Breeding a true dwarf doe

[squidpop]

I have just acquired netherland dwarf doe that is a true dwarf- she is looking really tiny. If I breed her what are the chances I will have major problems if I use a fairly small true dwarf male? I guess what I'm wondering is are there any breeders out there who do it all the time without problems or are there always problems.

 

[dangerbunny]

dwarf to dwarf produces kits that won't make it (peanuts) People do it all the time

 

[Prisma]

Dwarf to Dwarf will result in some peanuts. You may end up with a whole litter or only half. Could also end up with none at all, it is a roll of the dice.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

Gonna be honest, from what I've experienced AND been told by more experienced breeders: you will probably lose the first litter. The peanuts will always die...and being tiny, that first litter will "stretch" her out but the kits probably won't make it. I had a tiny, true-dwarf doe kindle for the first time not long ago...her normal kits were all stretched and stillborn, and the peanuts all died of course...BUT!!! She also had a tiny non-peanut dwarf runt kit, and THAT one did make it!!! He's now about three weeks old and tough as nails!

But after that I've been told it gets better.

 

[squidpop]

I'm mostly scared of hurting the doe and getting stuck kits- that would be horrible.

 

[Kyle@theWintertime]

There are risks breeding a true dwarf doe...but there's risks involved in ANY pregnancy. Non-dwarf does get stuck kits sometimes, it does happen.

 

[skysthelimit]

Large breeds get stuck kits too, been there before. All my breeding does for JW (except one) are show quality true dwarf does. The latest one Erin, have had two litters of 7 so far. I haven't had a peanut yet. The holland had two stuck litters the first time, had consistent litters of 5-7, and only after 5 litters did I get anything that resembled a peanut. You just never know.

 

[squidpop]

Wow, it's interesting to know that most of your JWs are true dwarfs. I look at a lot of peoples rabbitry sites on the internet and thought most of the does looked like true dwarf but wasn't ever sure. 7 is a lot of babies.

 

[skysthelimit]

I have three bucks that are true does. Before I got the one pair, They did have peanuts. They others had their first litters with me. No peanuts yet, but at some point the genetic dice will match up those dwarf genes.

I have two does I am keeping and they are not true dwarfs, one reached 2.7lbs at 8 weeks. She just has such great fur and type.