Lindsay Krawsczyn
Rabbit Breeder
Hi, I’m new here. I’ve already mad w a couple of posts buuuuut had yet to make a proper introduction. I’m not so good at these, soooo I’m just gonna tell you about my current herd of rabbits and some issues I’ve been having instead.
Currently I have a herd of 11 permanent rabbits, although that’s discounting kits and two bucks I’ve been meaning to cull. I have two Californians, an extremely energetic but surprisingly tame buck named Bucky and a very chunky doe who I’m pretty sure lacks the ability to not be chill (so, very good on the temperament there). And then I have three New Zealand Whites (yet again, not counting my two cull bucks), a buck who literally will not breed for me buuut he’s got good confirmation so he gets to stay for showing named BOB (yes we always spell it in capitals, his breeders decision not mine), a second buck who’s given me a few litters now (one of which was on accident) and a doe named Darlin who can get a touch spicy but has decent confirmation and throws litters of eight or nine kits consistently. And then there’s my mutts, the beloved little maximum of six pounds cuties with good temperaments and amazing parenting instincts I’ve been breeding up for multiple years now. I only have three of the original blood line left after their mother was culled for getting very suddenly aggressive in her old age and their father had to be put down after he suddenly stopped being able to hold himself up at all, a Sable Point named Snow, a Sable Point Marten named Marshmallow, and a Frosted Pearl (although could also be Sable Point/Sable Point Marten like the other two, I’m not 100% on it yet) named Mink. And then two newer rabbits, a sibling pair named Spike and Gizmo. Both are partial veinnas with lionhead fur and recessive lop, discounting the veinna Spike being a self black (although he may have some silvering, not entirely sure about it yet) and Gizmo being a self blue. And Spike and Marshmallow have recently graced me with a gorgeous little partial veinna otter tort who I plan on keeping as a grow out but has yet to be named.
So, now with my herd out of the way, I’d like to mention a few little issues I’ve had since taking over the rabbit breeding completely last year. I’ve only had breeding issues with my NZWs and Calis, the only trouble my mutts have given me is one singular stillborn kit in a litter of three from a 4.2 lb does first litter. My first trio of NZWs, my buck BOB and two does, wouldn’t breed for me at all. My buck wasn’t getting fall offs, even after I bred one of the does to a confirmed buck she didn’t catch. And then to add a little salt to the wound both does suddenly had some sort of horrible kidney issues and detoriorated to the point that they had to be put down, they where full sisters and apparently it was genetic. I’ve had no other rabbits have this before or since. And then one of my replacement does had three failed litters, the first one on the wire, the second was underdeveloped, and the third all the babies ended up in the front of the box outside the small nest she’d built and got too cold in the night. And of course throughout all this my Cali doe has been getting ear mites every time I plan to breed her, and seen as I didn’t want to give my buck mites I would then cancel breeding her. So, yeah it’s been rough. If anyone has advice, that’d be lovely. Feels a little like I went on a tangent here, so sorry about that to whoever is reading to this point. My rabbit barn has just been very very busy.
Currently I have a herd of 11 permanent rabbits, although that’s discounting kits and two bucks I’ve been meaning to cull. I have two Californians, an extremely energetic but surprisingly tame buck named Bucky and a very chunky doe who I’m pretty sure lacks the ability to not be chill (so, very good on the temperament there). And then I have three New Zealand Whites (yet again, not counting my two cull bucks), a buck who literally will not breed for me buuut he’s got good confirmation so he gets to stay for showing named BOB (yes we always spell it in capitals, his breeders decision not mine), a second buck who’s given me a few litters now (one of which was on accident) and a doe named Darlin who can get a touch spicy but has decent confirmation and throws litters of eight or nine kits consistently. And then there’s my mutts, the beloved little maximum of six pounds cuties with good temperaments and amazing parenting instincts I’ve been breeding up for multiple years now. I only have three of the original blood line left after their mother was culled for getting very suddenly aggressive in her old age and their father had to be put down after he suddenly stopped being able to hold himself up at all, a Sable Point named Snow, a Sable Point Marten named Marshmallow, and a Frosted Pearl (although could also be Sable Point/Sable Point Marten like the other two, I’m not 100% on it yet) named Mink. And then two newer rabbits, a sibling pair named Spike and Gizmo. Both are partial veinnas with lionhead fur and recessive lop, discounting the veinna Spike being a self black (although he may have some silvering, not entirely sure about it yet) and Gizmo being a self blue. And Spike and Marshmallow have recently graced me with a gorgeous little partial veinna otter tort who I plan on keeping as a grow out but has yet to be named.
So, now with my herd out of the way, I’d like to mention a few little issues I’ve had since taking over the rabbit breeding completely last year. I’ve only had breeding issues with my NZWs and Calis, the only trouble my mutts have given me is one singular stillborn kit in a litter of three from a 4.2 lb does first litter. My first trio of NZWs, my buck BOB and two does, wouldn’t breed for me at all. My buck wasn’t getting fall offs, even after I bred one of the does to a confirmed buck she didn’t catch. And then to add a little salt to the wound both does suddenly had some sort of horrible kidney issues and detoriorated to the point that they had to be put down, they where full sisters and apparently it was genetic. I’ve had no other rabbits have this before or since. And then one of my replacement does had three failed litters, the first one on the wire, the second was underdeveloped, and the third all the babies ended up in the front of the box outside the small nest she’d built and got too cold in the night. And of course throughout all this my Cali doe has been getting ear mites every time I plan to breed her, and seen as I didn’t want to give my buck mites I would then cancel breeding her. So, yeah it’s been rough. If anyone has advice, that’d be lovely. Feels a little like I went on a tangent here, so sorry about that to whoever is reading to this point. My rabbit barn has just been very very busy.
