I Don't Know What To Do

[Bad Habit]

Okay, so... Long story.

First, everyone remembers me importing a trio of Vlops, which was awesome and yet a disaster at the same time. I ended up paying 150 per rabbit, because the transporter I had arranged didn't complete the transport route due to personal reasons, I still haven't gotten my refund and doubt I ever will, and had to pay an extra $100 for the rabbits to get here.

Well, one of the rabbits is almost 4yrs old. I got a small litter off her when she came, and was planning on breeding her for a back up momma for my first time lionhead doe, and then having her spayed and finding her a retirement home. She's getting up there, and presuming that she had a small load of 2 pregnancies a year, she's still looking at an easy 8 litters, if not more. I think she's paid her dues, and she's a very sweet, easy going doe. She deserves to spend the 2nd half of her life as someone's spoiled house pet, as a reward and thank you for all the lovely kits she's produced and raised.

Well, I mentioned to the woman that I bought them from that I was planning on retiring her, and she decided she wants Bonnet back. Okay, thinking she's going to give Bonnet a retirement home, I agree to send her back, I would ask no money as long as she paid transport. No biggie.

Yeah, then I find out she wants Bonnet NOW, not in the spring when I intended to rehome her, with the intent of putting Bonnet back into her breeding program.

I am not sure how I feel about this. Transport is being arranged, and she's supposed to leave this week. I don't want to feel like a (insert your favourite insult here) because I back out last minute, and offer Bonnet in the spring, as I had originally intended. But even then, she'll just go right back to being bred, and yeah, maybe she likes being a momma, and I know it's not bad for them to continue being bred as long as they'll produce, but that's not what I wanted for the doe.

I, personally, don't even think Bonnet is that great of a vlop. I was only planning on breeding her for a pet litter, so she could be available in case my LH does something stupid.

Honestly, I don't know what to do. My gut says keep her here and go along with what I had intended, whereas my brain and completely push over personality says that I should stick to these plans that have been made, and not ruffle any feathers or risk making anyone upset. I wish I'd put my foot down when she first started talking about "getting Bonnet home for Christmas"... As far as I'm concerned, Bonnet is home. I do love that doe, even if she can be a giant pain in my rear. I only want what's best for her, but I'm not entirely sure what's best for her at this point.

I'm just so confused and so unable to even process everything about this.

 

[Dood]

Just my 2 cents but VLops are a new breed with very few around and retiring a 4 year old seems a bit ridiculous just because she is not a stellar show quality rabbit.

If she is a great mother and has a perfect pet temperament then those qualities are needed in the breed as well.

BUT

You bought her with, I assume, no conditions attached and can have her for dinner if you want.

However, keep in mind her breeder may be less likely to sell to you in the future, or advise others not to sell to you, if she is worried you'll just throw her bloodlines away by petting out after a couple litters.

 

[Bad Habit]

She's a great mother and has a great temperament and has already passed that on to dozens of kits. She's 4 years old, even on the most conservative of breeding schedules, she's had 8 litters, with, let's say an average of 4 kits per litter, there's 32 right there. How many offspring does one doe need to produce before she's ready for retirement? Or should she simply be bred until she's used up and isn't producing anything anymore?

Since I don't plan to import any more Vlops, and work with what I have and what I can get around here, the "she won't sell to you anymore!!!" thing isn't such a big deal. I want what's best for the doe. Not the breeder I bought her from, not the breed, but her as an individual, and she seems ready to be a pet.

 

[Cottie]

She's your rabbit. You paid for her. The breeder doesn't get her back if you don't want to give her back. That's really all it boils down to. There are consequences to live with when you make any decision, so which consequences are you most comfortable with in this instance?

 

[luvabunny]

Since you have a plan for her for at least 1 litter, I would stick to those plans and not send her back to her breeder immediately. Everybody stays happy, and you have more time to think things over.

To be perfectly honest, I have never felt a 4 year old doe was that big of a producer for anyone. The breeder may feel the doe has qualities that could be an asset to her program at this point. The breeder may feel like you are just throwing her hard work away, by petting her good brood doe out. Why did you go to all the trouble you did to get her, if you were only going to breed her once for pet babies and get rid of her? I don't understand this part either.

Whatever you decide, the doe belongs to you and you can do whatever you wish with her. If you think getting her to a pet home is best, then by all means, do it. Personally, I'd rather sell my rabbits to someone who knows what they are doing, even if she is still producing babies, than an inexperienced pet home hoping for a wonderful time for her golden years. Rabbits do what they do, and that is produce more rabbits. She, herself, won't know the difference.

This, as always, is just my opinion.

 

[Honorine]

You have too much money invested in her to just hand her back- if the breeder wants to buy her back then do that, since she does plan on just breeding her and benefiting from it. I agree with Dood, removing her from breeding at 4 years old considering what she is may not be the best choice. What I have found, because I do tend to keep my favs till they die is that the does just stop conceiving when they have reached a certain age, litters get smaller and smaller and then nothing. I also would not spay a 4 year old rabbit, they have so many problems with anesthesia as it is, I wouldn't put an older doe thru that. I would tell the breeder you've changed your mind, that your going to keep her for another litter or two, but will get back to her when you do decide to let the rabbit go- do it quickly so she doesn't put any money out for transport- then breed the doe and go from there. In the spring if you want to let her go do so- for a price. You cannot keep absorbing these losses while others benefit, its bad business to do this, and it wears on you both emotionally and financially.

 

[dangerbunny]

Not to be mean but if the seller was going to want her back, why did she sell her? If she has had her for four years than surely she got some nice replacement babies out of her.

If it were me I'd make sure she had a great diet and breed her once or twice, and then pet her out if you feel she has done enough, even if her type isn't perfect a good nature goes a long way and she may out produce herself with a nice buck.

They are rabbits, you can't anthropomorphize too much.

 

[ladysown]

you had plans to send her back in the spring, stick with those plans. You just say, you aren't quite ready to let her go and let it be at that.

 

[MaggieJ]

You have too much money invested in her to just hand her back- if the breeder wants to buy her back then do that, since she does plan on just breeding her and benefiting from it. I agree with Dood, removing her from breeding at 4 years old considering what she is may not be the best choice. What I have found, because I do tend to keep my favs till they die is that the does just stop conceiving when they have reached a certain age, litters get smaller and smaller and then nothing. I also would not spay a 4 year old rabbit, they have so many problems with anesthesia as it is, I wouldn't put an older doe thru that. I would tell the breeder you've changed your mind, that your going to keep her for another litter or two, but will get back to her when you do decide to let the rabbit go- do it quickly so she doesn't put any money out for transport- then breed the doe and go from there. In the spring if you want to let her go do so- for a price. You cannot keep absorbing these losses while others benefit, its bad business to do this, and it wears on you both emotionally and financially.

I agree with Honorine, Bad Habit.