Ethel and Sam, sittin' in a tree!

[Anntann]

Sam, happy studbunny that he is, greeted his American Blue mate with a big happy smile and complete confusion. I suspect he's never been used as a buck, cuz he sure didn't have a CLUE what this beautiful big blue lady was. :roll:

She, however, knew EXACTLY what to do. RUN!! oh. um. No, dear...that's not what I had in mind for you....

After a couple of minutes of sniffing her cowering over in the corner grinding her teeth, this itty-bitty light bulb went on over his head and he tried his best. No luck while she was in the corner. Shucky Darn.

So he pushed her a little with his nose, and then went up to her head..obviously thinking "I must not be doing this right". When he got near the front she whirled and dove under him in what I think was an attack on him bunnyhood. Oh dear! :x

After grabbing her and whirling her around, in preparation of taking her OUT of the cage I was surprised to see that she planted her front end down, and lifted her tail up in the air...rather like a VERY short Center getting ready to HIKE the football to his quarterback. Sam took the clue and soon the deed was done. Twice. By then he was pretty tuckered out, so date night was over. We'll see if they get another chance this evening.

Since I don't EVER want a single litter due at one time again (if I can help it), I opened the divider between Peter, mama-san, and her daughter, Clone. Peter and Mama-san were quite amenable to the new situation, and took advantage of it. Clone, on the other hand, didn't think this was a good thing AT ALL. But she wasn't aggressive, so after watching the happy little family for a while, I left them alone....to let Peter work his magic on her. As I closed the door to the room, he was quietly grooming her face and she was almost purring. I swear...if that buck had money and a phone, he'd be ordering up bunches of carrots and greens to give to his ladies. :lol: He'd be right at home in a silk smoking jacket, too.

 

[ottersatin]

Anntann,
it is not necessary to bring the Doe back for another breeding.
Once the deed is done, it is done. You would be better served to
use the Buck to service another Doe.
Dennis, C.V.R.

 

[Shara]

Oh, how cute! Silly bunnies.

 

[Anntann]

Dennis, since rabbits don't ovulate until stimulated by the buck (or manually, apparently) I just don't like to take chances. Yes, the sperm will stay active for a couple of days, but I'm a belts and suspenders kind of person. I've also had excellent um..luck...doing it this way. It also allows me to check if the doe is pregnant since I've found that they don't let the buck mount if they've settled. The hormonal change seems to happen VERY quickly.

Perhaps if I had 12 does for one buck I'd do as you suggest, but it's just the two does for Sam right now. (I seem to have a surfeit of bucks, atm.)

 

[ottersatin]

Dennis, since rabbits don't ovulate until stimulated by the buck (or manually, apparently) I just don't like to take chances. Yes, the sperm will stay active for a couple of days, but I'm a belts and suspenders kind of person. I've also had excellent um..luck...doing it this way. It also allows me to check if the doe is pregnant since I've found that they don't let the buck mount if they've settled. The hormonal change seems to happen VERY quickly.

Perhaps if I had 12 does for one buck I'd do as you suggest, but it's just the two does for Sam right now. (I seem to have a surfeit of bucks, atm.)

That is not true! Often whether or not the Doe has
already been fertilized they WILL allow the Buck to breed.
This is why it is unwise to try to re-breed a Doe more than
three days later in an effort to prove they have already taken.
They can and may accept the Buck causing the other horn to be fertilized,
resulting in another litter being born two weeks after the first breeding.
This often results in the loss of both litters.
I am wondering from where you got your information?
Yes they are stimulated by the act but, it takes ten hours
for the acts of that mating to reach their destination.
This makes the re-mating futile as the sperm and eggs are already
on their way to their meeting place.
Hey, we all must do what we feel is best. I have no problem
with what you have chosen to do, I just thought I'd mention what I know.
It does not mean that my way is the only way, just one way of dealing with it.
For more information see: "Rabbit Production" By McNitt,Patton,Lukfahr& Cheeke.
Dennis, C.V.R. [

 

[Anntann]

Dennis, I'm going with what the folks I've purchased rabbits from do(NZs from a VERY large meat breeder, and a show guy, Americans from 3 show professionals, Angoras from a breeder who has raised them for over 30 years). And my vet, And from others on here who've been raising rabbits for generations, And from watching my colony does very closely. Yes, they can settle from the first breeding. After a day goes by, my does won't let the buck near them to breed. They'll snarl and ears back...he gets the hint...and they just settle down into this "buddy"thing. 30 days (or 32, depending on which doe) and we've got kits. It's very consistent.

Mama-san (new zealand) lives with Peter for the first 3.5 weeks, then he's relegated to a cage while she kindles. After the first day she snarls and turns on him when he tries to breed her. It's really cool to watch them. He grooms her, rubs her nose, grooms her back...edges toward her tail...then her ears go flat back...and he'll turn around and head for the feeder or hay like "me? try to breed you? nah...I was just heading out..."

I'm sure what you're doing is working for you, or you wouldn't be doing it. I've also done quite a bit of reading on rabbit reproduction and have found a LOT of information from research papers and books. What works for one, doesn't mean it's the ONLY way to do it, yup.

 

[avdpas77]

After grabbing her and whirling her around, in preparation of taking her OUT of the cage I was surprised to see that she planted her front end down, and lifted her tail up in the air...rather like a VERY short Center getting ready to HIKE the football to his quarterback. Sam took the clue and soon the deed was done. Twice. By then he was pretty tuckered out, so date night was over. We'll see if they get another chance this evening.

ie 8-12 hours

That is not true! Often whether or not the Doe has
already been fertilized they WILL allow the Buck to breed.
This is why it is unwise to try to re-breed a Doe more than
three days later in an effort to prove they have already taken.