Buck issues

[DANIEL77]

I've only been doing rabbits for about a year (soon to be 2 bucks and 5 does), and have already run headlong into my first issue. My original buck, a very nice white NZ, seems to be unattractive to my females now. He bred them just fine at first, but they won't accept him now. He doesn't seem overly aggressive to me, but I'm not a doe. I got another white NZ male who has now covered the females twice and is doing well, but I'm at a loss as to what to do with the older male (just over 1 year now). I'd be just fine with making him gumbo, but the idea of having two bucks working and having enough genetic diversity to be self sufficient is appealing. I have a litter right now that I could keep a buck from and he'd be working in 3-4 more months (he'd be totally unrelated to any rabbits I currently have, other than his littermates. Just curious what ya'll think? Is there a way to get my does to re-accept this older buck, or is he gumbo?

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Well, you could house him between the does. Sometimes that helps. Or if nothing else, can you sell him as a proven buck? If he will work for someone else, that is better than gumbo....although, I gotta say, there is not much better than rabbit and sausage gumbo....Yummy!

 

[MaggieJ]

Can you give us more detail about what happens when you put a doe with him? Is he interested? How do they act? Did you check the colour of their vulvas before attempting the breedings?

 

[ladysown]

if he's not interested at all, he might be fat.

have you given him a general health check.
- make sure all his parts are in working order
- that he in general is healthy

 

[currituckbun]

if he's not interested at all, he might be fat.

have you given him a general health check.
- make sure all his parts are in working order
- that he in general is healthy

Yea . Too much beer and TV can definately ruin his appeal to the ladies.
Is he not a real clean rabbit? I only ask because one of mine could use a shower and shave . He is not appealing to the does I have either, but my son is attached and I am thinking of selling as a proven just to save on groceries. (Wow sounds like I am talking about my Husband :lol: ) He is just fine by the way.

 

[DANIEL77]

He tries but never reaches a happy moment. The does do not lift up their rears for him. He is clean and not overly fat. I have not been checking the vulvas but have put a doe strait from his cage into the other bucks cage and she was receptive to the other buck.

 

[currituckbun]

Hmm. Do you think that this is his molting time and he is just in a hormonal slump. I see you live in the deep South. Does it ever get real cold there? Anyone else have rabbits in an area that is in perpetual warm? Do they cycle just not according to the cold?
Here is another thought, could your rabbit be in an emotional slump? My dirty rabbit is always happiest out in the exercise pen. I have noticed that he cleans himself while he is out there and after he comes back in. He has me feeling so sorry for him that I have big plans for an outside run and pen that I can keep him and the other bucks in.

 

[akane]

My bucks don't notice if they are molting when it comes to breeding. I've never heard of them having cycles like that. They don't even seem to have problems from lack of sunlight unlike my does. They don't slow down if it's -20F outside or 90F outside. The aggressive breeders remain that way and the easy going ones remain that way year round irregardless of molting and other conditions. Although they do go sterile in summer if it gets hot.

If you are waiting a couple weeks between kindling and breeding trying breeding a doe or 2 back right away and see if that gets things moving. They are very receptive right after kindling and sometimes a difficult doe or buck can be kept breeding by not giving them that break and then just skipping a breeding as needed instead of the even spacing.

 

[DumansArk]

I have bucks like Akane's; they didn't read the book that told them moulting could affect them. They are ready anytime. All the time.

I was going to suggest leaving a doe in with the buck for an extended amount of time, but if she is welling and he is all of a sudden unable... that won't help. Hmm.

 

[DANIEL77]

I tried him again yesterday and this time the doe was receptive. He still didn't reach his "happy moment". I'll try pulling some weight off of him now and letting him out to exercise, but if that doesn't work he's gumbo. My newer buck seems to be doing a good job however so I'm not totally out of luck, and I'll have another buck ready to go to work in three more months so...

Thanks for the replies and keep them coming if anyone else has an idea.

 

[RabbitLuver101]

I found that feeding rabbits parsley helps them "get in the mood". Also has to be right temperature. Not to cold. It's very hard to breed in the winter. Hope this helps.