How old is *too* old -- for breeding?

[BunnyBounce]

I recently bought a beautiful double mane opal lionhead doe.
She came with a pedigree and multiple blue ribbons from local State and County fairs.
I bought her knowing she was not very friendly, but was told that she threw good kits.
She turned 4 years old in October. I've bred her to my buck twice now with no pregnancy.
Now they're just living together and I'm watching for signs of pregnancy.
Is it possible she's too old to have more litters?

 

[MamaSheepdog]

Hi BunnyBounce!

:welcomewagon:

As does get older their litter sizes start to decrease, but I wouldn't think she is past giving you a litter or two more. None of my does are more than a couple of years old, so I haven't seen it yet.

Hopefully those with personal experience with older does can give you better input.

 

[ohiogoatgirl]

I had a five and six year old pair of dutch that were producing fine for several litters. And when i had my lionhead trio they were between 2-4yr olds and i got several litters from them too.

 

[Ramjet]

I get the feeling that the person you acquired her from had the same problem .... and that's why they sold her.

What other reason to sell a proven winner ?! If she's producing offspring with similar genetics , she's worth more as a brood animal than what she'd bring at sale.

 

[grumpy]

Gotta go along with ramjet. They may have snookered you.

I've got an old doe. She's one of the key breeders that makes up my stock.
I got her as a young doe. How young? I don't know for sure.

She's produced litter after litter for me the last 4 years.
Now, however, she's slowing down......a bunch.
She's had one kit her last two breeding's. But, that's okay.
I just make sure there's one or two other does bred the same day she is.

I'll put a tattoo-dot in her kit's ear and foster 5 or 6 kits to her.
She's a great mother and raises the brood just fine.

grumpy.

 

[BunnyBounce]

I was starting to wonder the same thing, Ramjet.
It was a young 4H'r that was selling her in lieu of decreasing her number of bunnies.
Like I said, she's not very nice. So I figured that was the deciding factor for her being one she sold.
Now I think she's just a barren old broad. LOL! ;-)
Well, for the moment, I'm fine with her living with my buck. It seems to keep them both happier and, who knows, maybe she'll have a litter at some point? :-/

 

[Ramjet]

I was starting to wonder the same thing, Ramjet.
It was a young 4H'r that was selling her in lieu of decreasing her number of bunnies.
Like I said, she's not very nice. So I figured that was the deciding factor for her being one she sold.
Now I think she's just a barren old broad. LOL! ;-)
Well, for the moment, I'm fine with her living with my buck. It seems to keep them both happier and, who knows, maybe she'll have a litter at some point? :-/

Even if she's not very nice .... If you are simply slimming the herd , pending she's fertile , there were probably more appealing options to get rid of than such a prized animal.


Just remember that if it seems too good to be true , it probably is ....


Good luck , I hope she produces for you.

 

[BunnyBounce]

Thanks Ramjet

 

[Ramjet]

That's a nice looking ball of fluff ....

 

[ladysown]

is she a bit on the fat side?

I'd be looking at slimming her down and seeing if you can get her in shape to breed again.
if she's happy with her cage mate and you're happy with that... let 'em be.

 

[BunnyBounce]

Ramjet - I know! I was really wanting some kits from her.

Ladysown - No, actually she's very trim. She's all fluff. LOL!

 

[Ramjet]

Ramjet - I know! I was really wanting some kits from her.

Ladysown - No, actually she's very trim. She's all fluff. LOL!

Maybe try separating them & changing her diet for a month or so then trying her again .... not like there is anything to lose , worst case she doesn't breed , best case you get a litter from her.

Hay / forage only for a month .... are you sure the buck is willing & able ?!

 

[dangerbunny]

I'm feeling like the older doe I bought wasn't settling and that is why she was sold.

That being said I think it is worth trying more with a young doe or an older one, make sure she is in good knick and give it some time.

 

[BunnyBounce]

I'll know for sure by Tuesday. I have another, much younger, doe bred to him and she's looking pretty preggers.
Do you mean no pellets, really??? I can definitely separate them and change her diet if that's something you think is worth trying. I definitely wanted to see what kind of kits she'd throw. If not, I'll probably get rid of her or just leave her with the buck since they seem pretty content together anyway. LOL

 

[Ramjet]

I'll know for sure by Tuesday. I have another, much younger, doe bred to him and she's looking pretty preggers.
Do you mean no pellets, really??? I can definitely separate them and change her diet if that's something you think is worth trying. I definitely wanted to see what kind of kits she'd throw. If not, I'll probably get rid of her or just leave her with the buck since they seem pretty content together anyway. LOL

That's exactly what I mean .... No or very limited pellets with the vast majority of her diet being hay. She may not look fat but you never really know how much fat she's carrying until you cut them open. I think , considering the value of the critter to your herd in the future , its worth the trouble.

You could also give both of them some ginger root in the days leading up to breeding.

 

[3mina]

Check her spine first, if you have a hard time finding it definitely hay diet time.

 

[BunnyBounce]

Check her spine first, if you have a hard time finding it definitely hay diet time.

Yah, she's skinny. I can easily feel her spine and her hips, and her tummy is super narrow.

 

[Ramjet]

Do you know if she produced litters for her previous owner ?!

Four years isn't terribly old for a rabbit .... tho that's definitely a late start if she hasn't produced in the past.

There has to be an explainable reason why she's not breeding / becoming pregnant.

From what I've read , they can accumulate fat tissue around their internal organs which will affect their ability to become pregnant , especially in older does who haven't produced prior or who have gone an extended period of time between litters..

We have to consider the fact that in their natural state they are much more active than in a caged environment , no matter how comfortable we try to make them. They lounge around all day in captivity and get fat. Its almost impossible to know how much fat they carry internally until we butcher them ....

Maybe she's malnourished ?!


There has to be a reason .... You just have to figure it out. Diet is where I'd start ....

 

[PSFAngoras]

There are several reasons that does can stop having kits. Maybe one was never born and calcified, though usually they get infections from that sort of thing. Either way, it's a good idea to buy a young doe next time. She may not be proven, but you'll know every litter she's had. Also, if you do decide to sell her at some point, she'll be worth more as a proven doe, provided she's still providing!

 

[BunnyBounce]

Do you know if she produced litters for her previous owner ?!

Four years isn't terribly old for a rabbit .... tho that's definitely a late start if she hasn't produced in the past.

There has to be an explainable reason why she's not breeding / becoming pregnant.

From what I've read , they can accumulate fat tissue around their internal organs which will affect their ability to become pregnant , especially in older does who haven't produced prior or who have gone an extended period of time between litters..

We have to consider the fact that in their natural state they are much more active than in a caged environment , no matter how comfortable we try to make them. They lounge around all day in captivity and get fat. Its almost impossible to know how much fat they carry internally until we butcher them ....

Maybe she's malnourished ?!


There has to be a reason .... You just have to figure it out. Diet is where I'd start ....

Her pedigree has some chicken scratch on it next to her name that says, "2BOB, 3BOV" <-- I think that references her litter results. The girl I bought her from, was in high school and showed her through 4H. She seemed very trustworthy and said she'd thrown very beautiful kits in the past, but I'm not sure how far in the past. I was only texting with her and cannot find her number now or I'd ask.
If you thought she was malnourished, what would you start her on?
I'd lean toward that versus fat... she's a skinny little thing under all her fluff.