How long is it safe to keep my bunnies together?

[cowgirl9768]

I have two rabbits who I've been trying to breed for weeks. I'll leave them together an hour (watching)... Nothing. Been doing it every day for three weeks. They get along great. They just won't get in the mood. I was thinking if I left them together none stop a few days I may have more luck. I herd that does can get pregnate with two litters in separate horns. How long can I keep them together without risking that? I know they won't hurt each other or they already would have.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Are you checking the color of the doe's vulva? It should be a dark pink or purple color. Also, make sure you truly have a buck and a doe.

This thread will help you determine when she is ready:

judging-a-doe-s-readiness-and-breeding-tips-t9869.html

I don't believe that does can have dual pregnancies unless the have two completely separate uteri. Dogs, cats, and rabbits all have two uterine horns. It is normal for them to release eggs from both ovaries, and the eggs are free floating for about a week before implantation occurs. So an egg from the right ovary may implant in the left horn and vice versa. I would not recommend leaving them together unsupervised unless they are in a very large enclosure because they may become aggressive at any time.

 

[cowgirl9768]

Are you checking the color of the doe's vulva? It should be a dark pink or purple color. Also, make sure you truly have a buck and a doe.
.

Yes it's a buck an a doe and yes I have checked her vent every day for a month. Never gets redder then a hot pink color. Ive never seen her red or purple. That part of why I'm sooooo confused! They are in a four ft by five ft cage.

 

[3mina]

What are their weights like? Are they fat? Are they indoors or out?

 

[cowgirl9768]

What are their weights like? Are they fat? Are they indoors or out?

They are at a good weight. You can feel the bumps of there spine but there not too ruff. They are outdoors. It is fairly cold but I have heat lamps on them every night.

 

[ZRabbits]

Maybe taking them to a neutral spot? They sound very comfortable with living with each other but bringing them to a neutral spot could put them in the mood. My Luna's vulva never got red or purple, but light pink when I put her with my Buck. Being my first time mating rabbits, I was a bit nervous, so put my x-pen up (neutral spot for both) and it worked. Had a healthy litter exactly 31 days later.

Karen

 

[skysthelimit]

let me know how your neutral spot goes. mine's pent 15 minutes examining the neutral spot, and ignored each other.

 

[ZRabbits]

let me know how your neutral spot goes. mine's pent 15 minutes examining the neutral spot, and ignored each other.

Did you put the buck in first? I let Neville have a good fifteen minutes to explore and then put Luna in with him. Only had them in together a few minutes and they definitely didn't ignore each other. And they were both unproven.

Karen

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

If you had a good buck. You wouldnt have this problem. Any buck that is mature will take any female and try to do the deed. Your buck isnt aggressive enough. maybe get a different one or use a different one.

 

[ollitos]

Are they housed near each other? One of my bucks is a great breeder. But we put a doe near him for about a month. I tried to breed him and he was "eh" about it. Moved him away from the doe cage and now he's eager again.

 

[Amy]

Are you providing supplemental light? I think they need 14 hrs/day. This is the darkest part of the year, they don't naturally breed in the winter.

 

[OneAcreFarm]

let me know how your neutral spot goes. mine's pent 15 minutes examining the neutral spot, and ignored each other.

:lol:<br /><br />__________ Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:50 am __________<br /><br />Swap them to each others cages for a couple days, sometimes that works...

 

[cowgirl9768]

let me know how your neutral spot goes. mine's pent 15 minutes examining the neutral spot, and ignored each other.

Did you put the buck in first? I let Neville have a good fifteen minutes to explore and then put Luna in with him. Only had them in together a few minutes and they definitely didn't ignore each other. And they were both unproven.

Karen

Didn't have any luck with this they just explored for an hour :-/<br /><br />__________ Thu Nov 29, 2012 12:03 pm __________<br /><br />

If you had a good buck. You wouldnt have this problem. Any buck that is mature will take any female and try to do the deed. Your buck isnt aggressive enough. maybe get a different one or use a different one.

See this is what is confusing me. He is proven bred one of my does very aggressively and was used by another breeder who used him twice a week. He is 3 now is there any way an aggressive buck can just eventually become uninterested?

 

[OneAcreFarm]

Mary Ann's Rabbitry wrote:
If you had a good buck. You wouldnt have this problem. Any buck that is mature will take any female and try to do the deed. Your buck isnt aggressive enough. maybe get a different one or use a different one.


See this is what is confusing me. He is proven bred one of my does very aggressively and was used by another breeder who used him twice a week. He is 3 now is there any way an aggressive buck can just eventually become uninterested?

It could just be the time of year....are they housed outside or in? Sometimes, they need supplemental lighting.

 

[skysthelimit]

Are you providing supplemental light? I think they need 14 hrs/day. This is the darkest part of the year, they don't naturally breed in the winter.

I keep hearing people say that, but most of my previous litters were born between Jan and April, with only one born after August. I had no lighting in that barn other than a dinky light I turned on when I went in and out.

 

[3mina]

How's his weight, if he's too heavy he won't want to breed. Both bunns might need a diet.

 

[ZRabbits]

Sorry to hear my suggestion was a bust. I would be confused too if I had a "proven" buck who just didn't want to prove himself again. Maybe it is weight?

Karen

 

[cowgirl9768]

Sorry to hear my suggestion was a bust. I would be confused too if I had a "proven" buck who just didn't want to prove himself again. Maybe it is weight?

Karen

He feels skinny if anything to me. would being slightly under weight matter?

 

[skysthelimit]

Sorry to hear my suggestion was a bust. I would be confused too if I had a "proven" buck who just didn't want to prove himself again. Maybe it is weight?

Karen

He feels skinny if anything to me. would being slightly under weight matter?

Yes, sometimes.

 

[ZRabbits]

Sorry to hear my suggestion was a bust. I would be confused too if I had a "proven" buck who just didn't want to prove himself again. Maybe it is weight?

Karen

He feels skinny if anything to me. would being slightly under weight matter?

I would think if being overweight would affect rabbits and breeding, then being under weight could possibly have an affect. All the energy from the limited food goes just to survive, and not procreating?

Karen