Buck will NOT breed...

[Teddy2511]

About 2 months ago I bought two new rabbits for my rabbitry; A big brood doe and a nice small, typey buck.
Both are Holland Lops and appear to be in good health. But I cannot get kits!

The buck is about 3 years old and has produced kits in his past, according to his previous owner (a rabbit breeder who is fairly well known in our area). Several times I have put does in with him in hopes of getting some nice babies, but no luck so far.

The buck, Dynamite, is just under 3 lbs and is a little bony (I'm trying to put some weight on him). I have sexed him several times and he is still a buck. Though his testicle sacks are a little wrinkly. Maybe age?

These are the two does I have tried with him;

1. Sadie: 2.5-3 lb doe; small, compact and has never had kits. She is also a little nervous around bucks and tends to freak out on breeding day. 6 months old

2. Lollie: 6.5 lb brood doe (her past breeder had an... interesting, feeding routine) Big, calm doe who seems to know the routine when getting bred; though I haven't had kits from her yet. She is 2 and half years old, and when her vent looks ready, and I have put her in with this little buck who won't breed, she lifts sky-high for him and even mounts him.


Whenever I put the does in with him, he sniffs them a little and occasionally tries a half-hearted mount, but he has not successfully bred any doe that I've put in with him.


What can I do to get him to breed?

 

[Miss M]

With the cold, his testicles are probably drawn in for warmth, which is why they look wrinkly.

You can try trading cages with him and Lollie for a few days (so he gets to smell her everywhere for a while), then try again.

If you have another buck, you can have him breed a doe right next door to him. That will often get the buck that has to watch going.

 

[Sinnfox]

The buck, Dynamite, is just under 3 lbs and is a little bony (I'm trying to put some weight on him). I have sexed him several times and he is still a buck. Maybe age?

I had this problem with my Frosty..he is also a holland and about the same age. He was underweight and really passive so unless he is in perfect health he doesn't have the energy to do anything buck like. (He was underweight from issues due to where I got him) Once I finally got him to put on a little weight he suddenly became more active and was finally willing to do his duty as a buck properly. I'd focus on getting your buck up to a good weight first and it should help a lot ...I got Frosty up to wieght by giving him little bits of probios paste regularly, little bits of banana every other day..and two or three raisens a day plus a bit larger then normal portion of his pellets (now that he is at weight he is back on mostly normal feed only, and a raisin or two cause he pouts) the probios was to help adjust to the banana added to his diet, and just to help balance him out a bit in general. It's worth a shot..after all no matter how willing the does are if the buck wont/cant do his part you cant get little ones :/ Hope this helps some

 

[Dood]

Have you checked your does to see if they are ready to breed?

One of my bucks is very gentlemanly and won't pester a doe if she isn't receptive. Most of my does actually prefer him so I often use him as a teaser to get them "in the mood" then I swap him out and put in the buck I want to father the litter.

 

[Teddy2511]

Dood, yes, I have checked the does and I usually try to make sure they are in a good, receptive mood before I let the buck have a go.

Hm, thank you Sinnfox, I will try some of those suggestions to get some weight on him. It has been almost impossible to get him to put on pounds! :?
Maybe that will get him to perk up.

Miss M, I have been keeping him in my basement... It shouldn't be very cold down there... Would there be any other reason for the wrinkly testicle sacks? Could his lack of flesh condition and weight attribute to that?

Thanks for the ideas guys, I hope I can figure this buck out! I really want his babies. <br /><br /> -- Fri Mar 28, 2014 10:43 pm -- <br /><br /> Hello all!

I just wanted to give a quick update...
I have not tried breeding the buck yet since then but I will be in about a week or two. The raisins did the trick really well and he has put on a bit weight since I posted this topic.

Here's what I did:
He was just getting his daily pellets and a topping that his former breeder was feeding him (which he was quite addicted to) before I started trying to get his weight up. At first I began by feeding him pellets, topping, BOSS, and 2-3 raisins per day. I did that until the topping ran out and just sprinkled 3-4 alfalfa pellets on top instead.
Now I have him down to only pellets, a little BOSS, and 3-4 alfalfa pellets per day. He still isn't chubby, but he's better than he was and is looking a little more active. Yay! I'll see how he does when I try to breed him next month, but I'm hoping for improved results.

 

[ottersatin]

You might want to try some Rolled Oats as yout Top dressing.
Rabbits just can't seem to get enough of them.
Oats will help to put on Flesh, not FAT.
Ottersatin. ldtimer: