How do you get a doe in the mood?

[illinoisguy]

I got this doe 37 days ago. My buck tries to mount her but she still squats. He tries and tries and tries....but she squints and squats. I have added apple cider vinegar to the water...still nothing...I am trying about every other day.

I talked to a rabbit breeder today and he said they only do that when their pregnant.....anyone been there?

THANKS

 

[SableSteel]

They can be stubborn even when they're not pregnant - and if you got her 37 days ago, she probably isn't.

Taking her to a show can make her receptive. Increasing the amount of light she gets can too, but that's mostly for the winter when the daytime is shorter. Give her a break for a bit (maybe like a week), and switch her cage and the buck (so she is a buck-scented cage). The smell and the change of location can make her more receptive. Then try again.

If your doe is very stubborn, you don't have to try breeding her when she isn't in the mood. Check her vent - if it is large and red, she is ready to breed, if not, wait a couple days and try again. This way you won't just tire your buck out and stress her.

If you really don't want to wait, just grab her butt and force it into a lift during mating. This isn't as likely to get her pregnant, and if it does it can make a small litter, which can be dangerous for her to give birth to, but this act of breeding will cause her ovulate. Then try breeding again a few hours (2-12, maybe) later, and hopefully by then she'll be receptive on her own by then.

Hope this helps. My rabbits aren't the most enthusiastic breeders, either.

 

[ButtonsPalace]

It's 10 hours after breeding that they ovulate ^^ I've looked into it while I was figuring out my breeding plan. I breed at 11am and then 11pm and the next day at 11am. I've not had big litters yet... BUT... That's because I've had my buck outside and It's been pretty warm, now that it's getting colder litter's should be bigger.

 

[MaggieJ]

You might want to check out this "sticky" thread . . . There is a lot of good information on this topic there.
judging-a-doe-s-readiness-and-breeding-tips-t9869.html

 

[shazza]

I agree with Sable. I haven't had a litter all year because of stubborn does! And some various other misfortunes. But mostly stubborn does.

My winning combination appears to be:

- ACV in the water (I have an auto-water system and I give it to everyone because it's pretty good for them.)
- Breeding in the morning or late evening when it's cooler. Bucks wear out less quickly, and the does seem more interested in having him around.
- Breeding in a pen in the yard. The bigger space and grass under their feet gets them frisky! My does get stressed being in the buck's cage because it's small and they can't escape him, but in the pens they have more room to give him the runaround and make him actually have to catch her. Which is apparently the sexiest thing a guy can do, haha.
- If they still are stubborn, I swap their cages and leave them in there for the day and overnight. Then toss em in the expen the next morning. Smelling the buck all night can make the doe more amicable to his presence.

apparently taking them for a drive for a few minutes can also get em in the mood. i haven't tried it, but i've heard a lot of people swear by it.


I have a young, very enthusiastic harlequin buck that i feel is going to be my go-to if one of my does is being extra stubborn, if for no other reason than he has the tenacity and energy to chase a doe around for 5 minutes at a time and get it done I wanted a lop litter this month but my lop buck is very lazy and just couldn't put forth the effort in the heat (even though it's been getting cooler for sure,) so I guess i'm gonna have a bunch of adorable little multicoloured airplane mutts in a few weeks, haha. oh well, mutts are still food and fur!