Have you ever had a buck....

[GBov]

Bite a 5 week old kit, splitting its skull open?

Sitting up late last night I heard one of the kits screaming so rushed out with a flashlight, only to find one of them on the floor, dead. When I looked it over it had one, surgical, bite to the head and no other wounds. Entry through the base of the skull and over the left eye.

Ruling out a rat from the bite size that only left the buck and the doe so I took him out and put him with a different doe. The cage he was sharing is 5 by 4, split over two levels so plenty of space.

I have kept bucks with does and kits for years, the only time I take them out is right at nest building time as they tend to pee all in a fresh nest. Have never, ever, had a buck do anything like this.

Have any of you?

 

[michaels4gardens]

When I colony raised rabbits, I had one buck that would kill some of the kits...
I stopped "colony" style rabbit raising shortly after that, so have never since had bucks in with does, that had kits ..

 

[Zass]

I've only ever had "certain specific" bucks with kits, and only if the kits had to be separated from their dam for one reason or another, and I wanted them to have a babysitter. (Mostly, because eating adult cecotropes is good for kits.)

I'd never consider it something that can be done routinely, without screening the buck's behaviors carefully.

 

[GBov]

It wasn't the buck, it was the doe. They are all dead.

I simply do not have words to express how gutted I feel.

 

[michaels4gardens]

It wasn't the buck, it was the doe. They are all dead.

I simply do not have words to express how gutted I feel.

that is such a bummer.. sorry about that

 

[GBov]

It wasn't the buck, it was the doe. They are all dead.

I simply do not have words to express how gutted I feel.

that is such a bummer.. sorry about that

It does feel like the Rex jinx is still going. :roll: Ah well, keep on keeping on, I guess. She is for the chop and we will see how the fluffy butt gang get on. I am seriously not holding my breath though, have had so many years of bad luck now with rabbits.

 

[ladysown]

i am so sorry to hear this.

I guess separating the kits away from the adults happens at five weeks now?

Man, that's just awful.

 

[GBov]

i am so sorry to hear this.

I guess separating the kits away from the adults happens at five weeks now?

Man, that's just awful.

Rabbit and onions is the plan, or rabbit and dumplings. Hmmmmm stew perhaps?

It was such a shocking murder, one neat bite deep into the brain, that I just will not let it happen again and goddess above, what if she passed it on?

No, best to cut our losses and cull them both. Will see how we get on with the NDxLHxDL quad, breeding for size and NOT for psycomurdermumosis.