You've got to tell us how or post a pic of through wire breeding. I mean, is the buck like vertical or something??

 

[Zab]

I'll try those.. parsley is also good for fertility so I'm unsure.. bt if it helps her through it or helps her abort I guess it's good either way.. In women, parsley is only adviced against late in pregnancy though..

I'm starting to wonder about the buck. He was pretty shy in the start but now he humps everything.. at least everything with 4 legs and long ears I don't have any other buck to try with though. If they're not having any kits at april 1st I'll have to try and borrow a proven buck or something.. not sure where I'd get any, but I'd have to find out. Or perhaps buy a ''meat'' buck intended for slaughter (perhaps there are some at least 12 weeks old so I won' have to wait too long) and maybe keep a kit from his litter - if he gets any. Untill I get kits, there's a cage left, so..

___

I didn't have time or senses to take a picture, but he stood with his front paws toes grabbing the net.. I didn't quite note how he had his hindfeet but I wish I had.. it seems impossible. I think he was halfway standing on his toes or something.. And she had backed up onto the piece of wood holding the wire, so she was high up. I guess that would be neccessary for him to press close enough to the net without being able to stick his feet through it..

 

[Bad Habit]

How old is he? Maybe he wasn't old enough?

 

[Zab]

Uhm... he was 6 or 7 months when I got him in beginning of december. so at least 8-9 months the first time.

 

[Dood]

If you dont want to move him out, you could put up a second wall of wire on his cage with a 1 inch (2.5 centimeter) gap, he shouldnt be able to reach that far

 

[Zab]

I'll see what I can do, but I'm out of wire.. :3 And it's just a temporary pen either way.. I don't really want to add more money on it. These rabbits has cost me roughly 4000skr already in materials and stock, and not a sign of reproducing at all yet. :/