How are Does different after first pregnamcy?

[macksmom98]

I know all Does are different, but I am curious to see what others have experienced. I think our Doe is pregnant again, but she's acting differently than the first time. Do they usually mimic the same behavior (lunging, growling, biting) as the first time or are they usually more relaxed the 2nd time around? She's not acting normal but also not acting the same as before.....she's kind of nervous acting and sort of hunkered down in her cage, and opposed to being more of relaxed gal

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

Well.....

There's territorial, and there's protective, and then there's aggressive.

It's not uncommon for new does to show territorial and then protective behavior with their first litter or two. But not so much that I've had any concern about getting into their pen or the nestbox and doing whatever needed to be done. And even that fades away as they come to understand that I mean no harm.

Most of my does are older and have mellowed with age.

Lunging, growling, and biting sound pretty aggressive to me. Not a doe I would keep. Maybe keep one or two of her daughters but only if they have a better disposition.

 

[macksmom98]

Here is the full story on her....at around a year old we noticed she's started acting hormonally on occasion, like she wanted to be bred. She would be grouchy sometimes , and aggressive. We got a Buck and bred her when she was about 18 months old, and she was super territorial and really grumpy with us most of the pregnancy, to the point that we dreaded to feed her or mess with her at all, and pretty much did the daily minimum until she kindled last April. Once she have birth though, she totally mellowed. It was like she was meant to do that all along and was finally happy. She is a Holland Lop and had 7 in her first litter, 5 lived and she nursed them until they went to new home when they were 8-10 weeks old, and continued nursing the one we keep back for another month or so after that. She was an amazing first time mom. And every since she has stayed mellow and not gone back to her pre pregnancy aggressive ways.........so that's why I want to keep her. I just wondered if others have had similar experiences and how much the second and third litters differ, since they sort of know what they are doing and their bodies do too.....she was an older mom to begin with so that may also be a factor. But mostly just interested in others experiences to factor in when looking for this next pregnancy. Can't wait for some new wigglers this fall and we are excited to try our new Buck and get some different colors too!

 

[Zass]

My good does have been relaxed their first go, and just as relaxed their second go.
A little grunt or lunge here and there with no contact, I'll forgive.

If a doe acts truly aggressive before breeding, I don't even bother breeding her.

I don't bother saving a daughter from those that only show aggression after kindling either, since the high strung does I have had always produced a lot more high stung does than mellow ones. It's just too annoying to grow them out and then cull at puberty, or the weaning of their litter

I've had no luck messing around with aggressively hormonal does.
Or maybe, I have very little patience. :lol:

I think that problem left my rabbitry with the last drop of silver fox blood!
Here's to hoping the harlequins remain as docile as they have been so far.. :clover:

 

[HansenHomestead]

See I haven't bred yet, but my Harlequin cross does are, I wouldn't say aggressive, but strung out. They will kick the dog crap out of you when you try to pick them up. Never have they tried to bite, or growled, but they sure do want to get away at all costs, lol. On the other hand ALL of my Cals (I've been told they're not at all partial to being held, or picked up) are sooo sweet! The doe is a little iffy at times, but once you get her on your lap she melts. My bucks are the true babies. Phantom lets he flip him on his back, and cuddle him like a baby :lilbunny: I just love it!! So I'm hoping that my Harlequin crosses chill out after their first litter.

 

[macksmom98]

These comments are interesting.....I do hope she's less hormonal the 2nd time around, but the drastic difference also makes it easy to know she's pregnant too. I kind of thought it was like humans, the more morning sickness and more you "feel" the pregnancy the better things go. And I don't remember how many bunnies you have Zass, but she was my only Doe during her first pregnancy so I didn't have anything to do but be patient, lol......she allowed us to handle her kits from day 1 and was proud to show them off While I don't want to have a problem Doe reproduce more problem Does, at this point I don't consider it an issue, since she's so mellow now.

 

[BirchLane]

I think that problem left my rabbitry with the last drop of silver fox blood!

Boy, my Silver Fox doe was a witch! A little grouchy her first time, but we gave her a pass because she had big litters that grew out to a nice dress weight very rapidly. The second time, she was a growling, boxing mess! She actually trampled three of her kits to death in her fervor to attack me while I refilled her feeder. :x As soon as her kits were old enough to be weaned, out she went to become doggie dinner and they followed along just a couple of weeks behind her. My philosophy? You have two choices: get with the program, or get in the pot!

 

[SuburbanHomesteader]

I do have one doe that gets what I call "grumpy" when she's wanting a date. As you described with your doe, she's a good mother and happiest when she's either pregnant or nursing.

Again, none of her "grumpy" behavior is severe enough to cause me any concern about doing chores, getting in her pen, handling her, whatever. She's just in a foul mood. For that reason, she has been bred more frequently than my other brood does.

Hopefully, that's the case with your doe.

 

[HansenHomestead]

You have two choices: get with the program, or get in the pot!

:lol:

I just laughed so hard over that.

 

[Fireclaws bunnbutts]

My doe was pretty chill with her first litter, didn't care either way, she also only visited her babies once or twice a day, but they ended up fine. Her 2nd litter, she was also chill, didn't care if I handled the babies but also visited her babies almost constantly for the first week, every time I looked, she was in the nest box. Her the litter before the one I've got now (her 3rd litter) she got a little grumpy after about a week and start lunging at me, but that only lasted for a few days and she went back to being pretty chill and now with this litter, she doesn't care either way if I handle the babies again.

All around, she's a pretty chill rabbit, I like her. Typical Holland attitude, doesn't really care about anything :lol:

Except cats, I can't have any of the cats in if she's out running around, she doesn't like the cats and most of them know it :x As soon as they hit the ground, they get a nipped rear end :lol:

 

[macksmom98]

My Hollands do that with chickens. Someone is either getting pecked or their feathers bit. They could care less about the cat or dog......I think my Doe will be a great second time mom, here's to hoping!

 

[Ramjet]

I've had them go both ways , some mellowing others becoming highly territorial .... Those that get mean get eaten. I don't tolerate aggressive rabbits , its too easy to replace them with cooperative does to bother with one that is aggressive.

 

[foreversunnie]

I am pretty sure labor has started! She is grunting and pushing.. it's been about 10 m inutes and nothing so far... She keeps licking her genitals.. is that ok? I'm afraid she might chew the babies head??

-- Wed Sep 30, 2015 3:44 pm --

One kit is halfway out, it's not moving at all.. I don't think it's looking good <br /><br /> -- Wed Sep 30, 2015 3:53 pm -- <br /><br /> One kit out... it didn't make it. Looked exactly like last time. Except this time after it was all the way out she started chewing on it's mouth. So we removed it and I'm just watching her closely now to see if there might be more.. but I doubt it So sad...

 

[macksmom98]

Awe that's too bad. Perhaps she's still too young, if she was rebred right after the last unplanned litter, accidently......still just the one?