Am I just being too impatient?

[ek.blair]

We are now waiting for our does to kindle again after they didn't take the first time being bred. The first doe that is due was covered three good times by the buck within the course of about a half hour. Day 31 was yesterday, and still no fur pulling or popples. The second doe due is about a week behind the first doe so I will be putting the nestbox in for her on Saturday. I have tried to palpate both girls and the second doe feels different than the first so I am hoping that she "might" be pregnant :? . She was harder to breed and we ended up leaving her in with the buck for a few hours, two days in a row, as she was being stubborn when we were watching and didn't lift for him so I really don't know that she let him breed her at all. I still really have no idea what I am doing when I palpate so it is just a guessing game. These are all first time breeders so I don't know if it's the does that I got or the buck that isn't working out. My next idea is to put one of the does in with the buck in my larger grow out cage for an entire week and see if he can't get them pregnant at somepoint during that week, and then switch does and leave the next one in for a week as well. I am running out of ideas and my husband is running out of patience with these bunnies and is ready to send them all to freezer camp!

 

[Marinea]

I would not write off the first doe just yet. If it were me, I would leave her a nest box until day 36 or so, just to be on the safe side. There are quite a few people here at RT who have taken out the nest box only to be confronted with dead kits within a few days.

I would be very leery of leaving a doe and buck together for a week. You could end up with an injured or dead animal that way. I am assuming you are checking the does to be sure they are ready. If so, and they are ready, know that first timers can be...not so smart about things. You could try rebreeding her via the table breeding method, holding her down for the buck to mount her. I would try that sort of thing before taking a huge chance leaving them together for such a long time.

*fingers crossed you have popples soon*

 

[ckcs]

I would not put them together for days or weeks. Three times is more than sufficient unless someone has a problem. If they do have a problem (other than not lifting) putting them together for a week won't fix it. How old are the rabbits and what breed?

 

[dangerbunny]

It can take a couple tries with jrs, it took me forever to get going with my Hollands. I've done breeding pairs with my hollands but wouldn't do it with most rabbits, it only takes one nasty fight to castrate your buck.

Make sure the doe looks ready to breed, there is a great thread on this forum about that. Make sure buck doesn't have a split penis or any kind of penis weirdness.

Table breeding is worth learning because you can be certain the doe got covered (see her lift). After the buck ejaculates I always flip the doe over to check he found the right spot. A bred doe is often really calm after a successful breeding. I usually have the buck cover her twice, about an hour apart.

Learn to palpate, by squishing all the bunny bellies, even the bucks. It helps you learn what normal guts feel like and what extra baby bumps feel like. I have best luck at 15 days although some can do it earlier.

Leave nest box in for a bit, some does just cook em longer and it would be awful to give up too quick. I've had a doe not make a nest until an hour before she gave birth.

 

[skysthelimit]

A bred doe is often really calm after a successful breeding. I usually have the buck cover her twice, about an hour apart.

I usually find the opposite. A bred doe is nasty after breeding, and pretty much through the entire pregnancy. If a generally peacable doe is shooting daggers at me, and throws a fit when I try to touch her, she's as good as bred.

 

[dangerbunny]

I meant immediately after being bred, you mileage may vary but when I carry a just bred doe back to her coop and she is kinda in a trance then I know it went well but if she is feisty and wiggly she usually didn't take.

 

[ek.blair]

I guess it's just the typical frustration of not knowing. I went ahead and stuck the first doe that is at 31 days in with the buck tonight and she lifted readily for him so my guess a she probably isn't pregnant. I will leave the nest box in till day 36 just to be safe.

One of the frustrating things which is probably my own fault is the gal I got them from didn't know precisely when they were born and they are suppose to be over 6mo by now? (She said born last August, but wasn't possative), but they are also suppose to be NZ/Cali/Silver Fox crosses but they are only 4.5 lbs! I will just keep breeding and waiting and won't put them together for longer than it takes to breed.

Would it help the doe that doesn't like to lift, even when she is red and swollen, to house her next to the buck for a week and try putting her in to breed once a day? <br /><br /> -- Wed Apr 09, 2014 6:35 am -- <br /><br /> Here are a few photos I took of the girls a few weeks ago... I am sure they are not in the correct poses, but we are ALL still learning. They like to push against me and like to move their feet after I place them. I know for sure that they have Silver Fox in them as they have the stand up fur although it doesn't seem to be all that long. I have thought that maybe they had Florida White instead of NZ white and that has caused their size to be smaller? :? or maybe they just have really bad genetics and they are small rabbits... :|

Betsy is the top two and the first back end photo and Trixy is the bottom two and second back end photo.

 

[skysthelimit]

A bred doe will still lift in some cases. so her accepting service is not the best indicator. I often breed does who go past 31 days to stimulate contractions. At 31 days, palpate and yo can feel a kit moving towards the birthing canal.

BTW, Rex and Angora also have stand up fur. Mixed with Rex, you could get a smaller than NZ rabbit. <br /><br /> -- Wed Apr 09, 2014 1:17 pm -- <br /><br />

I meant immediately after being bred, you mileage may vary but when I carry a just bred doe back to her coop and she is kinda in a trance then I know it went well but if she is feisty and wiggly she usually didn't take.

I know, lol Mines are just the opposite though. If the doe is peaceful, nothing happened. If she doesn't want to be touched, she's bred. I've been letting the buck fall off once, because all but the rowdiest does put up a fight if he tries a second time.

 

[ek.blair]

I've been trying to palpated every other day and nothing has felt different yet. Last night after palpating I held my hand under her trying to feel something move, but nothing.